Strawberry Soda

By Vallery Lomas

Published June 7, 2024

Strawberry Soda
Julia Gartland for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne.
Total Time
25 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(81)
Notes
Read community notes

This festive beverage uses real fruit for a bright flavor and gorgeous dark pink hue that store-bought soda could never match. Strawberries impart a refreshing taste that’s accented by a hint of lime. The lime juice also serves to balance out the sweetness of the syrup without overpowering the delicate strawberry. Much like bottled soda, this one is craveably sweet; feel free to adjust to your liking — add more syrup if you want it sweeter, or more lime juice or club soda for a lighter beverage (the melting ice will also dilute the soda). When cooking the strawberry purée, decrease the heat if it starts to foam up, to prevent it from boiling over. Club soda or seltzer will yield a fizzier homemade soda, but sparkling water works great too. For maximum carbonation, prepare the batch à la minute.  

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Ingredients

Yield:2 servings

    For the Strawberry Syrup

    • 1pound fresh strawberries, hulled and rinsed (or frozen strawberries)
    • 1cup sugar

    For the Soda

    • 1¼cups club soda or sparkling water
    • 1tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • Sliced fresh strawberries (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

461 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 118 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 111 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 35 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the strawberry syrup using a blender (see next step if you do not plan to use a blender): Add the strawberries and 1 cup water to a blender and purée. Pour the purée into a medium saucepan over medium-high. Stir in the sugar and bring to a boil. When boiling, decrease heat to medium, and stir occasionally until reduced by half, about 15 minutes (further decrease the heat if it starts to foam up and boil over). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use, or for up to one week. (Yields about 2 cups.)

  2. Step 2

    Make the strawberry syrup without using a blender: Add the strawberries, sugar and 1 cup water to a medium saucepan over medium-high and bring to a boil. When boiling, decrease heat to medium and stir occasionally until the strawberries soften, about 10 minutes (further decrease the heat if it starts to foam up and boil over). While the saucepan is still on the heat, use a fruit masher to thoroughly mash the strawberries. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the syrup is reduced by half, 5 minutes. Pour the mashed strawberry syrup through a strainer, pressing on the pulp to extract as much juice as possible. Remove the pulp and reserve for another purpose. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use, or for up to one week. (Yields about 1½ cups.)

  3. Step 3

    Make the soda: Combine ½ cup strawberry syrup, the club soda and the lime juice in a large measuring cup or other vessel with a spout and stir well. Divide the soda evenly between two glasses filled with ice. Add sliced strawberries and serve immediately.

Ratings

4 out of 5
81 user ratings
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Cooking Notes

Caren Comeau

I freeze these syrups in an ice cube tray (order on Amazon w/lids) then you just take out as many cubes as you want and let them thaw in the glass-instant drinks. Works well with watermelon!

JFR

I made this for my wife with fresh strawberries from our garden. And she was pleased, which was all I was aiming for. Then she suggested we carbonate coconut water and use that with the strawberry syrup, it was delicious!

LC

I couldn't help myself...I agree, no sugar needed.

MizStsvy

Prepare the strawberries without the sugar. Use a drop or two of simple syrup to sweeten to taste.

Ishbel

Fabulous! You won’t be disappointed. Make according to recipe and enjoy.

Name mollyh

Fun summer drink! Can regulate the amount of sugar. Keep a ball jar going as a compote w syrup and use syrup for soda. Sweeter w diet 7up. Pretty.

Sweet Swede

My granddaughter Mimi has been making raspberry soda since three years ago with my organically grown raspberries!!! She calls it “raspberry sparkle,” and everybody loves it.

JDM

Brilliant! June-baring berries are here in MN! Gorgeous. I used a fine strainer and and no seeds but nicely forced through all the berry. Sweet and delish. Lemon juice is a must. I need only a tablespoon-ish, and a tall glass of fizzy water. I love the freeze idea as, strawberries not in season are not that tasty! This will be a joyful treat in the middle of a MN winter!

katie

Delicious. Made this for a pool party with some friends and everyone loved it.

MR Mayday

Is there a reason why we wouldn’t want to use a blender?

Gretchen

Made the syrup in the blender with a whole cup of sugar and fresh strawberries from the garden. We have kids. Everyone loved it. We had both lemons and limes in the house and everyone mixed their own drink with either carbonated or still water and some lemon or lime juice to taste. I'd definitely make the syrup per the recipe again and then use varied amounts of syrup, lime and water per personal taste.

Alex

Just for those who don’t speak French, à la minute means don’t put the soda water in until you’re serving it.

John

The recipe makes 2 cups of syrup. You use 1-4 cup of syrup per drink. Thus the recipe serves 8 in total. I almost did not make this because I thought it looked like too much work for just two servings, until I did the math! Tastes great!

EHVT

IMO the amount of sweetener needed depends on the sweetness of the strawberries you have. Perhaps taste one first? I used 1/3 c. mixture of sugar and Stevia, with very sweet berries. I did steep the syrup with ~8 big mint leaves (to mask any potential cool flavor from the stevia), strained them at the end with a slotted spoon, and it was AMAZING! Still very sweet. Also, the higher sugar content perhaps lends to longer fridge storage if not using immediately-a difficult ask once sampled!

VSB

Good Afternoon: Does the syrup freeze well?

Jake

Yes... I've frozen mine at it worked well.

Caren Comeau

I freeze these syrups in an ice cube tray (order on Amazon w/lids) then you just take out as many cubes as you want and let them thaw in the glass-instant drinks. Works well with watermelon!

JFR

I made this for my wife with fresh strawberries from our garden. And she was pleased, which was all I was aiming for. Then she suggested we carbonate coconut water and use that with the strawberry syrup, it was delicious!

MizStsvy

Prepare the strawberries without the sugar. Use a drop or two of simple syrup to sweeten to taste.

LC

I couldn't help myself...I agree, no sugar needed.

begley

Strawberries have sugar. You don't need to add sugar unless you have trouble maintaining extra pounds and your diabetes medicine is annoyingly effective

Ishbel

Fabulous! You won’t be disappointed. Make according to recipe and enjoy.

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