A refreshing Mexican-style watermelon drink.
Agua frescas are light, fresh beverages that originate from Mexico. There are numerous traditional flavors, often made with fruits, seeds, grains, or flowers. You can find them being sold by street vendors, restaurants, sweets shops, and juice bars, often out of large jugs or jars. This particular agua fresca recipe comes from my husband, who grew up drinking these in central California. It is made with fresh watermelon and lime, and comes together quite easily with the help of a blender.
Watermelon Agua Fresca (Agua de Sandía)
My husband introduced me to the world of agua frescas when we first met and they quickly became one of my summertime favorites. These cool, refreshing beverages come in a wide variety of flavors but, when in season, it’s hard to resist the agua de sandía, or watermelon water. My husband has been kind enough to share his recipe, which is fairly simple to make with just lime, watermelon, sugar, and a blender. When chilled, even the hottest, sweatiest days are no match for the thirst-quenching power of this fresh, fruity beverage.
Ingredients
- 1 lime peeled
- 1 kilogram (about 2 lbs or 7 cups) peeled watermelon cut into chunks
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 liter (4¼ cups) water
Instructions
- In a blender combine lime, watermelon, sugar, and salt. Blend until smooth.
- Carefully strain watermelon mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher or bowl. Add water and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate until chilled. Stir before serving if separated and pour over ice.
Notes
Adjust sugar amount as needed to taste, depending on how sweet the watermelon is.
