Savory Recipes Made with Soda

 

We've all been there: you open a bottle of soda, enjoy a refreshing sip, but life gets busy and it ends up languishing in the fridge, flat and forgotten. But before you send it down the drain, hold on! That "dead" soda holds hidden potential, and it's not just for baking cakes. Let's ditch the waste and get creative with some surprising savory uses for your leftover soda.

Beyond the Sweet:

Gone are the days of relegating soda to sugary treats. Its acidity, subtle sweetness, and unique carbonation can actually add incredible depth and complexity to savory dishes. Here are just a few ideas to get you started:

• Glaze your meats: Flat cola makes a fantastic glaze for ribs, chicken wings, or pork chops. The sugars caramelize beautifully, creating a sticky, sweet-and-tangy coating that intensifies flavor.
• Deglaze your pan: Stuck-on bits on your pan are no match for the power of leftover soda. Use it to deglaze after sautéing or searing, creating a flavorful pan sauce that captures all those delicious caramelized bits.
• Marinate your tofu or tempeh: The acidity in soda makes it a surprisingly effective marinade for plant-based proteins. Try ginger ale for a slightly sweet and spicy kick, or club soda for a clean, refreshing flavor.
• Braise your veggies: Don't underestimate the power of flat soda in braising! It adds a touch of sweetness and acidity that balances out the richness of root vegetables, like carrots or onions, creating a complex and satisfying dish.
• Boost your soup: Give your next pot of soup a flavor boost with a splash of leftover soda. Club soda adds a subtle effervescence, while ginger ale or root beer can lend unique depth and spice.

The "Fizz"-tastic Factor:

Remember, even flat soda still retains some carbonation, which can play a fun role in your cooking. Here are some ways to leverage its bubbly potential:

• Make fluffy pancakes: Leftover soda, especially seltzer or club soda, can be used instead of milk or water in your pancake batter. The carbonation creates lighter, fluffier pancakes with a delightful texture.
• Whip up airy fritters: The same principle applies to fritters! Use flat soda in your batter for crispy, light, and airy fritters that everyone will love.
• Create a fun fizzy garnish: Don't just drink the remaining soda, use it as a playful garnish! Drizzle a small amount of flat soda over savory dishes like salads, tacos, or even grilled cheese for a surprising burst of flavor and texture.

Get Creative and Explore:

These are just a few starting points. Don't be afraid to experiment and discover your own unique uses for leftover soda! Remember, cooking is all about having fun and exploring new flavors. So next time you find yourself with a can of flat soda, don't despair, get creative, and turn it into a delicious and unexpected culinary adventure!

Here are some of my favorite recipes that use leftover soda. Click thru the links to view the full recipe.

Dr. Pepper Slow Cooker Ribs by The Magical Slow Cooker

Coca Cola Pork Carnita by 24 Byte

Cola Marinated Steak by Slow the Cook Down

Crock Pot Coke Meatballs by Crayons and Cravings

Dr. Pepper Baked Beans by Sugar and Soul

Dr. Pepper Pork Loin by Kitchen Laughter

Instant Pot Pork Rio Sweet Pork by Eating in an Instant

Brown Sugar and Coke Glazed Ham by When is Dinner

Crock Pot Dr. Pepper Ribs by Two Pink Peonies

Root Beer Smoked Ribs by Crave the Good

Find more great soda recipes here:

Homemade Strawberry Peach Soda

Strawberry Soda Syrup

Homemade Soda Recipes

Homemade Strawberry Syrup

Homemade strawberry syrup is a must make this summer. It captures the essence of summer in a simple syrup that compliments everything from cocktails to homemade popsicles. I even drizzled it over cake, and it was perfect!

When I was a kid, early in the summer, my grandpa would come calling, looking for some helping hands who were willing to go to the U-Pick-Em strawberry patch and fill bushel after bushel of berries. As his only grandchild, many times, I was the willing partner. We would head over, taking all of the back country roads, and spend the morning in the sun, bent over, picking the best berries. My grandpa, Popaw, would always poke through and make sure you had some berries with some green showing yet, as this added the right tartness to all of the wonderful things he would make with his haul. We would spend days cleaning, coring and slicing the berries. Some would become jam and jelly. Some were frozen for pies and shortcakes when the season had passed. Some were enjoyed on the spot naturally.

My Popaw passed away in 1999. I was 19 years old. I have missed him everyday since then. I can't pass a U-Pick-Em berry patch without stopping for at least a quart of fresh berries, with a little green showing on a few for balance. From one batch of fresh berries I made this wonderful simple syrup. It is so sweet, and it has the essence of summer just waiting to add something special to whatever you desire. 

Add a splash to lemonade for a refreshing treat, or maybe add some to your sprite like my daughter likes to do for a pretty pink strawberry soda. I like to add it to vodka in the summer while I sip the stress of the day away.

All you need is berries, sugar and water to pull this off.

Ingredients:

Water- 1 cup

Sugar- 1/2 cups

Strawberries, cored 2 cups

Directions:

Place the cored berries into a sauce pan.

Add water.

Add sugar.

Simmer on medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Remove from heat, allow to cool for about 30 minutes.

Place a mesh sieve over a mason jar.

Pour the mixture into the sieve, pressing the berries with a spoon to release the juices.

Discard the berry mash left in the sieve. (I like to feed it to the birds, but do so away from your house, as it will draw bees too.)

Store with a lid, in the fridge for a month.

Add a splash into cocktails or soda.

Drizzle it on white cake for a colorful and sweet berry flavor.

Make homemade strawberry soda by adding it to club soda.

If you enjoyed this recipe, check out all of my homemade soda recipes.

Favorites include:

Cherry Orange Soda Syrup

Mulberry Lime Soda

Strawberry Peach Soda

Blueberry Lime Soda

Homemade Peach Soda

Blueberry Lime Soda

This blueberry lime soda syrup is so easy to make. It is perfect for a refreshing drink that you will want to sip all summer long!

We have a drink machine in the kitchen, and it is pretty great. I love making caffeine free soda to serve the family. It is fun to mix up a batch of syrup drawing inspiration from seasonal produce. This recipe came together with only 3 ingredients to create something sweet, tart and completely delicious!

After you make this, you might never buy a prepacked syrup for your soda stream machine again. This is so easy to make and tastes totally amazing! With only 3 ingredients and a few moments of time, this might be your new favorite.

Ingredients:
One fresh lime
2 cups of blueberries
2 cups of water
2 cups of sugar

Tools:
A mason jar or something similar for storing
A mesh sieve/strainer
A medium size saucepan

Directions:
Combine water, sugar and blueberries in a saucepan.
Over medium heat,  cook for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 20 minutes.
Place the mesh sieve/strainer over the mason jar.
Pour the liquid into the sieve, allowing it to drip into the jar.
As you go, you will crush the fruit to drain the liquid. I use a small mason jar for this.

Allow to cool completely then store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.


To use, add one to two ounces of syrup to your drink mate or soda stream with 12 ounces of water, then carbonate.

If you do not have a drink machine, no worries! Add this to sprite or carbonated water for a really delightful summer treat!

Don't miss my other homemade soda steam syrup recipes. Reader favorites include:

Cherry Orange Soda

Strawberry Peach Pop

Peach  Soda

Homemade Peach Soda

Homemade Peach Soda Syrup is perfect for a lightly sweetened fizzy refreshment on a summer day. Made with 3 ingredients, this easy recipe might become your go to all summer long!

We have a nifty drink mate machine in the kitchen. But, the prepackaged syrups are not my favorite. I don't really like the flavors available, so I decided to make my own.

Last summer I made a homemade cherry orange soda syrup that was pretty amazing.  This year, I made peach for my daughter Harper, who loves soda. She adored the light color and the flavor. I loved that I knew exactly what she was drinking and had no concerns about caffeine. Plus, with this syrup you can control how much sugar the kids consume. 

Homemade Peach Soda Syrup
Ingredients:

2 cups of sugar

2 pounds of peaches

2 cups of water

Directions:

Slice the peaches in quarters. You can peel them OR leave the skin on, it doesn't matter.

Add sugar, water and peaches to a medium sauce pan.

Heat over medium heat, for about 30 minutes.

Stir often to prevent boiling.

Allow to cool and store in mason jars in the fridge.

Add to carbonated water or club soda to create a refreshing drink. For my kids, I think 1/2 ounce is adequate to properly flavor and sweeten the drink. You might prefer a sweeter soda and use 1 to .5 ounces of syrup.

Find all of my homemade soda recipes here:

Reader favorites include:

Homemade Strawberry Peach Soda

Strawberry Shortcake Floats

Homemade Cherry Orange Soda Pop Syrup

Homemade Cherry Orange Soda is light, refreshing and perfect for sipping. It comes together with only a few ingredients to make a gourmet soda that you won't be able to get enough of.

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We have a  Drink Mate in the kitchen and I vowed to put it to use this summer. I made a delicious Strawberry Peach Soda recipe a few weeks ago and I couldn't wait to make more fizzy drinks.  The neighborhood kids were more than happy to be my taste testers, so I started experimenting.

This is such an easy homemade soda pop recipe. If you are not using a soda machine like the drink mate or soda stream, you can make this work with club soda.

Supplies:

1 orange

1/2 pound of pitted fresh cherries

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of water

Mesh Strainer

Directions:

Combine fruit, water and sugar in a saucepan.

Over medium heat bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and allow the fruit syrup to simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour through a mesh strainer.

Allow the syrup to cool.

Discard fruit (This is wonderful over ice cream if you are so inclined.)

Soda directions:

Carbonate filtered water.
Add 2 ounces of cherry orange syrup per 8 ounces of carbonated water (or club soda) to ice.

If you want a stronger, sweeter soda increase the syrup from 2 to 3 ounces.

My family loved this. The kids liked the sweet, juicy, bubbly flavor. I loved that it was a caffeine free option and that I know what is in it, and that I can control the sweetness of this soda.

I served this on a hot day, with lots of ice. My husband mixed a little vodka into his and declared it to taste like summer should.

If your family loves this, next time double or triple the batch for the syrup. You can store it in a mason jar in the fridge for a few weeks.

When pitting your cherries, a cherry pitter is a handy tool to have. If not you can find other ways to get the job done. I sliced mine in half to make smashing the fruit even easier.

If you liked this cherry orange soda recipe you won't want to miss my Homemade Strawberry Peach Soda.

You might also like 12 Homemade Soda recipes.