Seltz al Limone (Refreshing Lemon Seltzer)

By Sarah DiGregorio

Updated July 9, 2026

  • Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 2
Ready In
5 min
Rating
4(60)
Comments
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This shockingly refreshing drink is a mainstay of kiosks in Sicily, particularly in the eastern city of Catania and the surrounding region. You could think of it as a natural Gatorade: crisp, assertively salty-tart and replenishing after a day under the intense Mediterranean sun. The magic of the drink is in the interplay between the lemon juice and salt — salt softens the lemon’s bitter sharpness into a flavor that’s almost rounded and savory. You can customize it in a few ways: Sicilian lemons are less acidic than regular ones, closer to Meyer lemons, which you should use if you can find them. A seltz also tastes great with half lemon and half lime. Sicilians would not serve this over ice, but you can feel free to do so, or to add a twist of lemon zest. Regardless, enjoy a seltz on a hot day, after a hard workout or a large meal.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 drink

  • 1 large, juicy lemon (preferably Meyer)

  • ½ teaspoon fine sea salt 

  • 12 ounces cold plain seltzer or sparkling water

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

8 grams carbs; 24 calories; 2 grams fiber; 986 milligrams sodium; 1 gram protein; 2 grams sugar

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.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Juice the lemon into a large glass (you should have about a scant ¼ cup of juice). Add the salt and stir until dissolved. Pour in the seltzer slowly; it will foam up. Stir again to foam and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
60 user ratings
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Comments

Brian B

Perhaps some gin and tonic would be worthwhile additions.

Julian V

This is great! In Vietnamese cuisine, salted preserved lemon and sugar with seltzer also makes a really nice drink.

Salty doc

@gabekap That actually depends a lot on who you are (your body and health conditions) and what you’ve been doing that day. Blanket statements like this aren’t helpful. It feels like this type of commenter wants to control everyone’s sodium/sugar intake. Worry about yourself if you must; we don’t need you to save us. Next time please consider just reading a recipe you fundamentally disagree with and moving on without comment.

Andrea

A local mexican restaurant here in San Jose has a refreshing version - Agua Mineral Preparada - seltzer, lime, salt, and if you want, Tajin on the rim. This looks like a refreshing mediterranean version of that!

Rachel

Trigger warning: if you can’t stand some tinkering, stop reading and save yourself the aggravation. If you see a recipe as a lovely canvas awaiting your mastery, read on. The husband was inspired by this recipe — who doesn’t want a little Sicily in their summer? — and made it as written. We found it sour and salty. We didn’t have either Sicilian or Meyer lemons and wondered whether that made the difference. Tried again, adding 1/4-1/2 tsp sugar, and found it fantastic. Just as billed, zesty and refreshing. If you drop in a few chunks of watermelon, it will be even more beautiful and you’ll have some slightly salty watermelon at the end. Win-win!

fast marty

it's a great refresher. I add a bit of sweetener. wonderful to sip now that my alcoholic bev days are over.

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