Strawberry Orange Thyme Water Recipe

Strawberry orange thyme water is a fruit-and-herb infused drink that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to prepare, including chilling, and yields about 4 cups (950 ml).

What is strawberry orange thyme water?

Strawberry orange thyme water is chilled water steeped with sliced strawberries, orange and fresh thyme. The fruit lends a gentle sweetness and citrus aroma, while the thyme adds a savory herbal note.

Unlike juice, this drink is made by steeping rather than blending or squeezing the fruit. It is one of many berry infused water recipes that can make plain water more appealing without added sweetener.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4 servings, gather:

Water: 1 liter (4¼ cups)
Strawberries: 150 g (about 1 cup), sliced
Orange: 100 g (about ⅔ cup), sliced, roughly 1 orange
Fresh thyme: 5 g (about ⅛ cup loosely packed), roughly 2 sprigs

This ratio gives the fruit room to infuse without making the herb flavor dominant. Fruit sizes and the amount of thyme on a sprig vary, so the cup and sprig measures are approximate. Use a pitcher large enough to hold the water and fruit together.

How do you make strawberry orange thyme water?

Wash the strawberries, orange and thyme under cool running water. Rub the orange peel gently, even if you plan to remove it.
Prepare the fruit: remove the strawberry tops and slice the berries. Slice the orange and remove any seeds; peel it first if you prefer less bitterness.
Combine the strawberries, orange and thyme in a clean pitcher. Pour in the water and stir gently without crushing the fruit.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours. For a stronger flavor, steep for up to 4 hours.
Strain out the fruit and thyme, or pour the water into glasses through a strainer. If using orange with the peel on, remove it by 4 hours to limit bitterness from the pith.

For another combination using what you have on hand, try the ai infused water generator.

Why do strawberry, orange and thyme work together?

Strawberries give the water a mild berry flavor that balances the orange's brighter citrus notes. Slicing them exposes more surface area to the water, as in strawberry infused water.

Orange adds aroma and a slight tang without needing to squeeze in the juice. As with orange infused water, leaving the peel on can deepen the citrus flavor, but a long steep can also make it bitter.

Fresh thyme brings an earthy, savory contrast to both fruits. It is used more lightly here than it might be in thyme water, so the herb complements rather than overwhelms the fruit.

The practical benefit is hydration: a flavor you enjoy may encourage you to drink water. The liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification; the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste. This drink supports hydration, but it is not a special detox treatment.

Strawberries and oranges contain vitamin C when eaten, but the amount that transfers into steeped water is uncertain. Do not count the nutrients or calories of all the fruit as nutrients or calories in the strained drink.

How should you store strawberry orange thyme water?

Keep the pitcher covered and refrigerated. Drink the infused 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.

Remove orange peel by 4 hours to keep bitterness in check. Straining the other ingredients at the same time makes the flavor easier to control, but the strained water should still be refrigerated.

Serve it cold and return the pitcher to the refrigerator promptly. Do not leave infused water at room temperature for more than a few hours.

How can you vary strawberry orange thyme water?

Make the citrus milder

Peel the orange before slicing it, or remove the orange from the pitcher after the initial 2-hour steep. You can leave the strawberries and thyme in until you are ready to strain the drink.

Adjust the thyme

Use fewer thyme sprigs for a fruit-forward pitcher. For a more noticeable herbal taste, keep the full amount and steep toward the longer end of the 2–4-hour range, removing the orange peel by 4 hours.

Change the fruit balance

Use more strawberries and less orange for a softer berry flavor, or reverse the balance for a brighter citrus taste. Keep the total amount of fruit similar to the original recipe so there is still plenty of water around it.