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Ridiculously Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade

July 24, 2026July 24, 2026Leave a Comment

It’s been a summer of lemonades in my home, so this Strawberry Lemonade fits nicely with the heat-busting, refreshing drinks I’ve been making for Pali (Zyair) and his sisters. The Peach Mango Lemonade went somewhat viral, while the Sorrel Lemonade spoke to those of us more interested in Caribbean flavours. Then there was the Big People Lemonade, with a splash of rum, so the adults could also enjoy a festive lemonade on days we gather with friends and family.

As part of my In Season series, I couldn’t let our local strawberry season pass without sharing this one. Freshly picked strawberries from the farms in my area (Hamilton, ON) add a lovely fruity balance to the tartness of freshly squeezed lemons, creating a refreshing summer drink that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. While it may be tempting to use bottled lemon juice, there’s really no substitute for freshly squeezed lemons. With just a handful of simple ingredients and a few minutes of your time, you’ll have a pitcher of homemade Strawberry Lemonade ready to enjoy over plenty of ice with a few sprigs of fresh mint.

Ingredient Guide

Strawberries: Fresh strawberries are the heart of this lemonade, adding natural sweetness, vibrant colour, and fresh berry flavour.

Sugar: Sweetens the strawberries while balancing the bright acidity of the lemons.

Water: Helps create a light, refreshing drink once everything is combined.

Fresh Lemon Juice: Gives the lemonade its signature tart, citrus flavour that bottled juice simply can’t match.

Mint: Adds a gentle herbal aroma that complements both the strawberries and lemons.

Shopping Made Easy

Buy local strawberries whenever they’re in season for the sweetest flavour.
Choose lemons that feel heavy for their size since they’ll usually yield more juice.
Fresh mint is available at most grocery stores and farmers’ markets throughout the summer.
Wash strawberries well before using, especially if they’ve come straight from a local farm.

Cooking Notes From the Kitchen

Simmering the strawberries helps extract their flavour and vibrant colour.
Straining the puree gives you a smooth lemonade without seeds.
Fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference in the finished drink, including the pulp.
Chill the lemonade before serving for the most refreshing flavour.
Add the mint just before serving so the leaves stay fresh and aromatic.

Ridiculously Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade

Made with fresh local strawberries and freshly squeezed lemons, this Ridiculously Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade is a refreshing summer drink that's perfect for making the most of strawberry season.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Course Drinks, In Season, Sunday Dinners

Cuisine Fusion

Servings

Ingredients

12 large strawberries chopped
1 cup sugar
7 cups water divided
1 cup fresh lemon juice about 6 lemons
Mint

Instructions

Remove the stems from the strawberries, give them a good wash, and chop them.
Place the chopped strawberries in a deep pot with 3 cups of the water and the sugar. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
Allow the mixture to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before using a stick blender to puree until smooth.
Juice the lemons, as there’s no substitute for freshly squeezed lemons, then pour the juice into a large pitcher or bowl.
Strain the strawberry puree to remove the seeds and excess pulp, then add it to the pitcher.
Pour in the remaining 4 cups of water and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust the sugar to your own liking. Honey, raw can sugar, and other sweeteners are also options instead of using processed sugar.
Like the Rosemary Infused Lemonade I shared previously, may I recommend serving this Strawberry Lemonade over plenty of ice with a few sprigs of fresh mint. As the mint leaves bruise against the ice, they'll release their aromatic oils into the lemonade, giving every sip a gentle kiss of added herbal flavour.
If you enjoy this Strawberry Lemonade, you should also give my Strawberry Apple Cider Lemonade a try. And if you're after something with a bit more Caribbean flair, my Guava Lemonade is always a hit thanks to the rich flavour of ripe guavas.
Let me know your thoughts on this refreshing Strawberry Lemonade and if there are ways you make it more personal to your own preferences by leaving a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

Video

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Yes. Frozen strawberries will work, but fresh local strawberries will always give you the brightest flavour and colour when they’re in season.

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

You can, but I don’t recommend it. Freshly squeezed lemons make all the difference in the finished Strawberry Lemonade.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Absolutely. Prepare it a day in advance and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Add the ice and mint just before pouring. You’ll also need to give it a whisk before serving, as the pulp may settle.

Can I reduce the sugar?

Of course. If your strawberries are especially sweet, adjust the sugar to your own taste.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Jamaican Escovitch Kingfish.

April 18, 2022March 21, 20222 Comments

While this recipe is traditionally done with crisp fried whole fish (usually Red Snapper) in Jamaica, I quite like to done with Kingfish… one of, if not my favorite fish. Basically a quick, spicy vegetable pickle poured over the fried fish, so the recipe itself is very forgiving as you can easily over-cook the fish and still have great results.

You’ll Need…

5-7 slices of kingfish
1 tablespoon Caribbean Green Seasoning
3/4 tablespoon sea salt (divided)
3/4 teaspoon black pepper (divided)
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups veg oil
2 large onions (sliced thick)
1/2 carrot (julienne)
6-8 pimento berries (allspice)
2 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 scotch bonnet pepper (sliced thin)
bell peppers (assorted colors – sliced thin)
1 1/2 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoon white sugar

NOTE! In the video below I explain why I like dusting the seasoned fish in flour and why I seasoned the pieces of Kingfish as I did.

The Kingfish steaks were about 1 inch think, washed (cool water and the juice of a lime – lemon or white vinegar works too), drained and seasoned with the Caribbean Green Seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well and allow to marinate as we prepare the vegetables for the Escovitch sauce.

Basically all you have to do is cut the bell peppers the same thickness and the carrot a bit thinner. The Scotch Bonnet pepper will make this SPICY, so please be aware of this. But we’ll balance things with the sugar. Wear gloves when handling such hot peppers, wash your hands with soap and water after and remove the seeds and white membrane if you want to control the heat a bit.

In a sauce pan on a medium heat add the vinegar and pimento berries, bring to a boil, then add the carrot pieces (since this is the toughest thing that goes in the pickle). Simmer for 3 minutes, then add the bell peppers, onion (sliced thick rounds), garlic, remaining salt and black pepper, followed by the sugar to bring the balance I spoke about above.

As it comes to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer as we get to frying the fish. Dust the seasoned fish pieces in the flour and set aside as your vegetable oil comes to temperature in a wide pan.

Fry the fish a few pieces at a time as to not crowd the pan. I did mine about 4-5 minutes on each side, then onto paper towels to help soak up some of the oil as I did the next batch. You’re looking for a dark golden color. The flour dusting will help you get this color, plus that same crust will act as a magnet for the Escovitch sauce when we pour it on.

After 8 minutes, turn off the heat under the sauce and let it sit until we’re done frying the fish.

Arrange the fried fish on the platter you’ll be serving it on, then pour the Escovitch sauce over it. Or serve on the side. You’ll get notes of spice (pimento), sweet and SPICY with a slight crunch from the vegetables. Add more sliced Scotch Bonnet (any fav pepper) if you want more of a KICK!

Save any remaining Escovitch Sauce in a glass jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Got lame fried chicken? Pour this sauce over it and BAM! You’ve got something truly unique. That recipe (not the lame fried chicken), but Escovitch Fried Chicken will soon come.

Drop me your comments below, tag me on Instagram and don’t forget you can now get my cookbook – The Vibrant Caribbean Pot, 100 Traditional And Fusion Recipes @ CaribbeanPot.com/CookBook/

CalmDo Portable Countertop Dishwasher #Giveaway

May 28, 2025February 10, 2021262 Comments

I teased this giveaway on Instagram back in December, but with my busy schedule and the arrival of Zyair, I just didn’t have time until now to share the full details. As you can image, I go through a LOT of dirty dishes everyday. Between the everyday running of our home and me filming to share online, there’s always a mess in my sink… so I know how convenient a dishwasher can be. While space and plumbing is always an issue especially if you live in an apartment or dorm, our friends over at Calmdo addressed those issues in the design of this portable compact dishwasher.

Giveaway Rules…

Open to everyone globally
Entries close Midnight February 28, 2021
All you have to do is leave a comment below, say what you like best about CaribbeanPot.com
Comment at IG @CaribbeanPot FB @RealCaribbeanPot (bonus entry)
Enter your name on the contest post in the Community (bonus entry)
You WILL be required to enter your name and email address (only way for us to contact the winners)
1 winner will be chosen randomly
We will contact the eventual winner March 2nd 2021. Should you be the winner, you MUST respond within 48 hrs of receiving our email or we will select another person
All members of your household can enter their name/comment below
The Calmdo Countertop Dishwasher will be shipped via Canada Post Ground, we cannot provide tracking information (unless you’re based in Canada) and cannot guarantee shipping times due to COVID
Do NOT contact us asking who the winner is. It will be announced via Instagram Stories, Facebook and in a subsequent Giveaway video on YouTube.
Do NOT Email, Direct Message or Call us to enter – leaving a comment below is the ONLY way to enter.
Yes you can enter your name even if you’ve won something from us in the past

I’d like to thank everyone for participating and whish you all best of luck. Unfortunately there can only be one winner, so use the other methods of getting bonus entries mentioned above to enhance your chance at winning.

CaribbeanPot.com is not affiliated with Calmdo. Should you want to own your own (or any of their wonderful kitchen gadgets) please go to Calmdo.com (not an affiliate link). Get 10%OFF for all products by using this code on checkout CALMDO10

A Classic Caribbean Split Peas And Salted Pigtail Soup.

May 27, 2025March 9, 201422 Comments

This is a take on a basic but extraordinary soup my grandmother would make with simple ingredients like yellow split peas, herbs, salted cod instead of salted pig tail and tons of dumplings. She lived her entire 99 years without ever touching pork. However I love pork on my fork, so in my version I’ll be using pieces of salted pig’s tail for added flavor and that true Caribbean vibe in the pot.

You’ll Need…

2 cups yellow split peas
2 lbs salted pig tails
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 scotch bonnet pepper
1 tablespoon veg oil
1 large onion
4 sprigs thyme
4 large potatoes
3-4 cups coconut milk
6-8 cups water
2 scallions
4 cloves garlic
1 cup flour + water for dumplings

Note: If you don’t dine with the swine, you can easily use salted beef or bits of salted cod for the same flavor base. Additionally, you can make this split peas soup fully vegetarian and leave out the pork. Just add about 2/3 teaspoon salt in cooking.

Have your butcher cut the salted pig tail into one to 1.5 inch pieces for you or use a heavy Chinese clever to do so. Anything else and you’ll ruin your good knives. Rinse with cool water, place in a deep pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer and let it go for about 45 minutes. The goal is to remove most of the salt the pork was cured in and to help tenderize it so when cooked in the soup it will be falling off the bones. Then drain and set aside.

As the vegetable oil heats on a medium flame in a deep soup pot, prep the ingredients. Dice the garlic, onion and scallions and peel and cut the potato into quarters.

The oil should be hot now, so toss in the garlic, onion, scallion and thyme and reduce the heat to low. After about 3-4 minutes, go in with the black pepper and then toss in the pre-cooked pieces of salted pig tail. Raise the heat to medium and give it a good stir. Wash and drain the split peas (place in a strainer and run cool water while running your fingers though the grains), then add it to the pot.

It’s now time to add the water, coconut milk and potato to the pot and bring to a boil. Then lower to a simmer and drop in the scotch bonnet pepper ‘whole’! This will give us a ton of flavor but not the raw heat. Near the end you can remove the springs from the thyme as well as the whole scotch bonnet pepper. Or if you want that Caribbean sunshine, you can burst it for real fyah!

After about 50 minutes of simmering (remember to keep stirring) the pieces of pigs tail should be tender and the split peas should start to dissolve. A sign that it’s time to add the flour dumplings. In a bowl place the flour and enough water to make a soft but firm dough (tip – add a pinch of sugar to the dough) , then work with a fork then go in with your hands to make the dough ball. Let it rest for about 5 minutes, then start pinching small pieces off and shape into a sort of cigarette shape (spinners). Add to the pot and cook for another 8 minutes.

Now taste for salt (adjust accordingly) as we didn’t add any salt with the hopes that the remaining salt from the salted pig tail would be enough to season the pot accordingly, remove the pepper if you so desire and don’t forget to also get rid of the springs from the thyme.

IMPORTANT! This split peas soup will thicken drastically as it cools so be sure to add more water if needed.

Turn off the heat and serve HOT! You can always add carrots, green bananas and ground provisions to the pot if you desire, but I find that it’s not really necessary! However our grandmother would always include yam if it was in season. Also bear in mind that this is not like a North American soup, but more like a thick stew and it will (no matter how hard you try) turn out to be a very large pot of soup.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. Oh yea! Leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Fried Okra With Salted Cod.

August 27, 2012August 27, 201215 Comments

Okra or ochro as it’s passionately known in the Caribbean is quickly becoming one of my favorite ingredients to prepare. Gone are the days when our mom couldn’t even beg us to eat fried okra or okra in general. Steamed, fried, stuffed or in stews.. I love me some okra now. I recall my mom always having okra in her small kitchen garden at the back of our home and it was my duty to pick them for making callaloo on a Sunday. That was my only okra intake as a child.. in callaloo. I still recall getting wet by the dew drops on the leaves of the plant before the morning sun came up and how you had to be careful not to brush too much against the plant or you’d have to deal with itchy skin.

You’ll Need…

1lb okra
4 tablespoon Veg Oil
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic
1 tomato
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup salted fish *
1/2 scotch bonnet pepper

Notes: I used salted cod but you can use your fav type of saltfish. Since the flakes of salted fish will still contain some salt, you may not need to add any salt to the dish. However do taste near the end of cooking and adjust accordingly. Remember when working with scotch bonnet (and any hot pepper) that most of the raw heat is in the seeds and white membrane surrounding the seeds. Discard if you’re concerned about the heat. Cooking okra like this uses a lot of oil, so I used a non stick pan to help cut back on the amount of oil I needed.

Okra is notorious for having a slimy texture and this is what usually turns people off it. This little tip will help you overcome this.. wash and dry the okra with paper towels, then trim off the stems. Cut into 1/4 inch wheels (or any shape you like), then line a cookie sheet with more paper towels or a tea towel and spread the now cut okra onto the cookie sheet. Try to make it one layer, then place in direct sun for a couple hrs to dry off. If you don’t have that wonderful Caribbean sunshine, simply place it in a corner of your kitchen and allow it to air dry for a few hours.

If you’re not sure how to work with salted fish, you must check out this video : How To Prepare Salted Fish Basically you have to place the salted fish in a deep pot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Leave for 2-25 minutes on a rolling boil, then drain and rinse off with cool water. Now break apart into flakes or shred. The goal is to remove most of the salt the fish is cured in, rehydrate the fish so it plumps up and to sort of tenderize it a bit.

Heat the oil on a medium heat in a non stick pan and add the shredded salted cod. Reduce to a low heat and allow to cook for about 4-6 minutes. As the pieces of fish starts to crispy up and edges go brown, it’s time to add the sliced onion, scotch bonnet pepper garlic and black pepper. Allow this to cook on a medium heat for a couple minutes. The idea is to create a very flavorful base before we add the sliced okra.

With your heat still on medium, add the now dried okra slices into the pan and give it a good stir. Please don’t cover the pan.. we don’t want to add any moisture to the pan or risk it going slimy.

Here’s where you can personalize the dish. I like my fried okra with a little crunch but the edges must be browned, so I allowed mine to cook for 20 minutes but you can certainly cook longer or less time. After 20 minutes I topped with the tomato (please remove all seeds and liquid before dicing) and gave it a good stir. Basically the tomato is to brighten up the dish, so 2 minutes of cooking and the fried okra should be done. The last couple minutes is when you should taste for salt and adjust accordingly. It’s important to add salt near the end of cooking when working with okra as it will also cause moisture to develop and you really don’t want that.

I could honestly have this for breakfast. lunch or dinner.. give me some brown rice, roti or flour dumplings and I’m cool as a cucumber. This fried okra recipe is a HIT and I’m sure you’ll change your thoughts o okra after you’ve given it a try.

Before you go, don’t forget to check out the latest cooking videos, connect with me on twitter and join our community on facebook. oh yea! leave me a comment below – it’s appreciated.

Ingredient Guide

Shopping Made Easy

Cooking Notes From the Kitchen

Ridiculously Quick and Easy Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients 1x2x3x

Instructions

Video

Notes

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

Can I use bottled lemon juice?

Can I make this ahead of time?

Can I reduce the sugar?

Giveaway Rules…

Ingredients