Agua Fresca Recipe
Make Agua Fresca Recipe in just 45m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Base Fruit & Water
Sweetener & Citrus
Optional Finishing
Method
Base Fruit & Water
Prepare Fruit
If not already cubed, remove rind and seeds from the watermelon and cut into roughly 1-inch cubes. Measure 4 cups of cubed watermelon.
Blend
Place the 4 cups of watermelon cubes and 1 cup of cold water into a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 30–45 seconds. If using a fine-mesh texture is preferred, continue to step ‘Strain’.
Adjust Consistency
Pour the blended watermelon into a pitcher. Add the remaining 2 cups cold water and stir to combine. Taste and adjust water if you want a thinner or thicker drink.
Sweetener & Citrus
Sweeten
Add 1 tablespoon granulated sugar to the warm or room-temperature blender bowl or a small cup. If sugar won’t dissolve easily in cold water, dissolve it first in 1 tablespoon hot water, then add to the pitcher. Stir the pitcher well to dissolve sugar into the watermelon mixture.
Brighten
Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice. Taste and add up to 1 more teaspoon lime juice or up to 1–2 teaspoons more sugar if desired, balancing sweetness and brightness to your preference.
Optional Finishing
Chill and Serve: Refrigerate the agua fresca at least 30 minutes to chill and let flavors meld, or serve immediately over ice. If you prefer a smoother texture, pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean pitcher, pressing gently on solids to extract more liquid.
Garnish and Portion: Fill glasses with about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup ice (or as desired). Pour the agua fresca into 4 serving glasses (about 1¼ cups each). Garnish each glass with a lime slice and 2 mint leaves. Serve cold.