This chia limeade is so freaking easy to make and so delicious! It was a very interesting texture because chia seeds pretty much absorb any liquid so they get really soft when mixed with lime juice. That is why chia puddings are so popular! Chia puddings are usually mixed with coconut milk and left for a few hours and this allows the firm seeds to absorb the liquid, and become soft like cooked oats. Chia seeds have a mild, nutty taste so they go great in puddings, bread, smoothies etc.
Can I use store-bought lime juice concentrate for this limeade recipe?
Absolutely! Although I will recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice for optimum flavor. The key thing is to refrigerate the limeade long enough for it to be chilled and for the seeds to soften. So basically it doesn’t matter if you use the lime concentrate that you get at the grocery store.
Simple sugar vs regular sugar as a sweetener
I’m not particularly picky when it comes to sweetening limeades or lemonades. Granulated sugar works but I’ve found using maple syrup, honey, or simple syrup. I have a few simple syrups you can use to make your chia limeade more interesting such as my hibiscus syrup, strawberry syrup or brown sugar simple syrup.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 cup lime juice from 7 limes
4 cups water
1/2 cup sugar or simple syrup
Mint leaves to garnish
Ice cubes
Lime wedges for serving
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients except the ice and garnishes in a large jug or pitcher.
- Refrigerate limeade for at least 1 hour.
- Serve chilled over ice cubes with fresh mint and lime.
Notes
If you don't have fresh limes on hand, just use the store-bought lime concentrate. It works too with this recipe but is not as delicious as with fresh limes.