Lemon Basil Soda Recipe

Make lemon-basil syrup

Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a gentle simmer (about 3–5 minutes).

Once simmering, add the lemon zest and remove the pan from heat. Add the packed basil leaves to the hot syrup, pressing them gently with a spoon to release oils. Let the mixture steep for 15 minutes off the heat.

After steeping, stir in 1 cup fresh lemon juice. Taste and, if you prefer a brighter lemon flavor, add up to 1–2 tablespoons more lemon juice. Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve into a heatproof container, pressing on solids to extract flavor. Discard solids. Cool syrup to room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator until cold (about 30–45 minutes).

Prepare glasses

Fill four tall glasses with ice (approximately 1/2 cup ice per glass). Add one fresh basil sprig to each glass and lightly clap the sprig between your palms before dropping it in to release aroma.

Build the soda

For each glass, pour 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the chilled lemon-basil syrup over the ice. Top up each glass with 1 cup (240 ml) chilled club soda, stirring gently once to combine. Taste and, if you prefer sweeter, add simple syrup or a pinch of sugar and stir to dissolve.

Garnish each glass with a lemon slice on the rim and, if desired, an additional torn basil leaf on top. Serve immediately so the soda remains fizzy.