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Ingredients
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Main
Method
Prepare Watermelon Base
Cut and chill
If not already cubed, cut a seedless watermelon into 1-inch cubes. Place the cubes in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes if time allows—cold fruit yields a brighter, more refreshing drink.
Blend
Working in batches if necessary, place 2 cups of watermelon cubes into a blender along with 1 tablespoon of cold water. Blend on high until completely smooth (about 30–45 seconds). Pour blended watermelon into a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl and use a rubber spatula to press the juice through, discarding the pulp (or reserve the pulp for smoothies or sorbet). Repeat until all watermelon is processed, yielding about 2 to 2.5 cups of strained watermelon juice.
Mix and Balance
Add lemon
Stir the fresh lemon juice and optional lemon zest into the strained watermelon juice. Taste for acidity and balance.
Sweeten if needed
If the watermelon is not as sweet as you'd like, stir in granulated sugar or simple syrup 1 teaspoon at a time, tasting after each addition, until you reach your preferred sweetness. Because watermelon is naturally sweet, many palates will prefer no added sugar.
Adjust consistency
If the juice seems too thick, add the remaining cold water (up to the 1 cup total) a tablespoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. Mix well.
Serve