Nonalcoholic Dirty Lemon Tonic

By Rebekah Peppler

Published April 11, 2023

Nonalcoholic Dirty Lemon Tonic
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(1,239)
Comments
Read comments

Preserved lemon is a kitchen workhorse that easily moves to the bar. Here, it’s muddled with sugar and fresh lemon slices to release a light bitterness, harmonizing the sweet, the saline and the acidic. It appears once more, alongside olives and more fresh slices in the edible and fragrant garnish. While you can and should use both the preserved lemon rind and pulp (the pulp adds more welcome salinity and texture), use only the rind for the garnish. And, if you’d like to make this nonalcoholic drink alcoholic, add a splash of vodka, gin or, if you’re looking to triple down on the lemon flavors, limoncello.

Featured in: There’s No One-Size-Fits-All Dirty Martini

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:1 drink
  • 2teaspoons finely chopped preserved lemon, store-bought or homemade
  • 5very thinly sliced fresh lemon wheels
  • 1teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Ice
  • 4ounces dry tonic water, chilled
  • Slice of preserved lemon rind, green olives (such as Castelvetrano or Manzanilla) and half wheel of lemon, for garnish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (1 servings)

179 calories; 1 gram fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 54 grams carbohydrates; 12 grams dietary fiber; 25 grams sugars; 5 grams protein; 22 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In the bottom of a sturdy rocks glass, add the preserved lemon, lemon wheels and sugar. Muddle until the sugar dissolves and the lemon wheels release their juices. Add the ice to the glass and top with tonic water.

  2. Step 2

    Thread a skewer with a slice of preserved lemon rind, a few olives and a lemon half wheel; garnish.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,239 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Bree

Thank you for publishing a grown up, not too sweet nonalcoholic cocktail recipe! Recipes like this make me feel like I can participate in the fun complexity of cocktail crafting, even though alcohol isn't my friend. I'm going to try this one tonight, and I'd love to see more.

Sharon K

Great recipe, would love to see MORE non-alcoholic and not-too-sweet cocktail recipes like this one.

JG

Also super good with 1/2 tonic and 1/2 seltzer (which makes it a bit less sweet). This is a fabulous drink. Made a batch for a party and it was a hit. Great way to make folks feel welcome to drink alcohol or not - I left out a bottle of gin and folks could add it or not, as they desired, but everyone got a fun, beautiful, delicious drink. Truly a winner. Will be making this for years. (Note: I used Mark Bittman's recipe for quick preserved lemons because I didn't have preserved lemons on hand.)

Freya

Because I didn’t have any tonic on hand, I made mine with Italian grapefruit soda from Trader Joe’s. Skipped the olives because, also, didn’t have. Found this to be weird and delicious. My friend and I are addicted to a salted lemonade from the Vietnamese restaurant up the street and this hit all those salty citrusy notes! Bonus that it’s an even more complex. Yum! I’ll get a dry tonic and some olives and try the original version soon. But grateful for a non alcoholic cocktail like this for when I’m not in the mood for booze. More please!

Stpeh

I added some Seedlip non-alcoholic spirits for what would have been the 'gin' or 'vodka' portion. Definitely interesting.

Fav!

This is my favorite mocktail. Personally don’t get involved in the preserved lemons bc I’m lazy but regular lemons work just fine too!

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.