Agua Fresca Will Keep You Hydrated This Summer: Here's How to Make the Alcohol-Free Beverage
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Eager to amp up your hydration this summer? Look no further than agua fresca. Translating to "fresh water" from Spanish, agua fresca is a Mexican beverage that infuses water with fruit and other fresh ingredients. It's super-refreshing, excellent over ice, and makes for a delicious way to increase your daily water intake. While the infusion process removes fiber from the produce—this is what makes the drink super-sippable—you're still left with vitamins, minerals, and plenty of excellent flavor and bright color. The beverage is naturally non-alcoholic, which also makes it a great happy hour option for non-drinkers.
Ready to make your own agua fresca? Here's how:
How to Make Agua Fresca
All you need is a blender, fresh fruit, and water to make your own agua fresca! Start with fruit that's at peak freshness, or even a little overripe—if it's too mushy to eat, it's perfect to blend! Water-dense fruits, like melons, work well, but berries, stone fruit, and tropical fruits such as mango and pineapple work well too. Peel and cut the fruit into chunks, and then add it to a blender with equal parts water. In other words, one cup fruit + one cup water. Some people like to add sugar to their agua fresca, but if your fruit is in-season and sweet, there's no need.
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Blend your fruit on high for 1-2 minutes, until it is liquefied. Then, strain over a large bowl using a sieve or cheesecloth to separate out the fruit pulp. Discard the pulp (or save for another project—I freeze mine in small molds for doggie-friendly sorbet). Cover and put liquid in the fridge for at least an hour and up to three days. Serve over ice and enjoy!
You can try mixing fruits (just two should do it, this isn't a smoothie), squirt in some citrus, or add fresh herbs for more unique flavors. Be mindful of mixing fruits that pair well together in color too—a red and green fruit combined may look muddy, while yellow fruits and green fruits can have a beautiful electric color.
Stuck in the fridge too long? Freeze your agua fresca in silicone ice molds to use in seltzer water, cocktails, and more.
Agua Fresca Recipes
Need some inspiration for your own agua fresca? Try one of these delicious flavor combinations!
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Watermelon Mint Agua Fresca
Fresh watermelon paired with fresh mint is always a good combo. Swap in basil if you want extra herbaceousness in this agua fresca.
Cantaloupe or Honeydew Agua Fresca
Just about the easiest agua fresca there is to make, enjoy the pure flavor of these melons without the mess of eating off the rind. Just blend your melon and water together and serve over ice. This can also be a great sweet cocktail or mocktail base, if you're in the mood.
Mixed Berry Agua Fresca
Use equal parts hulled strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries to make a tri-berry agua fresca blend that's as beautiful in hue as it is refreshing.
Cucumber Lime Agua Fresca
Cucumber is indeed a fruit, and it makes for a soothing, spa-worthy beverage when transformed into agua fresca. Give it a little zing with lime or lemon juice, and don't hesitate to add just a touch of sugar to this one.
Tomato Nectarine Agua Fresca
This one's going to take a little more effort with the straining, but it's totally worth it for the complex, rich and fruity flavors you'll taste in this combo. Halve and core the tomatoes before blending for ease.
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Mango Raspberry Agua Fresca
This combo is a dream and so beautifully hot pink! Peel and dice a mango and add a handful of raspberries to your blender to complete this sweet and slightly tart beverage.
