Lime Squash Drink

This sweet-tart, thirst-quenching drink is just right for summer.

Prep Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
10 mins
Servings:
2

For a less sugary alternative to soda, give our easy recipe for lime squash a try. It's a lemonade-like drink that’s tangy, sweet, and made with just three simple ingredients: lime juice, a sweetener (in this case, honey), and carbonated water. You can find bottled squash on grocery store shelves around the globe, but it’s just as easy to make at home. Served over ice, it makes for a refreshing, thirst-quenching summer sip.

Two glasses of lime squash drink with ice next to a pitcher and lime slices
Credit:

Kelsey Hansen

What Is Squash?

Squash is a non-alcoholic, juice-based drink that originated in England in the early 19th century. It's made by combining fruit juice—typically from lemons or limes—with a sweetener, then diluting it with sparkling or still water. Squash is similar to cordial, another type of juice-based drink, but is less syrupy and doesn't need as much diluting.

These days, you can find bottled squash, which is often made with artificial sweeteners and preservatives, on store shelves throughout the United Kingdom and Commonwealth, as well as the Caribbean, India, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East.

How to Get the Most Juice from Your Limes

You'll need half of a cup of freshly squeezed lime juice for this recipe, so gather three to four limes (or more, if yours are particularly small). Whether you're using a reamer, citrus juicer, or juicing by hand, use these tips to ensure you're getting the most out of your limes:

Rolling: Before cutting, roll each lime firmly on the counter a few times. This tried-and-true method works by breaking the vesicles, which are the sac-like cells that hold the juice.

Microwave: For particularly hard limes, try microwaving each one for about 10 seconds to soften and break up the vesicles. Just don't overdo it or you'll risk altering the flavor of the juice.

Directions

Limes on a cutting board a jar of liquid a knife and a bowl of honey as potential drink ingredients
Credit:

Kelsey Hansen

  1. Juice the limes:

    Cut the limes in half and juice them by hand or with a juicer. You should have 1/2 cup (4 ounces) of juice.

    Hand using a citrus squeezer with halved limes and a bowl of juice
    Credit:

    Kelsey Hansen

  2. Mix juice and honey, add to a pitcher:

    Put the juice and honey into a bowl and mix well with a whisk or fork. Pour the mixture into a pitcher.

    Mixing liquid in a white bowl using a whisk hands holding the bowl and whisk
    Credit:

    Kelsey Hansen

    Hand holding a small ingredient above a pitcher with a liquid
    Credit:

    Kelsey Hansen

  3. Add carbonated water and stir; serve over ice:

    Add the carbonated water and stir until all of the ingredients are well combined. Taste and adjust it for the desired sweetness. Serve it over ice.

How to Store Lime Squash

Lime squash can be refrigerated for up to one week (though we doubt it will last that long).

Variations

Switch up your citrus: Instead of using all lime, mix in another type of citrus such as lemon, orange, or grapefruit. (If using orange juice, which is significantly sweeter than other citrus, you may want to dial back the amount of honey you're using.)

Make it boozy: Turn your squash into a cocktail by stirring an ounce or two of vodka, tequila, or rum into each glass.

5 More Refreshing Drinks to Try

Updated by
Esther Reynolds
Headshot of Esther Reynolds
Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.

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