There’s nothing quite as refreshing as a chilled drink on a hot day. But if you’re a teetotaller, or cutting back on the booze, or the designated driver, more often than not, you have to settle for fruit juice with a dash of seltzer. Not anymore! We’ve curated 5 awesome vegan mocktail recipes that’ll add a bit of soul to your alcohol-free happy hours at home. These lip-smackingly delicious concoctions may not have alcohol but they’re sure to raise your spirits.

5 Soulful Vegan Mocktails

1. Ginger and Cranberry Kombucha

This sweet-nd-spicy kombucha blends the festive sweetness of cranberries with the fiery pizzaz of ginger ale. It’s perfect for those who like sugar, spice, and everything nice, without a hangover the next morning.

Ingredients

For the Kombucha

1000ml filtered water

5tbsp sugar

2 cranberry flavoured tea bags

180ml raw unpasteurized kombucha

1 scoby

For Ginger and Cranberry Kombucha

Ice

75ml homemade kombucha

75ml cranberry juice

Ginger ale

Rosemary (to serve)

Instructions

1. Bring 500ml of water to a boil. Add sugar and stir over medium-high heat till it dissolves. Take the water off the heat and add the tea bags. Let it sit for 10 minutes, and then add 500ml of cold water. Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the mixture reaches room temperature.
2. Remove the tea bags and pour the water into a glass jar. Then place the scoby in and add kombucha. Cover the jar with a muslin cloth tightly and store in a warm place (away from direct sunlight) for 7 days.
3. Remove the scoby and take 75 ml of prepared kombucha in a glass. Add cranberry juice and ginger ale, and stir till well blended.
4. Fill a serving glass with ice. Add cranberry and ginger kombucha, top off with a sprig of rosemary and serve!
5. Note: SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) is an ingredient used in the fermentation of kombucha. For d-i-y scoby, pour raw, unpasteurized kombucha in a jar with a little bit of sugar and leave it for a month in a warm place (away from direct sunlight). 

2. Virgin Bloody Mary

There’s something magical about in-season tomatoes. So why use it only in salads? This Virgin Bloody Mary combines refreshingly zesty lemon, savoury Worcestershire, and spicy tabasco with tart, tangy tomato juice for a livewire mocktail that’s sure to knock your socks off, even without the booze.

Ingredients

120ml tomato juice

20ml Worcestershire sauce

20ml lemon juice

3 dashes of hot sauce

1tsp horseradish

1 pinch celery salt

1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

To serve

1 lemon wedge

1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp chili powder

Instructions

1. Take 1 tbsp salt and chili powder on a plate. Mix well and keep aside.
2. In a glass, add all the ingredients and mix well.
3. Line a serving glass with a lemon wedge and dip it in the salt and chili mix. Fill the glass with ice cubes, pour the prepared drink in, garnish with a lemon wedge and serve! 

3. Virgin Strawberry Margarita

These refreshingly sweet virgin margaritas with strawberries are perfect for summertime.

With just 3 ingredients and some ice, this summer-in-a-glass mocktail is easy to whip up and packed with vitamin C.

Ingredients

150g strawberries

125ml orange juice

30ml lime juice

8 - 10 Ice cubes

Instructions

• Blitz all ingredients together in a blender, till well combined. Fill a serving glass with ice cubes. Pour the margarita in and serve!

 

4. Watermelon Shirley Temple

Nothing to beat the heat like watermelon. And so, we’ve given the classic Shirley temple a summery twist with a dash of watermelon juice. Refreshingly light, sweet, and zingy, this mocktail is sure to be a hit among kids and adults alike!

Ingredients

150g watermelon, cubed and deseeded

4tbsp lime juice

400ml Selzer (carbonated water)

8 sprigs of mint

Maraschino cherries (to serve)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients (except for cherries) to a blender and blend till well combined. Pour the prepared mocktail into a serving glass, top off with a maraschino cherry and serve!

 

5. Strawberry and Rhubarb Mocktail

Who needs champagne when you have this sparkling, fruity summer mojito? Give your summers the vibe of holiday season with this rosy red, sweet, thirst-quenching mocktail.

Ingredients

30g of sliced strawberries

230ml strawberry flavoured sparkling water

4 tbsp of rhubarb syrup

Ice

Instructions

1. In a glass take sliced strawberries. Muddle them gently to press out some of the juices.
2. Add strawberry sparkling water and rhubarb syrup. Stir to combine.
3. Fill a serving glass with ice. Pour in strawberry and rhubarb mocktail, top off with slices of fresh strawberry and serve!