Plum Orange Basil Water: Recipe and How to Make It

Plum orange basil water is a chilled fruit-and-herb infusion that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to prepare and makes about four servings. To adjust the batch, try the ai infused water generator.

What is plum orange basil water?

Plum orange basil water is plain water steeped with sliced plum, orange and fresh basil. The result is lightly flavored rather than sweet like juice, and you can serve it with or without the fruit.

It’s one of many stone fruit infused water recipes that use ripe fruit for flavor without blending it into the drink. This recipe has no added sugar.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For approximately four 250 mL servings, use:

Ingredient	Metric amount	US measure
Cold water	1,000 mL	4¼ cups
Ripe plum, pitted and sliced	About 75 g	½ cup
Orange, sliced	About 100 g	⅔ cup
Fresh basil leaves	About 5 g	¼ cup loosely packed, or 8–12 leaves

The fruit and herb amounts are flexible: a little more plum makes the flavor fruitier, while less basil keeps the herbal note subtle. Choose a ripe plum that gives slightly when pressed, and use fresh basil with green, unwilted leaves.

You’ll also need a clean pitcher or jar large enough to hold the water and fruit. A strainer is useful if you prefer to serve the water without pieces of fruit or basil.

How do you make plum orange basil water?

Active preparation takes about 10 minutes, followed by at least 2 hours of refrigerated steeping.

Rinse the plum, orange and basil under running water. Do not use soap on the produce.
Slice the plum, discarding its pit, and slice the orange. Remove the orange peel if you prefer a milder citrus flavor.
Press the basil leaves gently between your hands to release their aroma, without tearing them into tiny pieces.
Add the plum, orange and basil to the pitcher, then pour in the cold water. Stir gently.
Refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to 4 hours for a stronger flavor.
Strain or remove the fruit and basil when the flavor suits you. If the orange peel is still on, remove it by 4 hours to limit bitterness from the pith.
Serve chilled, with ice if you like, and return any remaining water to the refrigerator.

Taste after 2 hours. If the flavor is too delicate, let the pitcher steep longer in the fridge; if it is already strong enough, strain it at that point.

Why do plum, orange and basil work together?

Plum adds a soft, sweet-tart fruit flavor, orange brings a brighter citrus note, and basil gives the drink a fresh herbal aroma. The combination is gentle, so the flavor of each ingredient can come through without added sweetener.

For a simpler fruit flavor, plum infused water focuses on the stone fruit, while orange infused water emphasizes citrus and basil water highlights the herb.

The main benefit of plum orange basil water is hydration. The liver and kidneys do most of the body’s detoxification; the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste. This drink supports hydration, but there is no evidence that this particular infusion detoxifies the body or treats a health condition.

Steeped water is very low in calories, usually under 10 kcal per glass. Its nutrient content depends on what transfers into the water, so the nutrition values for whole fruit should not be assumed to apply to the strained drink. Eating or squeezing the fruit adds calories from the fruit.

How should you store plum orange basil water?

Keep the pitcher refrigerated and drink the water within 24 hours for the best flavor. After steeping, remove the ingredients or strain the water into a clean, covered container; this also helps prevent the orange pith from making it bitter.

Discard the water after 2–3 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours.

How can you vary plum orange basil water?

Make it fruitier

Choose a particularly ripe plum and slice it thinly to expose more of its flesh to the water. Keep the orange and basil in the pitcher for a balanced flavor.

Soften the citrus

Peel the orange before slicing it if you prefer less of the peel’s sharper flavor. Check the water after the shorter steep and strain it when the taste is right for you.

Emphasize the basil

Press the leaves gently before adding them, or leave the pitcher to steep closer to 4 hours in the refrigerator. Avoid finely chopping the basil if you want the finished water to be easy to strain.