Lemon Soda Recipe

Lemon Soda is a refreshing carbonated summer beverage which is popular with the street vendors. This is made with lemon, salt, sugar and soda water also known as club soda. Lemon soda can be made many different ways and flavour combination. Popular ones are mint lemon soda, sweet lime soda, mint masala soda. In this blog post I have shared method of making lemon soda at home and many flavour combination that you can try. Learn how to make fresh lemon soda with step by step pictures and video. 

Fresh Lemon Soda

Lemon soda is one of the most loved drink or summer beverage. It is easy to make and is so refreshing during hot summer days. You can make lemon soda tons of different ways. I like to enjoy my lemon soda with sugar and salt added, hubby likes his with only salt. In this blog post I have shared all different ways of making lemon soda, so make one and enjoy.

About Lemon Soda 

Lemon Soda is a popular summer beverage made with lemon, salt, sugar and soda water. The ratio of the ingredients and the flavourings used when making lemon soda makes it different each time. But a basic lemon soda or lime soda is made with fresh lemon juice, salt, sugar and soda water. 

It is popular among street vendors all over India. There are many shops on the road side selling fresh- cold lemon soda during summer afternoon. Nothing can beat a tall glass of lemon soda after a long day. 

Lemon soda is made many different ways and in different flavour combination. Popular ones are Sweet & Salt Lemon Soda, Salt Lemon Soda, Mint Lemon Soda, Sweet Lime Soda, Mint Masala Soda, Lemon Punch, Kulukki Sarbath and many more. 

More Summer Recipes,

Lemon Juice

Mint Masala Soda

Calamansi Juice

The method for making lemon soda or lime soda is  very simple. You mix everything in a serving cup and drink straightaway immediately. Usually at home, lemon soda is made by mixing lemon juice, sugar, salt in a serving cup and topped with ice cubes and chilled soda water or club soda. But in restaurants and street stalls they use simple syrup instead of sugar. Simple syrup is made by boiling sugar and water. This dissolves faster than sugar in the lemon soda which makes it more enjoyable. I have shared recipe below for making simple syrup. 

Watch Lemon Soda Video

Fresh Lemon Soda Ingredients

Lemons - use fresh lemons for making lemon soda. You can use limes too. Limes tends to be sour, so adjust sugar level accordingly. You can use ready squeeze lemon juice as well. But nothing can beat freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you are making bulk quantity, you can use an electric citrus squeezer. 

Sugar - For making single serving lemon soda. You can add sugar into the lemon juice to taste. But if you are making multiple huge portion of lemon soda, it is best to make simple syrup and use them. This dissolves faster than sugar in the lemon soda which makes it more enjoyable. I have shared recipe below for making simple syrup. 

Salt - even though this is optional. A pinch of salt added in lemon soda enhances the taste of the soda. 

Soda Water or Club Soda - Soda water is also known carbonated water, bubbly water, sparkling water, fizzy water, club soda, water with gas, in many places as mineral water, or especially in the United States as seltzer or seltzer water. Make sure you use cold club soda. 

More Lemon Soda Flavours

Mint Masala Soda - This refreshing drink has a pinch of chat masala, cumin powder, black salt added to make it masala flavour.

Sweet Lime Soda - Sweet lime soda has more sugar added which makes this drink more enjoyable.

Spicy lemon Soda - This is popular in street food stalls. A piece of ginger & chilli is muddled with the lemon juice to give a spicy kick to the lemon soda. Check similar lemon punch recipe. 

Strawberry lemon soda - add fresh strawberry puree when making the drink for refreshing taste. Check simple strawberry lemon soda. 

Ginger Lemon Soda - 1 tbsp of ginger juice is mixed with the lemon soda. This beverage is great for digestion. Check similar ginger ale recipe. 

Lemon Soda with Salt - If you don’t prefer your lemon soda sweet, you can make it only with salt. This drink is great to boost up hydration.

Simple Syrup for Lemon Soda

Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by cooking equal parts sugar and water until the mixture is slightly thickened. This syrup is cooled and stored in fridge which can be used to sweeten beverages like lemon soda, lemonade, cocktails and mocktails.

Usually at home, lemon soda is made by mixing lemon juice, sugar, salt in a serving cup and topped with ice cubes and chilled soda water or club soda. But in restaurants and street stalls they use simple syrup instead of sugar. Simple syrup is made by boiling sugar and water. This dissolves faster than sugar in the lemon soda which makes it more enjoyable. I have shared recipe below for making simple syrup. 

How to Make Simple Syrup for Drinks

• 1 cup Sugar 
• 1 cup Water

Take sugar and water in a sauce pan. Place the sauce pan on heat and cook on medium heat stirring often. As you stir the sugar will melt and starts to boil. Once it reaches a boiling stage. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool. Store in a clean bottle. 

You can keep the simple syrup in fridge and enjoy it whenever you need it. You can store this upto 3 months or more when properly refrigerated.

Goli Soda vs Club Soda

Banta Soda or Banta also known as Goli Soda or Goti Soda is a popular carbonated water served in India since the late 19th century in a unique codd neck bottle. The pressure created by the carbonated water seals the bottle by forcing a glass marble up into the neck of the bottle where it snugly locks into a rubber gasket.

The uniqueness of Goli Soda is represented by the way it looks, served and consumed. Goli Soda is sold in reusable glass bottles. The bottles are sealed with a glass marble, which acts as a stopper to keep the carbonation intact.

To open a goli soda you have to push the marble into the bottle either using your fingers or the special hammer. People often opt for the club soda that is usuallt sold in the plastic bottle for its convenience.

How to Make Lemon Soda (Stepwise Pictures)

1)We are going to make one serving of lemon soda. Take a serving glass, add in lemon juice. Juice of half a lemon would be plenty for a serving of lemon soda.

2)Add in sugar and salt to taste. Instead of sugar you can add simple syrup. Check recipe above.

3)Mix it well with a spoon so the sugar melts into the lemon juice.

4)Pour in chilled club soda.

5)Pour till it reaches top.

6)Mix once and serve immediately.

How to Make Lemon Mint Soda (Stepwise Pictures)

The combination of fresh mint leaves and lemon juice makes a perfect match. Grind fresh mint leaves with lemon juice, sugar and salt. Strain the extract and mix with club soda to make this refreshing beverage.

Ingredients for Lemon Mint Soda

• Mint Leaves - 3 cup packed
• Sugar - ¾ cup
• Lemon Juice - ¼ cup 
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Ice Cubes as needed
• Soda as needed

1)Take mint leaves in a blender jar. Use fresh mint leaves, you can use even the stalks too.

2)Add in lemon juice or lime juice.

3)Add in sugar to taste.

4)Add in some salt to balance the taste.

5)grind the mint leaves with sugar, lemon juice and salt to a smooth puree. Add some water if needed.

6)Strain the mint juice to extract as much juice as possible.

7)This is your mint extract.

8)Fill serving glass with ice cubes.

9)Pour some of the mint extract. I filled half of the glass with the extract.

10)Top with chilled club soda.

11)Mix and enjoy immediately.

Variations

Pink Lemon Soda

I have mentioned about the granadine syrup which hubby got for me in my blue curacao mocktail recipe post. I used that to make a yummy pink lemonade drink and it is not an ordinary drink, it is a sparkling one. Sparkling makes everything taste so sparklingly yummy right..

Ingredients Used

• 2 tbsp Grenadine Syrup
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice 
• 3 tbsp Simple Syrup
• Ice cubes as needed
• 1 cup Club Soda as needed

How to Make 

To make pink lemon soda. Take a serving glass, Add in lemon juice, simple syrup, grenadine and ice cubes. Now pour in soda water and mix. Serve immediately.

2)Blue Curacao Lemon Soda

I had it with hot chicken strips burgers, vegetable nuggets, french fries. I was really blown away with this. It tasted amazing with those hot foods. I immediately got inspired by this drink, i asked them what did they used for the colour. Is it food colouring or something else. They told it was blue curacao syrup. I have never heard about this before though it was readily available in the supermarket shelves .I think, I have never paid attention to them. Immediately I went to the supermaket and got a bottle of that. The next day i made this yummy drink. 

Ingredients Used

• 2 tbsp Curacao Bleu Syrup
• 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 3 tbsp Simple Syrup
• 1 cup Club Soda Water 
• Ice cubes, Mint leaves & Lemon Wedges 

How to Make 

Take a serving glass, fill it half way with ice.  Add in curacao syrup, simple syrup, soda water, mint leaves and lemon wedges. Mix this whole thing up. Serve immediately.

Expert Tips

• Lemon Soda has to be made fresh and served immediately. Since we are using club soda.
• You can adjust sugar, salt and lemon juice to your taste preference. 
• Even if you prefer sweet lime soda, I strongly recommend you to add a pinch of salt to enhance the taste.
• Lemon Soda has to be made cold to make it more refreshing.
• Adding a lemon slice enhance the presentation and adds a lemony aroma.
• Instead of using sugar, you can add in simple syrup as per your taste. 

FAQ

Can I drink lemon soda everyday?

lemon soda has sugar added in them. So consuming them in moderation is required. Lemon soda with salt can be consumed daily for restoring hydration.

Is soda water and tonic water same?

Soda water is plain carbonated water also known as sparkling water. Tonic water is also carbonated but contains added quinine and sugar which has a signature bitterness to it.

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