
Something called buttermilk basil beet sorbet shouldn’t be good, and not only because the title has far too many “b” sounds. First off, if I had to take a guess as to what someone was making with the above ingredients, I probably would say a cold soup that I’d never order off a menu. (Nothing personal…chilled soup is just not my thing.)
Furthermore, (we’re writing a treatise here) if you ever told me I’d be making ice cream without cream–let alone with buttermilk and vegetables–I wouldn’t have believed you. If you told me it wouldn’t have any added sugar and would use honey instead I would have kindly found another fortune teller and asked for my money back.
But buttermilk basil beet sorbet isn’t just good. It’s Grrrrrrrrreat! (90s kids, that was for you.)
I loved the aroma of sweetened basil that I could both smell and taste with each bite. The addition of fresh key lime juice brought out the beautiful sourness of the buttermilk, and the honey made the beet juice sweet enough to please a crowd of ice cream lovers, and not just weird vegetable-sorbet lovers like me. Besides, with the addition of the beet juice, the whole batch turned the most vibrant shade of purple! This is, of course, my favorite party trick.
The Inspiration
I was kind of winging it.
I did have some motivation though. The portions are adapted from the recipe for lemon buttermilk sherbet from this blog, which adapted the recipe from the one in David Leibovitz’s book, The Perfect Scoop. I substituted honey for the sugar in equal parts and then added beet juice instead of the water it called for. I made my own beet juice using a Vitamix blender and a lot of elbow grease while straining, but you could save some effort if you have access to a juicer or juice bar.
On top of that, I was inspired by the recipe for buttermilk basil ice cream on Delicious Days and used their methods to extract the basil flavor using, again, my blender. (I swear this post isn’t sponsored by Vitamix!)
Fun fact, Weight Watchers even has their own version of this recipe! But, it’s, uh, not healthy? Oh well, at least it’s rich in fermented dairy and micronutrients!
Variations on a theme
There’s plenty of variations you could make on this theme! I’d love to try carrot or pomegranate juice instead of beet juice, while reducing the honey by a few tablespoons. Or, you could substitute the basil for Thai basil, mint, tarragon, Mexican tarragon, or another sweet herb. And, of course, you could always swap lemon juice and zest for that of the Key Limes. Meyer lemon would be particularly good.
How to make Buttermilk Basil Beet Sorbet

Begin by washing 1 cup packed basil well and drying it off with a towel.

Add the basil to a blender along with 2 cups of buttermilk.

Blend on high until the mixture is mint green and homogenous.

Strain the buttermilk mixture into a medium bowl to remove the basil solids. Then, whisk in ¼ cup of lime juice, 1 teaspoon lime zest, and ⅔ cup honey.

Then, whisk in ⅓ cup beet juice.

Process in your ice cream maker under the “sorbet” setting until it’s thick and icy, like a 711 Slurpee. Package in containers (I used reused yogurt containers) and freeze until solid, about 6 hours.
You may want to enjoy this dessert with basil ribbons on top! (No pretty pictures here…this sorbet disappeared too fast!)
If you’re looking for other ice cream recipes, check out this one for fresh coconut ice cream or this one for butter pecan decadence.
Print
Buttermilk Basil Beet Sorbet
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: desserts
- Method: ice cream
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
A surprisingly tasty, gourmet sorbet recipe featuring beet juice, key limes, basil and buttermilk. This frozen dessert is low fat and delightfully sweetened by honey.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup beet juice
- ⅔ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon Key lime zest
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup packed fresh basil
- ¼ cup key lime juice
Instructions
- Wash your basil well and dry with a towel.
- Add the basil and buttermilk to a blender and blend on high until it’s homogenous and mint-green.
- Strain any remaining basil solids out of the buttermilk using a mesh wire strainer. Add buttermilk mixture to a medium bowl.
- To the same bowl, add the lime juice and key lime zest, beet juice, and honey.
- Process in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions or until it is the consistency of a slushy. I processed mine on the “sorbet function.”
- Transfer to containers and freeze until solid, about 6 hours.
- Enjoy topped with a sprinkle of basil ribbons, if desired.
Keywords: vegetarian, buttermilk ice cream, buttermilk sherbet, buttermilk sorbet, beet sorbet, key lime sorbet, key lime, beet, beetroot, lime, buttermilk, desserts, sweets, sorbet, sherbet, ice cream, vegetarian, gourmet