Sep 09 2026

Freso De Chan Recipe

Time25m
Serves6

strawberry limeade with chia seeds.

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Ingredients

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Strawberry Limeade Base

Method

Strawberry Limeade Base

  1. 1

    Prepare strawberries

    Wash, hull, and quarter the strawberries so they mash easily. Reserve 6 halved berries for garnish.

  2. 2

    Make strawberry purée

    Place the quartered strawberries and 1/4 cup of the cold water in a blender. Add half of the sugar (1/2 cup). Blend on high until smooth, about 30–45 seconds. If you prefer a seed-free drink, pour the purée through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible, discarding seeds and solids.

  3. 3

    Combine lime and water

    In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lime juice and the remaining 3 3/4 cups cold water. Stir to mix.

  4. 4

    Sweeten limeade

    Add the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or adjust to taste) to the lime-water mixture and stir until dissolved. If using simple syrup instead of granulated sugar, add it directly and stir.

  5. 5

    Assemble limeade

    Pour the strawberry purée into the sweetened lime-water and stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or lime as needed. Refrigerate while you prepare the chia so it chills slightly (5–10 minutes).

  6. 6

    Add ice

    When ready to serve, add the ice cubes to the pitcher or to individual glasses to chill the limeade.

Chia Gel & Finish

  1. 7

    Make chia gel

    In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons chia seeds with 3 tablespoons cold water. Stir to fully wet the seeds, then let sit for 8–10 minutes, stirring once after 3–4 minutes to prevent clumping. The mixture should form a slightly thick, gel-like consistency.

  2. 8

    Incorporate chia

    Once the chia gel is ready, stir it into the chilled strawberry limeade until evenly distributed. If you prefer the seeds to be more evenly suspended, give the pitcher a gentle stir right before serving.

  3. 9

    Garnish and serve

    Fill glasses with ice if you haven't added ice to the pitcher. Pour the freso de chan (strawberry limeade with chia) into glasses. Garnish each glass with a lime slice, a halved strawberry, and a couple of mint leaves if using. Serve immediately, and stir before drinking if the chia has settled.

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