For Sweeter Lemonade, Add A Splash Of This Unexpected Juice

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Who doesn't love the playful pink hue and tarty-tingly sweetness of ice-cold pink lemonade? Even those eschewing artificially sweet drinks with questionable colors have to admit there's something light, airy, and youthfully delightful about ordering this version of lemonade — or better yet, making it yourself at home. As it happens, we have a method to share, one that naturally creates sweeter lemonade and brilliant pink hues using just a splash of juice. 

Don't worry, you won't be trudging the aisles of expensive specialty stores to find this juice, as it's the relatively common beet juice, routinely stocked in natural-food aisles of mainstream supermarkets or on Amazon, where you'll often find organic, not-from-concentrate versions. Beet juice gives ordinary lemonade a naturally rosy hue while also bolstering subtle sweetness, all without complicating the nostalgic tang of classic lemonade. Lemons still lead the flavor profile, as it only takes a tiny amount to achieve dramatic results. 

Fortunately, Tasting Table recipe developer Jennine Rye created a naturally pink lemonade recipe that helps you achieve the perfect balance of lemonade and beet juice, sharing the process for folding it into homemade lemonade. As she explains, "The addition of the beetroot to give the drink its hue is a little different. It's a great natural way to get a beautiful vibrant pink color without adding a different flavor to the drink or using an artificial means of color."

The key to sweeter, beetroot flavored lemonade is balance. Lemonade essentially needs enough tartness to taste refreshing, enough sweetness to soften the acidity, and enough dilution to be pleasantly tasty when served over ice. But beet juice works best when it's supporting that balance instead of dominating it. A few drops or a small splash can visually transform a pitcher, and because beet juice is naturally sweet, it makes the drink feel rounder and smoother even when the main sweetener is still sugar. Rye points out that the quantity is intentionally small because: "... as great as beetroot can be, it isn't really the flavor you want with your lemonade!"

This recipe starts with classic lemonade ingredients — lemons, sugar, and water — then adds beetroot juice at the end. It also includes lemon zest, which adds extra citrus aroma and depth, improving the flavor dimension of the drink. Rather than pouring everything together at once, start by zesting one lemon, avoiding the bitter white pith, and then juice all the lemons. 

Next, combine the lemon juice, zest, sugar, and water in a saucepan, and warm the mixture, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves. This step creates a smooth lemonade base and helps the citrus and zest infuse more evenly. After that, remove the pan from the heat, let the mixture cool, and strain. Then comes the magic moment for stirring in the beetroot juice, starting with one-half tablespoon and adjusting the shade and sweetness with tiny extra amounts, per preference. 

If you decide to veer from simplicity and basic old-fashioned lemonade, it's still possible to color and lightly sweeten new concoctions with beet juice. Just add the juice before tossing in other ingredients. Get some fun ideas from our 16 tips for the most refreshing summer lemonades. 

They include things like integrating fresh or frozen summer fruits and puréeing in a blender, or muddling the fruit by hand to extract more flavor and keep aromas intact. In that vein, instead of coloring and sweetening with beet juice, it's possible to use mashed raw beets — as long as you're okay with slightly changing the texture of your lemonade. Another option is stirring in the liquid from canned beets, which typically goes to waste. (Check out our other creative suggestions for making sure precious liquid from canned beets gets its fair share of culinary glory.) 

Veering from fruity pathways, take pink lemonade into spicy, fizzy, boozy, or herb-flavored territories. Using either homemade or store-bought lemonade, stir in things like smoky paprika, cinnamon, or ginger powder; trade water for effervescent seltzer or soda water; or go boozy with bourbon, vodka, or gin. Better yet, create your own beet-colored lemonade mojito: Make the lemonade with brown sugar, lemons, and limes; stir in the beet juice; and add muddled fresh mint leaves and amber-hued rum. The South American brandy known as pisco is also considered the best booze to pair with beet juice, so give it a try in beet-infused lemonade.