Strawberry Basil Recipe
Make Strawberry Basil Recipe in just 25m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Cocktail Base
Garnish & Finish
Method
Prepare Strawberry-Basil Purée
Hull and chop strawberries
Rinse the strawberries, remove the stems (hull), and roughly chop into quarters so they blend easily.
Muddle basil with strawberries
Place the chopped strawberries and 6 basil leaves into a mixing bowl or cocktail shaker. Add 2 tablespoons of the simple syrup. Using a muddler or the back of a spoon, gently muddle until the strawberries release juices and the basil is fragrant but not pulverized (about 20–30 seconds).
Blend to a smooth purée
Transfer the muddled mixture to a blender. Add the remaining simple syrup (about 10 tablespoons) and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Blend on medium speed until smooth, about 20–30 seconds. If you prefer a textured drink, pulse briefly instead.
Strain (optional)
For a silky cocktail, pour the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or pitcher, pressing with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. If you prefer pulp, skip this step and use the purée as-is.
Assemble Cocktail
Combine purée, lemon juice, and vodka
In a large pitcher or mixing glass, combine 1 cup of the prepared strawberry-basil purée (or the entire strained purée portion equivalent to about 3–4 strawberries), the remaining 6 tablespoons (0.375 cups) fresh lemon juice, and 1.5 cups vodka. Stir or gently shake to combine.
Chill with ice
Add the crushed ice (about 3 cups) to the pitcher or shake the mixture with a good handful of ice in a cocktail shaker for 10–15 seconds until well chilled.
Serve & Garnish
Fill glasses with ice
Prepare serving glasses
Divide the cocktail among 4 glasses filled with ice (about 6–8 oz per glass). Each serving will get roughly 1/4 of the cocktail base plus soda.
Garnish
For each glass, thread two strawberry slices on a cocktail pick and add a basil sprig, or float a lemon wheel and a basil leaf on top. Clap the remaining basil leaves between your hands to release aroma and tuck one leaf into each glass.
Final adjustments
Taste one serving and adjust sweetness or acidity if desired: add up to 1 teaspoon simple syrup per glass for more sweetness or a squeeze of lemon for more brightness.