Strawberry Kiwi Basil Water: Easy Infused Water Recipe

Strawberry kiwi basil water is a fruit-and-herb-infused drink that takes 2 hours 10 minutes, including chilling, and yields about 1 liter (4¼ cups).

What is strawberry kiwi basil water?

Strawberry kiwi basil water is plain water steeped with sliced strawberries, kiwi and fresh basil. The fruit gives it a gently sweet, tart flavor, while the basil adds a fresh herbal aroma.

Unlike a smoothie, the ingredients are not blended into the water. It’s one of many berry infused water recipes you can make ahead and keep chilled for an easy, unsweetened drink.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

This recipe uses about 1 cup of prepared fruit and a small handful of basil per liter of water. The amounts are flexible: fruit size and how tightly you pack the cups will affect the measurements, so use the weights as a helpful guide.

Water: 1 liter (4¼ cups)
Strawberries: 75 g (about ½ cup), hulled and sliced
Kiwi: 75 g (about ½ cup), peeled and sliced
Fresh basil: 5 g (about ¼ cup loosely packed, or 8–12 leaves)

Use ripe fruit for the best flavor. A clean pitcher with a lid gives the ingredients room to move and makes it easier to keep the water covered in the refrigerator.

How do you make strawberry kiwi basil water?

Prep time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: About 1 liter (4¼ cups), or roughly 4 servings

Wash your hands, pitcher and utensils, then rinse the fruit and basil under cool running water.
Prepare the fruit by hulling and slicing the strawberries, then peeling and slicing the kiwi.
Add the fruit and basil to the pitcher. Gently press the basil between your fingers to release its aroma without tearing it into small pieces.
Pour in the water and stir gently to distribute the ingredients.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours; steep for up to 4 hours for a fuller flavor.
Serve chilled, straining the fruit and basil if you prefer a clear drink.

For another combination, try the ai infused water generator. Taste the water after chilling and adjust the fruit or basil in your next batch to suit your preference.

Why do strawberry, kiwi and basil work together?

Strawberries lend a familiar berry sweetness, as they do in strawberry infused water. Kiwi adds a brighter, tart note; you can also explore that flavor on its own in kiwi water.

Basil balances the fruit with a savory, aromatic finish rather than making the drink taste like juice. For a simpler herbal infusion, see basil water.

The main benefit of strawberry kiwi basil water is that it makes plain water more appealing to drink. Whole strawberries and kiwi contain vitamin C and fiber, but the amount that passes into an infusion is uncertain; don’t count the whole fruit’s nutrients as nutrients in the water. Eating the fruit is different from drinking only the strained infusion.

How should you store strawberry kiwi basil water?

Keep the pitcher covered and refrigerated, including during the steep. Drink the water within 24 hours for the best flavor, and discard it after 2–3 days or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling.

Don’t leave the pitcher at room temperature for more than a few hours. Straining out the fruit and basil can keep their texture from becoming too soft, but it does not reset the storage time.

What variations can you make?

Make it more strawberry-forward

Use a little more strawberry and a little less kiwi, keeping the total amount of prepared fruit close to 1 cup per liter of water. This gives the drink a gentler berry flavor.

Make it more kiwi-forward

Increase the kiwi and reduce the strawberries by a similar amount. Ripe kiwi adds a more pronounced tart note; slice it thinly so its flavor can infuse throughout the water.

Adjust the basil

For a lighter herbal taste, use fewer basil leaves. For a stronger aroma, use the full amount and steep toward the longer end of the 2–4-hour range, tasting before you strain.