Agua fresca means “fresh water” in Spanish, and that’s exactly what this drink is: a refreshing water-based beverage. Made up of little more than fresh fruit, citrus juice, and water, aguas frescas are the perfect way to cool down when it’s hot outside. Pair it with a Horchata for your Cinco de Mayo menu.
What to buy: Look for the ripest melons available in the produce section—the riper the melons, the less sugar you’ll have to add to the recipe. A ripe melon should be fragrant, heavy for its size, and should yield slightly to pressure at the stem end.
This recipe was featured as part of our Nonalcoholic Cocktails recipe gallery.
- Yield: 5 drinks
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 15 mins, plus chilling time
- Active: 15 mins
Ingredients (5)
- 1 (3-pound) ripe cantaloupe or other small melon, cut into large dice (about 4 cups)
- 3 cups cold water
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1/2 lime)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, plus more as needed
- Ice
Instructions
- Place the cantaloupe, 1 1/2 cups of the water, the lime juice, and measured sugar in a blender and blend on high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large pitcher or bowl, using a ladle or wooden spoon to press down on the solids (you should have about 2 cups of liquid). Discard the solids.
- Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups water and stir to combine. Taste and add additional sugar as needed. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. Serve over ice.
