(Naturally!) Pink Lemonade Recipe

Lemonade is undoubtedly a classic drink. Maybe you embarked on the storied quest of setting up a lemonade stand as a kid or have a good friend who always keeps an ice-cold pitcher of the stuff in their fridge in case people come over. Either way, it's hard to deny the nostalgic, refreshing appeal of a tall glass of lemonade. There are plenty of ways to upgrade your lemonade by adding herbs, fruits, and other flavors, but sometimes you don't want anything extra. Sometimes you want that nostalgic tang — and you want it pink. While pink lemonade commonly gets its hue from sugary, fruity juice or syrup, recipe developer Jennine Rye turns to a certain root vegetable to achieve this playful color.

"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," Rye explains. Here's how to make her simple and naturally pink lemonade.

Lemonade is a simple drink, and the ingredient list reflects that. All you'll need is plenty of lemons, plus sugar, water, and beet juice for the pink color.

Start by juicing all your lemons — just don't forget to save the zest from one of them. "I love the addition of lemon zest as it adds more depth and dimension to the drink," Rye says, though she warns that "can inadvertently add bitterness though too if you add too much of the pith. It's perfectly possible to add more lemon zest to up the lemon flavor, I just think this is the perfect balance."

Once you've extracted what you can from those lemons, place the juice and zest in a saucepan along with your sugar and water. Heat up the mixture and stir, making sure the solids get dissolved. Then, take it off the heat, let it cool for a while, and strain the lemonade.

There's just one step left in this pink lemonade recipe: Making it pink! That's where your beet juice comes in. "Because only a tiny amount is used, the beetroot doesn't affect the taste of the drink at all," Rye is sure to note. "It's incredible how just a few drops can give the lemonade such a strong pink color. It's definitely something I tested for though, because as great as beetroot can be, it isn't really the flavor you want with your lemonade!"

Voila: You now have a generous batch of homemade pink lemonade, with no extra sugar or artificial colors required. Whether you're pouring glasses for just yourself or serving a crowd, everyone will surely react with nostalgic delight when handed an icy glass of this drink. "Homemade lemonade can last for up to a week when stored in an airtight container in the fridge," Rye says. "It's definitely best consumed when it is at its freshest, but it's also perfectly possible to make it a day or two before an event."