Ouzo Lemonade

By
Kenton Kotsiris
Kenton Kotsiris & Jane Kleiman
Kenton Kotsiris
Kenton Kotsiris is a recipe developer who grew up cooking Greek food with his family.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 09/2/21
Ouzo lemonade recipe

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 drink
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
236 Calories
0g Fat
28g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 236
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 16mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 7mg 33%
Calcium 9mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 57mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Ouzo is produced from grape must (the remnants of wine making) and carries with it a strong anise, or black licorice, taste. It can only be made in Greece and Cyprus and may include other ingredients such as spices beyond anise; sometimes fennel, cardamom, or cinnamon are added during the distillation process. Ouzo is often served alongside appetizers called meze.

Ouzo lemonade, with lemons, honey, and mint, contains uniquely Greek flavors—and, thanks to the ouzo, a signature Greek ingredient. There really is no way around it; if you’re not a black licorice fan, the chances of you liking this cocktail straight are slim to none.

If you add more water, lemon juice, mint leaves, and/or honey, you can begin to mask the taste and maybe entice someone who ordinarily wouldn't enjoy this drink to order a second. Then you would have everyone enjoying ouzo, and that would likely make every Greek person very happy. However, take note that ouzo is 45 percent alcohol (90 proof)—more than whiskey, so please drink responsibly. This is the kind of drink with a potency that can sneak up on you when you least suspect it.

As they say in Greece, "Yiamas" (γεια μας—to your health/cheers).

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Ingredients

  • 2 ounces ouzo, at room temperature

  • 1 1/2 ounces lemon juice, more if desired

  • 3 mint leaves

  • 1 teaspoon honey

  • 3 ounces water, iced, more or less to preference

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ouzo lemonade ingredients

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  2. Pour ouzo into a glass.

    Pour ouzo into glass

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  3. Add lemon juice and mint leaves, and muddle to release the flavors from the mint leaves.

    Add lemon juice and mint leaves, and muddle

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  4. Add honey and mix until it dissolves.

    Add honey

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  5. Pour water into the glass and mix. If needed, add more water to dilute the ouzo taste.

    Pour water in glass

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

  6. Serve and enjoy with a slice of lemon for garnish, if desired.

    Ouzo lemonade

    The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Tip

  • You can add more water if desired, which will dilute the taste of the black licorice. Just know that the more you add, the more watery this drink can get—unless that's what you're after.

Variations

  • You can also make this recipe with prepared lemonade, which will be sweeter than what our recipe indicates.


  • This drink can also be made with limes or oranges instead of lemons.


  • If you don't want to make this with honey, experiment with other liquid sugars such as agave syrup or even maple syrup. You may need to adjust other ingredients accordingly; taste until it's to your liking.