Blueberry Lemon Juice
A fresh, vibrant juice combining tart lemon with sweet, juicy blueberries. This simple two-ingredient juice is bright and refreshing, with natural sweetness from the berries and clean citrus notes. Perfect for breakfast or a healthy snack.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- —
- Total
- 5 min
- Makes
- 2 servings (about 12 fluid ounces total)
Steps
Before you start
- Wash blueberries and lemons thoroughly under cold water
- Have a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth ready if using a blender method
- Chill glasses in the freezer for 5 minutes before serving
Prepare and warm the lemons
- Remove lemons from the refrigerator and let them sit at room temperature for 2–3 minutes.
- Roll each lemon firmly on a cutting board under your palm, applying gentle pressure for about 10 seconds per lemon.
- This breaks down the interior cells and helps release more juice when juiced.
- Then cut each lemon in half crosswise, exposing the flesh.
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Ready when: Lemons are at room temperature and halved; flesh is slightly soft when pressed
Tip: Room-temperature lemons yield significantly more juice than cold ones. This step is worth the extra minute.
Juice the lemons
- If using an electric juicer, feed lemon halves through the juicer chute and collect the juice in a bowl or pitcher (about 6–7 tablespoons / 90–105 ml juice from 3 medium lemons).
- If using a blender, place lemon halves in the blender with ½ cup (120 ml) water and blend on high for 30 seconds, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing gently to extract all juice.
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Ready when: Lemon juice extracted and collected; no pulp remains (or minimal pulp if using juicer)
Tip: Do not squeeze hard or force lemons through the juicer, or bitter compounds from the pith may leach into the juice.
Juice the blueberries
- If using an electric juicer, feed the rinsed blueberries in small batches (about ¼ cup at a time) through the juicer chute, collecting juice in the same bowl as the lemon juice (about 1¼ cups / 300 ml juice from 2 cups blueberries).
- If using a blender, add blueberries to the blender with ¼ cup (60 ml) water and blend on high for 30 seconds until smooth.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth (if desired for clearer juice) and press gently with the back of a spoon to extract juice; discard solids.
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Ready when: Blueberry juice extracted; smooth, deep purple liquid with no large solids
Tip: Blueberries release juice more slowly than lemons and may clog a juicer if fed too quickly. Feed them in small batches and wait 3–5 seconds between batches.
Combine juices and serve
- Pour the strained lemon juice into the blueberry juice and stir gently for 10 seconds to combine thoroughly.
- The juice will be a vibrant purple with bright yellow-orange notes from the lemon.
- Divide between two chilled glasses and serve immediately over ice.
- For best flavor and color, drink within 15 minutes.
- If storing, transfer to an airtight glass container and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
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Ready when: Juice is fully combined and ready to drink; color is uniform purple with lemon notes visible
Tip: Fresh juice oxidizes quickly. Drink immediately for the brightest, most vibrant flavor. If juice separates during storage, shake well before drinking.
Good to know
Tips
- For a sweeter juice, add 1–2 teaspoons of honey or agave nectar to each glass after juicing.
- Add a pinch of fresh mint or a splash of sparkling water to make the juice more refreshing.
- If your juicer produces a lot of foam, let it settle for 1–2 minutes before serving, then skim off the top layer.
- This juice is naturally sweet from the blueberries and tart from the lemon. Taste and adjust the ratio to your preference before serving.
Storage & reheating
Refrigerate in an airtight glass container for up to 24 hours. The juice may separate or oxidize slightly; shake well before drinking. Do not freeze, as juice will separate upon thawing.
Substitutions
- fresh lemons → Fresh lime juice (use 2–3 limes for a more tropical, slightly less tart flavor). Limes will make the juice less bright and more mellow; reduce the amount slightly as limes are slightly sweeter than lemons.
- fresh blueberries, rinsed → Blackberries or raspberries (same quantity). Blackberries will create a darker, earthier juice; raspberries will be slightly more tart. Both work beautifully with lemon.
- fresh blueberries, rinsed → Frozen blueberries, thawed (same weight / volume). Thaw frozen berries completely and drain excess liquid before juicing. The juice yield may be slightly lower, but flavor is nearly identical.
