Strawberry Limeade Slushie | Healthy Strawberry Slushie Recipe
Basil Strawberry Limeade Slushie + Strawberry Slushie Popsicles!
When you need to keep cool to the MAX, try this 4 ingredient strawberry limeade slushie! What better way to beat the summer heat than with a refreshing summer drink? Because, when it gets really hot outside, all I want is to sip on something COLD.
Sweet lemonades and iced teas are classic summer sips, but some days just call for a more serious chill… This strawberry limeade slushie is simple and sippable like other summer drinks, but thick, creamy, and sweet like a fruity popsicle! (But, beware of brain freeze if you get to sipping too fast…)
Simple Strawberry Slushie—Made from Real Strawberries
This strawberry limeade slushie is a REAL fruit drink. It’s made with just frozen strawberries and lime juice, and a bit of basil for a hint of fresh flavor! Really, it’s more like a smoothie in terms of its fuel-filled ingredients, but it has the thick, icy, frozen-treat-like texture of a classic slushie!
Slushies, slushy, Slurpees, Icees—whatever you want to call ‘em—usually consist of finely shaved ice and a sugary flavored syrup. Instead, this strawberry limeade slushie is wholesome and fuel-filled enough to enjoy anytime, guilt-free! Loads of fruity summertime flavor, no added sugar needed.
Even better: did you know that strawberries have a higher antioxidant content than the majority foods on the planet? The pigments that give strawberries their color—anthocyanins—act as incredible antioxidants in our bodies.
And, research shows those antioxidants have the potential to help prevent heart disease and reduce chronic inflammation! Seriously, an anti-inflammatory strawberry slushie? Yes, please!
Keys to Making a Strawberry Limeade Slushie, Not a Smoothie
A smoothie is meant to be creamy and smooth, while a slushie needs to have a denser, almost chunky texture similar to sorbet. (Like the slush that forms when snow begins to melt!)
And, to give this strawberry limeade slushie that authentic texture, I’ve used frozen strawberries. Because they’re flash-frozen at their peak time of freshness, frozen strawberries are just as nutritious and antioxidant-rich as fresh berries! And, they’re often way cheaper.
Most importantly, they’re the key to giving your strawberry limeade slushie that icy slush-like texture! You could also try this recipe using fresh strawberries and ice, if you prefer. But, I personally love using the frozen berries because they add that thicker texture without watering down the flavor in my strawberry slushie!
Sippable, Spoonable, Freezable Slushie
Feel free to sip on this healthy summer drink, or go at it with a spoon! However you decide to enjoy it, this strawberry limeade slushie is definitely best served fresh out of the blender. But, even though this slushie is one of my favorite healthy summer drinks recipes, I think I may like it even more in popsicle form!
With its dense, sorbet-esque texture, this strawberry limeade slushie is sort of halfway to frozen already. And, after freezing it firms up into some of the most luscious, fruity satisfying popsicles I’ve ever eaten!
Of course, whether you go for the strawberry limeade slushie or the slushie pops, you can’t go wrong!
Strawberry Limeade Slushie
Ingredients
- 2 cups strawberries, frozen
- 3 limes, juiced (or ⅓ cup lime juice)
- 2 fresh basil leaves, to taste
- liquid sweetener, to taste (honey, maple syrup, or whatever you prefer)
Instructions
To make Strawberry Limeade Slushie:
- In a blender, combine strawberries, basil, lime juice, and sweetener. Blend until smooth, adjusting texture and sweetness to your preference. (Add ice cubes to thicken the slushy or add water to thin it out!)
- Serve in a glass with a spoon and enjoy!
To make Strawberry Limeade Slushie Popsicles:
- Pour/spoon into popsicle molds and freeze (6-8 hours, or overnight).
- Once frozen, remove desired pops from mold and enjoy! (You may need to allow pops to sit outside of the freezer for a minute or two in order to easily remove from mold.) You can leave pops in molds in freezer for a few days.
- For longer storage, remove from molds and place in individual freezer bags, or in an airtight plastic container with layers of wax paper or plastic wrap in between. Will last 3 to 4 weeks stored this way.
- Yields 2 cups strawberry limeade slushie, or ~4 popsicles.
