Agua Fresca
on Jul 08, 2022, Updated Feb 29, 2024
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Agua Frescas are ridiculously refreshing non-alcoholic drinks made with just fruit (watermelon, honeydew, or canteloupe!), water, and sugar.
Once you’ve had your eye-popping first gulp of one of these ridiculously refreshing drinks, you’ll be looking to make them part of your summer beverage rotation. Fruit, water, and sugar: that’s it, and you have Agua Fresca.
The name means “fresh water” in Spanish, and it’s a category of cold non-alcoholic drinks that are usually fruit-infused. Agua frescas have their roots in Mexico and Central America, where they are served everywhere, from restaurants to street carts. They are now very popular in the states, particularly in areas with significant Mexican populations, like in Texas, California, and the Southwest.
Table of Contents
Agua Frescas are refreshing non-alcoholic drinks made with just fruit (watermelon, honeydew, or cantaloupe!), water, and sugar. Perfect for hot weather!
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Fruit Agua Fresca
Most agua fresca recipes just call for the sugar to be added with the other ingredients before blending. The sugar dissolves as the mixture is pureed, and then the mixture chills for a short while. I’ve seen recipes that call for simple syrup, where the sugar is dissolved into the water over heat and then chilled and added to the drink, but I’ve found you can skip this step.
Guillermo, who has worked with me in the kitchen for years, also works as a chef at a Mexican restaurant, where they sell gallons of agua frescas. He says watermelon is the most popular, but I think we can all agree that rotating through a bunch of fresh fruits is the most appealing option!
Sometimes the agua fresca is strained to remove any bits of fruit pulp, but I like to leave the agua fresca unfiltered or strained. I enjoy the fuller texture and that all of the fiber and nutrients in the fruit stay in my drink. And I don’t like waste. But straining the agua fresca will give you a lighter, clearer beverage, so it’s up to you!
What Does Agua Fresca Taste Like?
Agua fresca tastes like a cross between a full-on fruit juice and fruit-infused water. It can be sweet, but most are on the subtler side. When you are making it at home, you have the option of determining how sweet or fruity or tart you want your agua fresca. Some people don’t add any sugar at all. There are no exact measurements, just personal preference.
Of course, the fruit that you choose as the star of your drink will be the predominant flavor, and how much of it you add will influence whether your drink is lightly fruity or more intense.
Different Types of Agua Fresca
Watermelon Agua Fresca (Sandia)
Watermelon is probably the most popular fruit used to make agua fresca. Most typically, red watermelon is used, and the resulting drink is a bright pinkish red. It has all of the juiciness of watermelon but pureed into a refreshing drink. You can also try yellow watermelon for another subtle flavor variation and a different summery color! I like to garnish this version with lime wheels or wedges and little wedges of watermelon.
Honeydew Agua Fresca
This version of the drink is a pretty pale green color, with the sweetness of the honeydew melon front and center. Fresh mint sprigs and lemon wheels or wedges make a pretty garnish for this flavor.
Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
The orange-colored melon, with its sweet earthy taste, is also a perfect base for agua fresca. You can use any kind of citrus wedges for this drink and also play around with different sprigs of fresh herbs. Also, think about a little wedge of cantaloupe or another melon as a garnish.
Make sure your melon is very ripe so you get the best flavor out of your drink. And try other melons as well! As long as they are ripe enough to puree, they will all make lovely sippers.
Tips
- Make sure your fruit is very ripe and flavorful – the drink will only be as flavorful as the fruit you start with. Also, riper fruit is sweeter, and requires less added sugar.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness and tartness as needed. Only by tasting will you know if you need a bit more sugar or a bit more acidity from the lime.
- Play around with the fruit. Popular fruit choices are melons of all kinds, like cantaloupe or honeydew, as well as watermelon. Other common versions of agua frescos are pineapple, tamarind, and horchata, made with rice.
How to Make Agua Frescas:
- Blend: In a blender or a food processor, combine half of the water, the fruit, sugar, and lemon or lime juice. Puree for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a pitcher, add the remaining water, and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Serve: Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with a lime or lemon wedge or wheel, and/or a wedge of watermelon.
FAQs
It’s best the day it’s made, but it will stay for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Agua fresca is made of fruit, cold water, and sugar. The fruit varies, and often some citrus is added to brighten it up and add tartness to balance the sweetness of the sugar and the fruit. It’s served very cold.
Agua fresca means “fresh water” OR “cool water” in Spanish, and it’s a category of cold non-alcoholic drinks, usually fruit-infused.
Agua frescas have their roots in Mexico and Central America, and there they can be found everywhere, from finer restaurants to street carts. They have become understandably popular in the states, particularly in Texas, California, the Southwest, and other areas with significant Mexican populations.
Horchata, watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, tamarind, and jamaica (made from hibiscus leaves) are some of the most popular agua frescas.
Spiked Agua Fresca
If you want to add an ounce of vodka, tequila, or rum to your glass of agua fresco, go for it! It’s absolutely delicious. Just make sure that if you are spiking the whole pitcher, you make sure everyone knows this drink is now alcoholic.
More Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipes
- Homemade Lemonade
- Watermelon Lemonade
- Watermelon Strawberry Smoothie
- How to Make a Vanilla Milkshake
- Chocolate Oreo Milkshake
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Agua Fresca
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Watermelon Agua Fresca (Sandia)
- 3 cups ice cold water (divided)
- 4 cups cubed watermelon
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or to taste)
- Lime wheels or wedges (to serve)
- Watermelon wedges (to serve)
For the Honeydew Agua Fresca
- 3 cups ice cold water (divided)
- 4 cups cubed honeydew
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or lime juice, or to taste)
- Lemon wheels or wedges (to serve)
- Mint sprigs (to serve)
For the Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
- 3 cups ice cold water (divided)
- 4 cups cubed cantaloupe
- 2 tablespoons sugar (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon lime juice (or to taste)
- Lime wedges (to serve)
Instructions
- In a blender or a food processor, combine half of the water, melon of your choice, sugar, and lime juice. Puree for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Transfer to a pitcher, add the remaining water, and chill for at least 2 hours.
- Pour into glasses over ice and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel and a wedge of watermelon.
Notes
- Make sure your fruit is very ripe and flavorful — the drink will only be as flavorful as the fruit you start with. Also, riper fruit is sweeter and will require less additional sugar.
- Taste and adjust the sweetness and tartness as needed. Only by tasting will you know if you need a bit more sugar or a bit more acidity from the lime.
- Play around with the fruit. Popular fruit choices are melons of all kinds, like cantaloupe or honeydew, as well as watermelon. Other popular versions of agua frescos are pineapple, tamarind, and horchata, made with rice.
