If you’re serving drinks while the grill is busy, make the cucumber lime base ahead and leave the sparkling water until guests arrive. The cucumber lime recipe below serves eight and takes 10 minutes to prepare. Chilling a batch made ahead takes additional time.
Ingredients
- Half a cucumber, sliced
- 1 lime, sliced
- 3 sprigs fresh mint
- 3 sprigs fresh tarragon
- 1 12-ounce can frozen limeade concentrate
- 1 1.25-liter bottle sparkling water
- Edible flowers, for garnish
- Ice
Use edible flowers sold for culinary use; leave them out if you cannot verify that they are food-safe. Ice is included without a fixed quantity.
Method
- Slice the cucumber and lime. Pick the mint and tarragon leaves from the sprigs.
- Add the cucumber, lime, mint leaves, and tarragon leaves to a pitcher. Gently muddle with the bottom of a wooden spoon.
- Add the frozen limeade concentrate, sparkling water, and ice. Stir to combine.
- Divide among glasses. Add edible flowers if desired.
The recipe makes eight servings, with about 10 minutes of preparation.
Make it ahead and keep it cold
To make it ahead, prepare the pitcher without the sparkling water and ice, cover it and refrigerate it. Add the sparkling water shortly before serving so the drink stays fizzy. Chill the ingredients before assembling the drink.
Keep cut produce and the prepared pitcher at 40°F (4°C) or below. FDA guidance says perishable foods should be refrigerated within two hours, or within one hour when the outdoor temperature is above 90°F (32°C). Rinse produce under running water and scrub firm produce before cutting. See the FDA’s safe food handling guidance .
More individual summer drinks
- For another cucumber option, see TFA’s Cucumber Mint Fizz .
- For a watermelon pitcher with basil and lime, see TFA’s Watermelon Basil Limeade Pitcher .
For more flavor ideas, use the Drink Finder .
Choose a pitcher and an ice setup
Compare pitcher capacity, lids, and pour access before buying a vessel. For an outdoor batch, a cooler you own can hold the backup ice while a small covered container serves the table.
We may earn a commission if you buy through the following Amazon link, at no extra cost to you. The ChefBee 3-liter ice bucket with lid and tongsPaid Amazon links: we may earn a commission if you buy through links in this article. Disclosure details. is one table-side option. Check the current listing for its dimensions and included pieces. We haven’t tested its ice-retention time, so plan refills from your cooler.
If guests will pour their own drinks, use the drink-station guide to arrange glasses, ice, the pitcher, and garnishes in serving order. For more summer choices, browse batch mocktails guests can pour themselves .
Recipe note
Ice has no fixed quantity in this recipe. Editorial checks are not a claim of TFA kitchen testing.
