A strawberry mojito drink takes all the clean, bright flavors of the classic beach sipper and adds a pop of color and juicy sweetness. As with so many of the rum drinks we enjoy today, the mojito became popular in the Caribbean during Prohibition, when many American mixologists (and drinkers) fled the mainland.
Quintessentially, mojitos are a Cuban invention. This cocktail had a moment in the 1980s when immigrants brought the drink to Miami, and it hit new heights in 2002 when Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond shared a mojito with Halle Berry in Die Another Day.
This strawberry mojito recipe is a more modern take, reflecting the trend toward using local and seasonal ingredients. The berries add complexity and color, and the drink’s straightforward preparation allows even novice mixologists to create a killer beverage.
Strawberry Mojito Ingredients
- Rum: Use light rum for this drink. To find the perfect spirits, check out Lesley Balla‘s guide to the best rum.
- Lime: Bright, crisp and acidic limes balance out the sweetness of the other ingredients.
- Strawberries: You want fresh, ripe summer berries. Here’s how to pick the best strawberries at the store or market.
- Sugar: Its sweetness is important, but sugar’s grainy texture is vital to the strawberry mojito. When muddling, the sugar crystals break down the fruit as you press the muddler into the mix.
- Mint: The fresh, cool aroma of mint rounds out this drink. Slap the mint to release the oils.
- Club soda: Finish the strawberry mojito recipe with fizzy effervescence. Use club soda or sparkling water like LaCroix or Topo Chico.
Directions
Step 1: Muddle the lime, strawberries and sugar
Squeeze a lime wedge into a chilled highball glass. Drop the lime into the glass. Then add three hulled strawberries and sugar. Muddle the ingredients. Add ice.
Editor’s Tip: To muddle, gently mash the lime and berries three or four times, or until the strawberry releases its juices. If you don’t have a muddler, use the back of a wooden spoon to press the fruit.
Step 2: Add mint, rum and club soda
Gently press or slap the mint; add both sprigs to the glass.
Editor’s Tip: Slapping the mint releases the oils in the leaves, which gives the mojito its notable flavor.
Pour the rum and club soda into the glass, and stir briefly to incorporate the ice.
Step 3: Garnish with fresh strawberry
Garnish with the remaining strawberry.
Editor’s Tip: Use a paring knife to cut a slit into the berry, then rest it on the edge of the glass.
Recipe Variations
- Make a nonalcoholic strawberry mojito: This is a great drink to make without alcohol since it’s bursting with flavor from the fruit and mint. Use extra club soda or test an alcohol alternative like Ritual Zero Proof rum, which smells and tastes like the spirit but has none of the alcohol.
- Use flavored rum: Coconut rum is the first that comes to mind, but pineapple is worth trying as well.
- Muddle other berries: Blueberries, raspberries and huckleberries (to name a few) will work in this recipe in place of or with the strawberries.
- Add fresh basil: Basil loves to be paired with strawberries! Add a couple of leaves to the mix for an even more complex cocktail.
Can you make strawberry mojitos ahead of time?
A strawberry mojito drink is best made fresh and individually. Muddling things in advance can be challenging.
If you do want to make cocktails with this flavor profile for a crowd, consider mixing pureed strawberries with mint, lime juice and rum, and serve the drink over ice. This way, you can make a larger batch and hold it in the fridge until your guests arrive.
Strawberry Mojito Tips
In what type of glass should you serve a strawberry mojito?
Of all the types of glassware, mojitos are generally served in tall Collins or highball glasses. If you build the drink in the glass as we do, the opening can be pretty narrow for muddling. You can always make the drink in a pint glass and dump it into a fancier vessel.
All glasses are only as good as their contents, which means a great drink can be sipped out of anything.
What can you serve with a strawberry mojito?
I always think that tacos and guacamole pair best with fruity, beachy mojitos, but it’s easy to justify serving many dishes with this drink. From all things grilled, like grilled fish and pork chops, to summer salads, this strawberry mojito recipe fits with whatever you may be cooking.
