I’m sharing Lebanese Mint Lemonade, Lemonana, made with freshly juiced whole lemons, lime, and mint leaves, a recipe that fits neatly into Cool Refreshing Drinks and contains a simple, unexpected natural sweetening trick you’ll want to read about.

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I first tried Lebanese Mint Lemonade, or lemonana, on a blistering afternoon and got hooked. I love how the freshly squeezed lemon juice snaps awake your mouth while fresh mint leaves roll in cool, slightly bitter freshness.

It’s one of those drinks that looks simple but hides tricks you only notice after the first sip. If you like Cool Refreshing Drinks that surprise you, this is worth chasing down.

I keep finding tiny variations that change everything, weird little details that make me pause and smile, so I keep coming back for another glass.

Ingredients

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Lemon juice: bright, tart, high in vitamin C, gives the drink it’s sour kick.
Lime juice: adds zesty, sharper sour note and extra citrus complexity
Fresh mint leaves: aromatic, cooling, adds herbal aroma and tiny antioxidants
Sugar or honey or simple syrup: sweetens, balances acidity; honey add floral notes sometimes
Cold or sparkling water: dilutes concentrate; sparkling gives lively fizz and extra refreshment
Ice: chills quickly, dilutes as it melts, keeps lemonade crisp and balanced

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)

1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar OR 1/2 cup honey OR 3/4 cup simple syrup

1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves packed (about 1 large bunch)

4 cups cold water (or sparkling water for fizz, optional)

Ice for serving

Mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Pour 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice into a pitcher or blender, add your chosen sweetener (1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar or 1/2 cup honey or 3/4 cup simple syrup) and stir until it’s dissolved; if using sugar or honey, warm a few tablespoons of the 4 cups water to dissolve then add the rest cold later.

2. Pack 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves into your palm and clap or bruise them to wake up the oils, or gently muddle in the pitcher so they release aroma but dont shred them to bits.

3. For classic foamy Lemonana, transfer the juice, sweetener and bruised mint to a blender with 2 to 3 cups of ice and pulse until bright green and frothy; if you prefer a clear lemonade, skip the blender and just stir the juice, mint and sweetener in the pitcher.

4. If blended, taste and if it’s too strong or sweet, add some of the remaining cold water to balance; if stirred, add the full 4 cups cold water (or sparkling water for fizz) and mix well.

5. Optional but recommended: strain the blended mix through a fine mesh sieve into a serving pitcher to catch mint bits and any foam you dont want, pressing lightly with a spoon to extract liquid.

6. Adjust sweetness or tartness now: add more simple syrup or a splash of lime if needed, or dilute with cold water to reach the flavor you like.

7. Fill glasses with ice, pour the lemonade over ice and top each with a little sparkling water if you like more fizz.

8. Garnish with mint sprigs, give one quick clap between your hands first so it smells nice, then tuck it into the glass.

9. Serve immediately for best froth and freshness, or chill in the fridge up to 24 hours; shake or stir before serving because mint settles and the foam will calm.

10. Leftovers: keep covered in the fridge, and if it gets too concentrated after sitting, just add cold water or ice and give a quick stir or blend to revive the froth.

Equipment Needed

1. Blender or food processor, for the bright green froth when you pulse ice
2. Large pitcher, for stirring, diluting and serving
3. Citrus juicer or hand reamer, to squeeze the lemons and lime easily
4. Measuring cups and spoons, to measure juice, water and sweetener
5. Fine mesh sieve, to catch mint bits and smooth the foam
6. Muddler or wooden spoon, to bruise the mint without shredding it
7. Long-handled spoon or spatula, to stir and press through the sieve
8. Ice scoop or tongs plus serving glasses, for filling and presenting the drinks

FAQ

Q: Can I make Lebanese mint lemonade ahead of time? A: Yes, you can. Mix the lemon, lime, sweetener and water and keep it in the fridge up to 48 to 72 hours, taste it each day cause citrus gets sharper. If you want fizz, add sparkling water right before serving so it stays bubbly.

Q: Which sweetener is best, sugar, honey or simple syrup? A: Simple syrup is the easiest cause it dissolves instantly, use about 3/4 cup for this recipe. Granulated sugar works too but stir or shake well. If you use honey, warm it a bit or make a honey syrup (equal parts honey and hot water) so it blends — honey will add floral notes.

Q: How do I get the most mint flavor without making it bitter? A: Gently muddle the mint leaves or bruise them with your hands to release oils, don’t mash them to bits. You can also steep the leaves in a little hot water for 10 minutes to make a mint infusion if you want stronger flavor. Avoid blending zest or white pith of lemons, that’s what makes drinks bitter.

Q: Can I make this sparkling or alcoholic? A: For sparkle use chilled sparkling water in place of still water or half-and-half for milder fizz. To booze it up add 1 to 2 ounces of vodka, gin, white rum or arak per glass, or about 1 cup for a pitcher. Add alcohol to taste and serve over ice.

Q: My lemonade tastes flat, how can I fix it? A: Fixes are simple: add more lemon or a splash of lime for brightness, a pinch of salt can lift the flavors, and fresh mint leaves give a lift too. If it’s too sweet, dilute with water or add more lemon juice, if too tart add a bit more sweetener.

Q: How should I serve and store leftovers? A: Serve over plenty of ice with mint sprigs, and keep leftovers in a sealed pitcher or bottle in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. If you used sparkling water, leftovers will lose fizz fast so best to finish those same day.

Lebanese Mint Lemonade Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Lemon juice — Swap with Meyer lemons (1 cup Meyer lemon juice = 1 cup regular), theyre sweeter and less sharp so you may want to cut the sweetener a bit; if you have no lemons use 1 cup fresh orange juice plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice for brightness, note it will be sweeter and more orange-y.
Lime juice — Replace 1 to 1 with extra lemon juice (so 2 tablespoons lime = 2 tablespoons lemon) and add about 1/4 teaspoon lime or lemon zest if you want that extra tang; if you really need the lime flavor you can use 1/2 teaspoon bottled lime juice concentrated instead.
Sugar / honey / simple syrup — Try agave nectar (use about 2/3 the volume, so for 1/2 cup sugar use ~1/3 cup agave), or maple syrup 1:1 for liquid swaps but expect a woodsy note, or liquid stevia start with a few drops and adjust cause it is much sweeter than sugar.
Fresh mint leaves — Use packed basil leaves 1:1 for a bright, peppery twist, or lemon balm/verbena 1:1 for a citrusy mint-like aroma; if you only have dried mint use about 1/3 the fresh amount but steep it in the syrup then strain to avoid gritty bits.

Pro Tips

1) For the best froth, blend the juice, mint and mostly ice in short pulses not one long whack. Dont overblend or youll just end up with melted slush instead of bright foam.

2) Wake the mint up by lightly bruising or muddling the leaves, but dont shred them. Pull leaves off the stems first or the stems can add a bitter note.

3) If you choose sugar or honey dissolve it first in a few tablespoons of warm water, then add the cold water later. Or make a quick simple syrup ahead so you can taste and adjust sweetness fast, its way easier.

4) Always strain the blender batch through a fine mesh sieve if you want a smooth, green-free drink. Press gently with a spoon to get the juice out but not the leafy bits, that keeps the texture clean.

5) Keep fizz and garnish last minute: chill glasses and the pitcher, add sparkling water right before serving so it stays fizzy, and freeze extra lemon juice in ice cube trays for quick refreshers or to chill without watering it down.

Lebanese Mint Lemonade Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

kcal

Equipment: 1. Blender or food processor, for the bright green froth when you pulse ice
2. Large pitcher, for stirring, diluting and serving
3. Citrus juicer or hand reamer, to squeeze the lemons and lime easily
4. Measuring cups and spoons, to measure juice, water and sweetener
5. Fine mesh sieve, to catch mint bits and smooth the foam
6. Muddler or wooden spoon, to bruise the mint without shredding it
7. Long-handled spoon or spatula, to stir and press through the sieve
8. Ice scoop or tongs plus serving glasses, for filling and presenting the drinks

Ingredients

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar OR 1/2 cup honey OR 3/4 cup simple syrup
1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves packed (about 1 large bunch)
4 cups cold water (or sparkling water for fizz, optional)
Ice for serving
Mint sprigs for garnish (optional)

Directions

Pour 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lime juice into a pitcher or blender, add your chosen sweetener (1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar or 1/2 cup honey or 3/4 cup simple syrup) and stir until it's dissolved; if using sugar or honey, warm a few tablespoons of the 4 cups water to dissolve then add the rest cold later.
Pack 1 to 1 1/2 cups fresh mint leaves into your palm and clap or bruise them to wake up the oils, or gently muddle in the pitcher so they release aroma but dont shred them to bits.
For classic foamy Lemonana, transfer the juice, sweetener and bruised mint to a blender with 2 to 3 cups of ice and pulse until bright green and frothy; if you prefer a clear lemonade, skip the blender and just stir the juice, mint and sweetener in the pitcher.
If blended, taste and if it's too strong or sweet, add some of the remaining cold water to balance; if stirred, add the full 4 cups cold water (or sparkling water for fizz) and mix well.
Optional but recommended: strain the blended mix through a fine mesh sieve into a serving pitcher to catch mint bits and any foam you dont want, pressing lightly with a spoon to extract liquid.
Adjust sweetness or tartness now: add more simple syrup or a splash of lime if needed, or dilute with cold water to reach the flavor you like.
Fill glasses with ice, pour the lemonade over ice and top each with a little sparkling water if you like more fizz.
Garnish with mint sprigs, give one quick clap between your hands first so it smells nice, then tuck it into the glass.
Serve immediately for best froth and freshness, or chill in the fridge up to 24 hours; shake or stir before serving because mint settles and the foam will calm.
Leftovers: keep covered in the fridge, and if it gets too concentrated after sitting, just add cold water or ice and give a quick stir or blend to revive the froth.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.