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See 5 recipes Download free cookbookSparkling Rosemary Watermelon Lemonade
Prep Time:25 minCook Time:5 minTotal Time:30 minServings:8Difficulty:Easy
This pitcher begins with ripe watermelon rather than juice or flavored syrup, so the drink tastes clean, fresh, and unmistakably summery. Lemon brings enough acidity to sharpen the fruit without hiding its mellow sweetness.
Rosemary can quickly overwhelm a cold drink, so it is steeped briefly in a light syrup and removed before assembly. The result is an herbal aroma at the edges rather than a savory or piney lemonade.
Straining the watermelon puree gives the finished drink an easy, sip-friendly texture. Add the sparkling water only when everyone is ready for a glass, preserving the lively bubbles that make the pitcher especially refreshing beside a backyard meal.
Serve the lemonade over plenty of ice with small watermelon wedges and lemon wheels. For the best balance, taste the still base before adding sparkling water and adjust with a little more lemon if the melon is particularly sweet.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories:104 kcal
Protein:1 g
Carbs:26 g
Directions
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1
Lightly bruise 2 rosemary sprigs with the back of a spoon to release their aroma.
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2
Combine the bruised rosemary, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat after 1 minute.
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3
Let the rosemary syrup steep for 10 minutes, then discard the sprigs and set the syrup aside to cool.
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4
Blend the watermelon in batches until completely smooth and pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher, pressing gently with a spoon. Discard the remaining pulp.
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5
Stir the lemon juice, cooled rosemary syrup, and salt into the strained watermelon juice until evenly combined.
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6
Taste the base and add a small squeeze of lemon if the watermelon is very sweet. Refrigerate the base until cold if the ingredients were not already chilled.
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7
Just before serving, slowly pour in the sparkling water and stir once or twice to combine without knocking out the bubbles.
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8
Divide the ice among 8 glasses, pour in the lemonade, and garnish each glass with a watermelon wedge, a lemon wheel, and a few leaves from the remaining rosemary sprig.
Ingredients
- Seedless Watermelon, Cubed:8 cups
- Fresh Rosemary Sprigs:3
- Granulated Sugar:1/3 cup
- Water:1/2 cup
- Fresh Lemon Juice:1 cup
- Fine Sea Salt:1 pinch
- Plain Sparkling Water, Chilled:4 cups
- Ice Cubes:4 cups
- Small Watermelon Wedges:8
- Thin Lemon Wheels:8
Tips & Notes
- Choose a watermelon that feels heavy for its size and has a creamy yellow field spot for fuller flavor.
- The strained watermelon-lemon base can be refrigerated for up to 1 day; add sparkling water only at serving time.
- For a less sweet pitcher, begin with three-quarters of the rosemary syrup and add more after tasting.
