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This Italian Soda Recipe is a healthy alternative to many store bought syrups and brands out there. I use fruit and a simple syrup to sweeten the beverage and allow you to customize based on your favorite flavors.
Traditional soda, both regular and diet, seem addictive for a reason… they are! Caffeine and sugar are enjoyable and cause your body to crave them on a regular basis. Don’t get me wrong, I was a soda lover too!
Diet Cherry Coke was my saving grace in college. Every time I’d get gas, I’d grab one from the cooler. Yet I realized that even with the caffeine + sugar fix I was still so tired. Cutting out this habit and turning towards plants actually gives me more energy and fuels my body the right way.
Plus, real food is actually quite delicious!
Perks to Homemade Soda
- Most canned drinks are not whole food. Especially the “Diet” versions. Just because the word “diet” is in it, doesn’t make it good for you. The artificial sweeteners and chemicals in soda are super processed. Instead, this homemade Italian soda recipe uses the cleanest ingredients out there so you can enjoy a refreshing soda on a hot day. When you eat real food, your body responds with strength and energy.
- Each variation of this homemade soda recipe is amazing! You control how much flavor and sweetness you want to create a refreshing drink. Mix + match flavors in a way that makes your tastebuds dance.
How to Make Italian Soda
There are two steps to making your own homemade soda. First, you need to make a “simple syrup” using fruits and flavors that you love. My favs are included in the recipe card below.
You’ll have to boil the syrup down into a concentrated form to get the flavor to really punch. Once that’s done, you just add a few tablespoons to a glass of sparkling water and you’ve got the perfect summer drink!
Pro tip: using eco-friendly straws is a simple way to make this drink even more special. Try reusable stainless steel straws or single use paper straws that are biodegradable. These are much better choices than plastic straws.
Soda FAQs
Italian sodas require 3 ingredients: flavored syrup, soda water, and ice. Beyond that, the sky’s the limit!
Rule of thumb with Italian soda is, if you like the flavor, then you’ll like it in an Italian soda! Some people go the fruit route, while others play around with spices, and herbs. I personally love the strawberry vanilla classic, yet reach for the peach rosemary one when I’m looking for a more complex flavor.
Yes! Perrier is a little less bubbly than some other types of sparkling water, but works just as well. And with cute bottles, you could pour the finished product right back in the Perrier bottle for a great presentation!
Finishing touches for your Italian soda
I’ve seen several Italian soda recipes with whipped cream on top. I love adding a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top (cream, not canned coconut milk!). You can also jazz it up with berries; frozen berries work double duty as ice AND extra flavor.
Turn your soda into a fancy mocktail by adding fresh herbs, or even creating a fun sugar rim. The syrup is naturally colorful, so these drinks already start to shine the moment you add the syrup to the sparkling water.
More fun drinks with real ingredients
If you love the idea of creating some specialty drinks this summer that are both simple and homemade, then I’ve got you covered. Here are recipes that will take those end-of-summer gatherings from drab to fab!
- Iced matcha latte
- Mocha coffee smoothie
- Ginger switchel
- Cinnamon dolce latte
- Chia fresca
- Fruit infused water
- Dalgona coffee
- Homemade Strawberry Lemonade
I’ve also got a whole section of my cookbook, Simple Green Meals, dedicated to all this party drinks. It’s actually where this Italian soda recipe started for me. I’d love for you to give one of these recipes a try, and let me know how they turned out for you!
Italian Soda Recipe
Ingredients
Italian Soda Recipe
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 3 tbsp simple syrup recipe options below
Strawberry-Vanilla Simple Syrup
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups strawberries
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Peach Rosemary Simple Syrup
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 .5 cups peach
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
Lavender Blueberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups blueberries
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp dried culinary lavender buds
Mango Jalapeño Simple Syrup
- 1 cup cane sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 cups mango
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ½ jalapeño pepper sliced
Instructions
Simple Fruit Syrup
- Choose a flavor from the ones above and create a simple syrup. Place the sugar, water, fruit, and any other ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the fruit has released its juices and is very, very soft.
- Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds, peels, and other solids. There should be about 2 cups of syrup. Allow to cool, then transfer to a jar with a tight- fitting lid and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or freeze for several months until ready to use.
Italian Soda Recipe
- Add 3 tablespoons of the strained syrup to 1 cup sparkling water. Serve chilled or over ice.
I saw the blueberry lavender recipe and had to try it. One word……”amazing”. Thank you for sharing these. With the stuff they put in real soda, people need to start doing this instead.
hi
Most delicous soda ever!!!
Can I use club soda vs sparkling water?
I am loving this recipe. I’ve made the blueberry/lavender, made a strawberry/mint with fresh mint leaves and created a pineapple/coconut. All of them delicious. I’m using these 3 flavors for an Italian soda bar at my son’s rehearsal dinner and I love to make it a cream soda by adding a couple tablespoons half & half. Mmm!
I love it! Thank you for sharing this with me!
Thanks for all the syrup options! I’ll be making the peach, mango and blueberries syrups today for a Italian soda bar.
Super fun! Great flavor choices!
I think “spring” is supposed to be “sprig”?
Anyways, I’m about to try one of these soon.
Def let us know what you think!
Such a fun summer drink! So refreshing!! Thanks for the recipe!
Such a yummy treat! My whole family loves Italian Soda nights. 🙂
This is awesome! I have been on a cold drink kick (Florida in August), and love a healthier option than coca cola. I tried the strawberry syrup and used Publix soda water.
There’s a way to post a fraction that works better. It just takes a simple HTML special character.
Where do you get the dried lavender buds? We don’t have a Trader Joe’s where I live.
Hi Ka! You should be able to find them on Amazon.
I’m excited to try!!
Is 11/2 cups supposed to be 1 & 1/2 cups? Wondering if it’s a font/print glitch.
Good catch, Ashley! Yes, it’s one and a half (1 + 1/2) cups. We’ll fix that font issue. 🙂
I have been thinking how great it would be to have a refreshing summer drink that is healthy! Thank you for doing the Hard work to discover the recipes. I can’t wait to try the Peach version with our fresh Georgia peaches!
That will taste so delicious!!
definitely trying this for the next pool party, I’ve even got strawberries on hand. I love that you can make the syrup ahead of time.
These would be perfect for a pool party!