Frozen Mint Lemonade (Limonana) ~ a slushy, minty, Middle Eastern version of lemonade that is honestly the most refreshing drink I have ever had in my life.
limonana is the ultimate refresher
take 2 of the world’s most refreshing foods, mint and lemons, blitz them up with lots of ice, and you’ve got one epic refresher.
This is the drink I’ll be sipping (slurping) ALL August long. I discovered it when I was out to lunch with my daughter (modeling above) the other day. She ordered a mint lemonade, and I was curious about it. She said she learned to love it on a summer trip to the Middle East. She hadn’t had it since, so we were both excited to see it on the menu.
We picked up lemons and fresh mint on the way home and haven’t looked back since. We made our first batch the next day, in triple digit temeperatures, and it was so utterly refreshing it’s spoiled me for all other summer drinks. There’s something about the lemon and mint together that cools you down and quenches your thirst instantly. And with just a touch of sugar or honey, this is a super healthy, low calorie drink, too.
what is limonana?
Limonana is simply mint infused lemonade, and it’s served all over the Middle East. For such a simple concept it packs a ginormous punch. I have never had a more delicious and energizing drink, and I know you’re going to love it. The second time we made it (the very next day!) we spiked it with rum for a slushy mojito type cocktail and it was equally awesome, I highly recommend you try it both ways.
3 fresh ingredients
- fresh lemon juice
- fresh mint
- sugar
I love my stainless steel straws ~ they’re fun to drink out of, and eco-friendly, too.
how do you make limonana?
- squeeze some lemons, and mix up a quick lemonade with the juice, a little sugar syrup, and water.
- Pluck a good handful of fresh spearmint leaves (use spearmint, not peppermint, for the best flavor.)
- Add everything to a good blender (Vitamix is my favorite) along with some ice. (You can do it without the ice, too.)
- Blend until slushy and spoon into a tall glass.
- You won’t be sorry.
make this frozen mint lemonade your own
Feel free to adjust the amount of any of the ingredients, many different combinations will work, depending on how sweet or minty you like it. My recipe is tangy and not super sweet.
- Make it alcoholic ~ add rum or vodka.
- Make it with honey instead of sugar.
- Make it low carb/sugar free using Stevia or your favorite alternative sweetener.
- Make it without the ice ~ blend up the lemonade and mint, then serve over ice.
- Make it ahead ~ blend the mint with the lemonade ahead and chill until ready to serve, then blend up with the ice.
what to serve with limonana
- Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Hummus
- Loaded Tabbouleh Salad
- Falafel Burger Recipe (copycat McFalafel)
- Lemon Artichoke Hummus
- Lebanese Meatballs
- Shirazi Salad (Persian Cucumber Tomato Salad)
Frozen Mint Lemonade (Lemonana)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice, seeds removed, but keep the pulp, preferably cold
- 1 cup water, for a less tart lemonade, add 1/2 cup more water, but remember that the ice will dilute the lemon, too
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- a good handful of fresh mint leaves, not the stems or about a packed 1/4 cup
- 2 heaping cups of ice cubes
Instructions
- Dissolve the sugar in the water, stirring often the water is clear and all the grains have dissolved, this will take a couple of minutes. Mix with the lemon juice and chill until cold. You want to start with very cold lemonade.
- Add the mint, lemonade mixture, and ice to a blender and blend until slushy.
- Pour into glasses and serve immediately, garnished with a slice of lemon and a sprig of mint.
Nutrition
I made it slightly different. The Brazilians use whole limes and a squeeze of sweetened condensed milk.