Having just shared 3 methods on how to juice cucumber, I wanted to share a slightly – perhaps- untraditional way to use this healthy, refreshing juice. I’ve already shared recipes for the best homemade lemonade, a raspberry lemonade, ginger lemonade, and even magic color-changing lemonade. Now it’s the turn of this cucumber mint lemonade recipe! Combining fresh cucumber juice with lemon or lime, fresh mint, and sugar syrup (or natural sweetener) is all you need to do for this refreshing drink. Best of all, this refreshing drink is ready in under ten minutes – even less if you’re using a sweetener in place of the sugar syrup! Best of all, this recipe is a great way to use up those cucumbers if you grow them yourself – but even if you don’t, they’re incredibly budget-friendly! Plus, it’s a great recipe to join your summer drink arsenal along with drinks like a strawberry mocktail, blackberry Earl Grey iced tea, or even iced matcha lattes!
The Cucumber Lemonade Ingredients
For the lemonade
Cucumbers: make sure to use firm, ripe, green cucumbers for the best results. I like to use organic English cucumbers, which have a subtle, fresh flavor. Citrus: you can use lemons or limes for this recipe; cucumber limeade is super delicious too! If using lemons, then Meyer lemons are particularly sweet and great for lemonade. Herbs: I’ve used some fresh mint from my garden as it really pairs well with the cucumber and lime. Another option could be basil. Simple syrup: all you need to make a simple sugar syrup is granulated sugar and water. If you want to use an unrefined sweetener, you could experiment with honey or a similar syrup (maple, agave, etc.). However, each sweetener will affect the cucumber lemonade flavor in different ways.
To garnish
If you have a group of friends or a gathering to impress, then garnishing the glasses when serving this cucumber lemonade is a sure way to up the presentation skills.
Honey: or another sticky syrup to help the other ingredients affix to the glass rim. Shredded coconut: I used homemade shredded coconut. It’s best to use short shreds (also called desiccated coconut vs. long thin strands). Lime zest: save some from the limes used above – lemon zest will also work.
How to Make Cucumber Lemonade
First, prepare the simple syrup if you’re using one. Then, juice the cucumber using one of these three methods (juicer, blender, or grater). Then prepare the lime juice. If you plan on garnishing the glasses, you can optionally zest one (or more) of the limes first, then juice the limes either using a citrus press or by hand. If doing it by hand, it can be a good idea to roll it on the counter a few times to loosen the juice and even pop them in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. This will make it easier to squeeze out all the juice manually. You can zest all the citrus and save the zest in the freezer to use later within baked goods, compound butter, infused oil, cooking, etc. To prepare the mint, you can roughly chop it or chop it into ribbons, as I did. To do so, I rolled the leaves up and use scissors (though a knife would also work) to slice them into ribbons. You can slightly muddle the herbs to make them release their flavor even more. Add all the ingredients to a large jug/pitcher – the cucumber juice, citrus juice (I also added the citrus pulp – but this is optional), simple syrup, and mint, and stir well. Optionally top up with ice before serving! Feel free to add a few extra cucumber slices to the glass/ pitcher too. And voila – your cucumber lemonade is ready to enjoy! To decorate glasses, dip the rim of each glass into some honey or another sticky syrup, then some coconut and lemon/lime zest. Add some cucumber lemonade to each glass and serve – enjoy!
How to Store
Cucumber lemonade is best consumed within 1-2 days for the freshest flavor. Especially as there are fresh herbs used. If serving over two days, it may be an idea to strain the mint and add fresh mint on the second day. To avoid watering down the entire batch, add ice-cubes to any glasses when serving rather than to the whole pitcher. You can also use frozen berries instead of ice to help chill the cucumber lemonade.
Recipe Notes
Make the syrup ahead: I recommend making the simple syrup ahead of time as it will be extremely hot when it’s first made. I like to allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using it (especially as it may crack a glass pitcher if added while hot). Alternatively, you can omit the need for syrup by using powdered sugar. Using powdered sugar: if you use a powdered form of sugar or sweetener (like erythritol), you can mix it directly into the citrus juice and mix well. It will dissolve fully within a few minutes with no need for syrup. You will then need to add a little more water to the cucumber lemonade, though. Save the cucumber pulp: After juicing the cucumber, the pulp makes for the perfect addition to homemade tzatziki. Eat it with some seed crackers while you enjoy this refreshing cucumber mint lemonade – delicious!
Other Drink Recipes
Orange and carrot juice Tropical guava smoothie Flavored water recipes How to make an iced latte Pineapple skin tea Lebanese Mint Lemonade (Limonana Mint) Peach Iced Tea Strawberry Milk Recipe (Chunky OR Blended) Peach Lemonade How To Make Aloe Vera Juice
Alternatively, you can browse through all my drink recipes for more drink inspiration. If you try this cucumber lemonade recipe, I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d really appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
