Hold on to summer just a while longer with this refreshing, zingy watermelon agua fresca with the spicy kick of jalapeños.
I was cleaning up my drafts folder when I found the pictures for this recipe. And since it is still September (read: summer) in Texas, I thought I’d share it on the blog without delay.
Watermelon is one of our favorite fruits and our favorite way to enjoy it just by the slice. But sometimes, I like to blend it with ice and a touch of lemon for a cold slushie-like drink. Or I would make a big pitcher of agua fresca.
Agua fresca is a fruity drink from Mexican cuisine which is nothing but fresh fruit juice, with most of the pulp or fiber strained out to make a smooth beverage. Most often watermelon, papaya or pineapple are used, but any ripe fruit can be used to make agua fresca. One can also add lemon, ginger and fresh herbs to flavor the agua fresca.
This time, I used jalapeños in my agua fresca. Yes, you heard that right. I have been harvesting at least 1-2 jalapeño peppers each week this summer from a tiny plant in our patio garden. Most often, it gets thrown in to a fresh bowl of guac, but this time I blended it with some sweet watermelon to make watermelon agua fresca with a spicy kick!
Served in salt-rimmed glasses, this sweet and spicy beverage is just perfect to wash down on a still-quite-warm evening. It goes exceptionally well with Mexican food, of course. Tacos and agua fresca is a match made in foodie heaven!
Here’s how you make watermelon jalapeño agua fresca.
- Watermelon - 5-6 cups, diced
- Jalapeno - 2, divided
- Lemon - 1
- Fresh mint leaves - a few, divided
- Water - 2 cups
- Sugar - 2-4 tbsp (if needed)
- Ice - to serve
- Salt - to line the glass rims
- Throw diced watermelon flesh into a blender. Halve a jalapeño lengthwise, remove seeds and add it to the fruit.
- Blend smoothly along with the juice of a lemon, water and 5-6 mint leaves. Taste and add sugar if needed. You may not need to add any if your watermelon is very sweet.
- Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and pour the agua fresca into a pitcher. Keep chilled till needed.
- To prep the serving glasses, lightly coat the rim of a glass with lemon juice or water. Invert glass onto a plate of salt and shake off excess. There should be a thin line of salt on the rim.
- Thinly slice the reserved jalapeño and add 1-2 slices to the glass. Muddle lightly with a pestle. Pour agua fresca on top. Serve immediately with ice, garnished with a wedge of lemon and fresh mint leaves.
2. To make regular watermelon agua fresca, simply omit the jalapeños in this recipe.
This is a great fancy beverage that can be made right at home in jiffy! Do try it before it starts to get too cold.
Don’t forget to PIN & SAVE this recipe for later.
Have you tried agua frecsa? What is your favorite fruit to enjoy agua fresca? Here are a couple of other agua fresca recipes for you to try.
If you like this post, please follow this blog via Email to get post updates (find subscription box on the right side of this page, or scroll down in mobile version).
Stay connected on social media, PIN and SHARE this post.
Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest | Twitter | Google+
I am sharing this over at Fiesta Friday.
This is my kind of drink! Your photos are so beautiful! A party is not a party, without a delicious drink! Thank you bringing yours to the party this week! Happy FF!
Thank you so much, Antonia!
I like both main ingredients so I know I would enjoy this beverage. It is starting to get cooler but we still have some warm days – always ready for a refreshing drink in the afternoon. Thanks for coming to the party and Happy Fiesta Friday.
Thank you so much, and happy FF!!
Gorgeous pictures Anjana and looks bed the recipe
Thank you, Sonal!