Lychee Lemonade | Litchi Juice

Lychee Lemonade or Litchi juice is a delicious summer drink that can be also used to make cocktails or mocktails. 

Fresh lychees are a childhood favourite. This white fleshed fruit is commonly available in India and South Asia during summer.

Lychees are naturally sweet and tasty. It is sold fresh as litchi with a thin stem and a dark pink scaly skin fruit.

The fruit has a dark brown pit and white flesh that can be eaten as is.

You can also freeze the fruit and use it in ice creams or smoothies too.

I love making this lychee lemonade in summer. My kids love it. Combining the sweetness of lychees with the zing of lemon juice gives a lovely, refreshing taste.

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Try this delicious kefir ice cream as a delightful summer treat to beat the heat. These pretty red white and blue jello shots are so good for summer.

Benefits of Lychees

Lychees are juicy with white flesh and help in improving overall wellbeing.

They are a good source of Vitamin C that strengthens the immune system.

They are good for digestion being rich in fiber.

Lychees are high in antioxidants like flavonoids and polyphenols.

Overall, they are good for health when part of a balanced diet source Healthline.

Ingredients for Lychee Lemonade

Lychees or Litchis: If you can get your hands on fresh lychees or litchis, they are perfect here.

Else canned or frozen litchis work very well too. Just make sure that they don’t have added sugar or preservatives.

You can also use litchi crush or juice. But ensure that they are not loaded with other ingredients.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice gives this lemonade its tang and freshness.

Sugar: Lychees are a sweet fruit on their own with a hint of tartness. Only add as much sugar as is needed.

Cold water or soda: Along with ice cubes, cold water or soda is all that you need for this refreshing lemonade.

Mint leaves: Use them for garnish and a lovely contrast.

Variations

While the classic lychee lemonade recipe is already a treat for your taste buds, you can try out different variations for a change. 

Mint or Basil Lychee Lemonade: Mint and basil complement the flavour of this delicious lemonade. You can crush some mint leaves or basil leaves and add them to the lemonade for a lovely green touch.

Ginger Lychee Lemonade: Grating a tsp. of ginger adds a nice hint of spice to your Lychee lemonade. 

Rose Lychee lemonade: Lychees fruits have a hint of rose in their flavour.

To complement this, you can add some rose flavour or syrup to this drink for a delicious twist.

Cocktails or mocktails: This lychee lemonade makes a perfect base for your cocktails or mocktails. You can add lavender syrup for a pretty colour and a variation in taste.

Add sparkling water, soda or fizzy drink of choice or alcohol for a refreshing drink.

Serving Suggestions

Serve lychee lemonade in a glass filled with ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves for a chilled summer drink.

You can also add some crushed lychees to the lemonade if you like.

If you like a smooth lychee lemonade, you can sieve the mix before serving.

For a gathering, serve lychee lemonade in a punch bowl with floating lychee fruits and lemon slices for a visually appealing and delectable beverage.

FAQs

Instructions to Make Lychee Lemonade

If you have fresh lychee fruits, peel and remove the pits. I have used about 20 fruits.

Here's how to eat lychees.

Depending upon how fleshy the fruits are, you may increase or decrease the number.

Keep the lychees aside.

In case, you don’t have fresh lychees, use canned litchis, frozen litchis or even canned litchi juice. 

Take 1 tbsp. lemon juice.

In a blender, take together lychee fruit along with lemon juice and 4-5 tsp. sugar.

Blend in a blender till lychees are blended.

You can leave them slightly chunky if you so like or blend them till smooth.

Your litchi juice is ready.

At the time of serving, add 4 cups of water or soda with ice cubes and garnish with mint leaves. Serve right away.

Tips

Fresh litchis are best here. But frozen lychees also work well. Canned ones are pretty good too, both fruit or juice. Make sure they do not have too many additives.

Since we have added lemon, some sugar is needed to balance out the tartness. Add sugar as per taste. I prefer my drinks to be less sweet.

This lemonade tastes best fresh. It can be, however, stored in the fridge for 2-3 days.

If you want your lemonade to be smooth, strain it before serving.

This lemonade is very refreshing. Always serve it chilled.

This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.

You can also try this tasty brown sugar lemonade.

Here's the recipe card:

📖 Recipe Card

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