Mint Lemonade

Mint lemonade brings together sharp fresh citrus and cooling herbs in the style of the bright, blended lemonades often served across the Middle East. Rather than simply stirring mint into lemonade, the leaves are blitzed with lemon juice and sweetened chilled water, then strained, giving the drink a pale green colour and a clean, smooth finish without leafy bits. The result is tangy, lightly sweet and especially refreshing over plenty of ice, with the mint sitting as a cool aromatic note rather than overpowering the lemon. It is quick to make, easy to adjust to taste, and well suited to hot days, mezze-style meals or any occasion that calls for a crisp non-alcoholic drink.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Middle Eastern-style refreshment
Cooking style No-cook preparation • Minimal cleanup
Time commitment Under 15 minutes

Why this recipe works

  • Fast and fresh: Blending the mint directly with lemon juice and chilled water extracts flavour quickly without cooking or steeping.
  • Clean citrus-mint balance: Sharp lemon gives the drink brightness, while fresh mint adds a cooling herbal finish.
  • Easy to adjust: The sweetness and strength can be fine-tuned after straining with a little more chilled water if needed.

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Ingredient notes

  • Use tender mint: Choose fresh mint leaves and tender stems, avoiding woody stems that can make the drink taste coarse or grassy.
  • Balance sharp lemons: Lemons vary in acidity, so taste after blending and adjust with more chilled water or sweetness if the flavour is too sharp.

Texture tips

  • Strain well: Press the blended mint mixture firmly through a sieve, then strain again if you want a clearer, smoother finish.
  • Dissolve the sugar fully: Make sure the sugar is completely dissolved before serving so the lemonade tastes clean rather than gritty.

Make-ahead tips

  • Chill before serving: The strained lemonade can be kept in a sealed jug in the fridge, then stirred well before pouring.
  • Add ice at the end: Keep ice out of the jug until serving so it does not dilute the citrus and mint flavour.

Equipment you'll need

Blender Citrus juicer Measuring cups Mixing bowl Sieve / strainer
Ingredients
Instructions
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  1. Put the caster sugar in a jug with 250 ml of the water and stir until the sugar dissolves. If it is slow to dissolve, blitz it briefly in the blender.
  2. Pick over the fresh mint, discarding any tough stems. Juice the lemons.
  3. Add the mint, lemon juice and the sweetened water to the blender and blitz for 20 to 30 seconds until the mint is finely broken down and the drink turns pale green. Add the remaining water and pulse just to combine.
  4. Strain through a sieve into a jug, pressing firmly to extract the liquid, then discard the mint pulp. Taste and adjust by adding a little more water if you prefer it lighter.
  5. Divide the ice cubes between 4 glasses and pour over the mint lemonade. Serve straight away while well chilled.

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Recipe notes

Tips

  • For the cleanest finish, strain twice: once through a sieve, then again through the same sieve rinsed clean.
  • If your lemons are very sharp, dissolve the sugar fully before blending so you can taste and adjust sweetness easily.

Substitutions

  • Replace caster sugar with honey for a rounder sweetness; dissolve it in the water before blending so it mixes evenly.
  • Replace lemon with lime for a more floral, slightly sharper citrus profile.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 2 days
  • Store the strained lemonade in a sealed jug in the fridge and stir before serving, as it can settle. Add ice cubes only when serving to keep the flavour bright.

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Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 glasses
  • Total time: 10min (10min active)
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Beginner friendly Kid friendly
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Equipment you'll need

Blender Citrus juicer Measuring cups Mixing bowl Sieve / strainer
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Caster sugar

1 cup ≈ 200 g
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Water

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
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