Fanta Strawberry Recipe

Prepare strawberries

Wash, hull, and roughly chop the strawberries so they break down easily. Measure 1 cup chopped strawberries.

Cook simple strawberry syrup

In a small saucepan combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add the chopped strawberries and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer 6–8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until strawberries are soft and the liquid is syrupy.

Add lemon and mash

Remove pan from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Use a fork or potato masher to crush the strawberries in the hot syrup to release more juice and flavor. Let cool 10 minutes.

Strain (optional)

For a smooth soda, strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids to extract liquid; discard solids. For a pulpy soda, skip straining and leave the fruit bits in the syrup. Yield should be about 3/4 cup syrup.

Chill syrup

Transfer syrup to a jar and chill in the refrigerator until cold (at least 20 minutes). You can speed this by placing the jar in an ice bath.

Assemble the soda

Fill two tall glasses with about 1/2 cup ice each. Divide the chilled strawberry syrup between the two glasses (about 3 tablespoons per glass for a medium-strength flavor).

Add sparkling water

Top each glass with about 1 1/2 cups chilled club soda (3 cups total), pouring gently to preserve carbonation. Stir once gently with a long spoon to combine without flattening the bubbles.

Adjust sweetness and flavor

Taste and, if desired, add up to 1 teaspoon sugar or 1 teaspoon extra lemon juice per glass to adjust sweetness or brightness. Stir gently to dissolve any added sugar.

Garnish and serve

Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a couple of mint leaves if using. Serve immediately while fizzy.