Fresh Strawberry Soda (Homemade & No Machine Needed)
How to make strawberry soda
Perfect for tea parties, lazy summer days, or just because!
“If a soda could taste fresh, this would be it!”
Last year for Juneteenth, we made homemade strawberry soda! You can learn all about Juneteenth here and how to celebrate it with your family. While you’re at it, check out my Soul Food Juneteenth menu!
Ok, now back to this delicious homemade strawberry soda! Have you ever made strawberry soda before? I hadn’t until last year! Now I love whipping up all kinds of natural, fruity flavors even without a soda machine! To get your homemade soda bubbly without a soda machine, you’ll need to use some good ol carbonated water!
Types of Carbonated Water
- Club Soda: Carbonated water with added minerals to enhance the flavor.
- Seltzer Water: This can be used interchangeably with club soda; however, it does not have added minerals.
- Sparkling Water: This water is naturally carbonated with naturally occurring minerals and bubbles from the springs that it comes from. Its natural bubbles aren’t as fizzy as club soda or seltzer water.
- Tonic water: A carbonated water that contains quinine. Quinine gives tonic water its classic bitter taste.
NOTE: You can also use lemon-lime or Ginger-ale soda. However, I think this takes away from the fresh strawberry flavor.
What is the best carbonated water to use for homemade soda?
That’s really a personal choice, but I prefer club soda! I’m partial to Schweppes Club Soda because this brand is generous with carbonation. Besides, it always pretty easy to find and mixes well with natural flavors. Just remember, some club soda brands are stingy with carbonation or add too many minerals to the water, which can leave an aftertaste. Play around with different brands to find your fav.
Will my homemade strawberry soda taste like store-bought strawberry soda?
Ok, before you make homemade strawberry soda (or any natural homemade soda without a soda machine or flavoring), I want you to forget the look and taste of store-bought sodas. These are different animals. This WILL NOT taste like a store-bought strawberry soda! Or at least to me, it doesn’t, and I’m not complaining one bit!
This homemade strawberry soda is light, fresh, bubbly, and bursting with natural strawberry flavor! It’s delicious in its own unique way! If a soda could taste “fresh,” this would be it.
Or, as my kids described it, “It tastes like bubbly strawberry water. But it’s better than water because it’s sweet and tastes just like strawberries. Oh wait, it’s like lemonade made with strawberries instead of lemons and with bubbly water instead of plain water.” Hmmm…. ok.
This homemade strawberry soda relies on nothing but pure, fresh strawberries for its red color and strawberry flavor. No added red food coloring or flavorings needed!
Strawberry Soda Syrup
To get the maximum strawberry flavor, we need to create a strawberry syrup! This concentrate is what we’ll mix with the club soda to create a bubbly fresh strawberry soda! I like to keep a jar of this natural strawberry syrup in the fridge because it tastes good on so many things (ice cream, funnel cakes, etc.). The strawberry syrup is simple to make and uses fresh strawberries, sugar, water, and lemon juice. You can sub the strawberries with other fruits to make other flavors as well.
How To Make Homemade Strawberry Soda
Making homemade strawberry soda is ridiculously easy! You’re probably gonna be all like, “wow, that’s it?” As a matter of fact, once you make this strawberry soda, you’ll more than likely be ready to experiment with more fruit and combinations.
Step 1. Rinse, hull, and dice up some fresh strawberries and place them in a large skillet
Step 2. Stir in some water and granulated sugar.
Step 3. Bring mixture to a light simmer and allow the strawberries to soften and cook down until they are easy to mash.
Step 4. Mash the strawberries and continue simmering until the juices in the pan have reduced and are syrupy.
Step 5. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula to press out all the syrup. Discard the leftover pulp.
Step 6. Stir in lemon juice. if using. Let cool completely, and then place in the fridge until cold.
Step 7: To make soda, pour 8 oz of chilled club soda into a cup and then stir in the cold strawberry syrup by the tablespoon, tasting until your desired sweetness is reached.
Step 8: Sip and enjoy.
That’s it! You now know how to make a quick and easy homemade strawberry soda! Why not try out your own natural gourmet flavors? Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
- Vanilla Cherry (fresh cherries + vanilla extract)
- Mixed Berry (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, & raspberries)
- Real Fruit Punch (pineapples, oranges, mango, cherries)
Happy Soda Making!!!
Get the Recipe: Homemade Strawberry Soda (No machine needed)
Ingredients
- 1 lb. strawberries, rinsed, hulled, and diced
- 1½ cups granulated sugar, (can use less if desired)
- 1½ cups water
- 2-3 teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
- Club Soda, chilled (or lemon-lime soda), *see note*
Instructions
- Place the strawberries, water, and sugar in a large saucepan. Stir.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- When strawberries are soft, mash them with a potato masher.
- Let strawberries continue to simmer gently until the juices begin to reduce, thicken and become syrupy. (reduce heat if needed)
- Strain mixture through a mesh strainer, using a rubber spatula to press out the excess syrup. Discard the pulp. (You should have about 1 ¼ cups of syrup.)
- Stir in lemon juice if using. Let syrup mixture cool and then place in the refrigerator until chilled.
- To make a glass of soda, pour 8 oz of cold club soda into a cup. Stir in the chilled strawberry syrup by the tablespoon, tasting until you've reached your desired sweetness.
Notes
You have the best recipes ever!
When do you add the lemon juice?
I made this strawberry soda and LET ME TELL YOU!!!! It was a hit!!!! Instead of throwing out the strawberry pulp, I put it in a mason jar in the fridge. The kids ate it as jam on toast and crackers!!! Monique, you NEVER steer me wrong!