Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca is an incredibly refreshing and bubbly drink with a hint of mint and lime that is perfect for the summer and hot weather.
I can’t let summer go by without talking about one of my favorite “sabores del verano” (flavors of summer), watermelon!
During the summer, we buy a watermelon pretty much every week. It is one of my absolute favorite fruits. All year long, I look forward to the months when watermelons are in season. As much as I like to take a big bite out of this delicious fruit, I also love a using watermelons to make agua fresca.
The original recipe for agua de sandia is amazing as is, but recently Matt and I added our own twist to it. The result is an incredibly refreshing and bubbly Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca that is perfect for the hot weather.
What are Aguas Frescas?
So what is an agua fresca? The term “aguas frescas” literally means fresh waters. These drinks are extremely popular in Mexico and are made of fresh fruit, cereals, flowers or seeds blended with sugar and water to create a refreshing type of juice.
There are so many variations of aguas frescas, with some recipes combining different fruits, flavors and ingredients to come up with much more complex versions. As you will see, today’s recipe is a perfect example.
How to Choose a Watermelon
I hate when a watermelon isn’t perfectly juicy and sweet with the right consistency. There are many tips and tricks on how to choose the perfect watermelon. The following are the ones I follow that give me good results.
- Choose a watermelon that is heavier for its size. This usually means it will be sweeter because it will be juicier.
- Look for a creamy, yellow spot (referred to as a field spot) which indicates the watermelon was resting on the ground longer and therefore will be ripe.
- Look at the area where the stem was. Be sure this area is not green, which means the watermelon was picked too early. Rather this area should look dry which indicates the fruit is ripe.
- Choose one that has webbing or brown scars. These marks are caused by bees during pollination and the more webbing the sweeter the fruit will be.
Now with this in mind, if you end up with a less than perfect watermelon, do not fret! These not-so-great watermelons actually work quite well for aguas frescas. When the fruit is combined with sweetener, water, ice and other ingredients, the flavor is transformed. So next time you get a watermelon that is not the best, do not throw it away but use it to make this fabulous drink.
Did you know that watermelon has some great health benefits? Click here to read more.
How to Make Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca
This drink works out better if you serve each of the glasses individually. This ensures your drink remains bubbly, which is the best part of this recipe.
To make the agua fresca, first cut up 5 cups of seedless watermelon.
Add the watermelon to a blender with 1 cup of water and blend until smooth. Taste and add sweetener of your choice, I prefer agave syrup for sweetness. If the watermelon is nice and ripe the amount of added sweetener needed will be minimal to none.
Blend again.
In a tall glass, add in 10 mint leaves. Use the back of a spoon to muddle the mint leaves slightly. Add ice.
Squeeze 1/4 of a lime into the glass and add 1 cup of the watermelon juice.
Mix to combine.
Then top off your glass with Topo Chico or other original-flavored sparkling water (about 1/2 cup).
Other Tips for Making Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca
- I like to keep my bottle of Topo Chico to top off my drink and keep it nice and bubbly as I’m sipping on it.
- We like to use Topo Chico, which is a sparkling mineral water from Mexico that has a great flavor and is extra fizzy. It is very readily available now in most grocery stores. However, other original-flavored sparkling waters will work too.
- Make this into a cocktail by adding a shot of tequila to each serving.
I hope you enjoy!
Check out this other delicious agua fresca, Creamy Strawberry Agua Fresca (Dairy-Free).
Also take a look at this other great watermelon recipe, Sweetened Condensed Milk Fruit Salad.
Please leave me a comment below if you make this or tag me on Instagram @everydaylatina.
{This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using the links.}
Sparkling Watermelon Agua Fresca
Equipment
- Blender
Ingredients
- 5 cups chopped seedless watermelon
- 1 cup water
- agave (or sweetener of choice) to taste
- 40 mint leaves (10 per serving)
- 1 lime
- 4 bottles of Topo Chico (or other original flavored sparkling water of choice)
Instructions
- This recipe works if you serve each of the glasses individually to maintain the drink bubbly.
- Blend chopped watermelon with water until smooth.
- Taste and add sweetener of your choice, I prefer agave syrup for sweetness. Blend again.
- In a tall glass, add in 10 mint leaves. Use the back of a spoon to muddle the mint leaves slightly. Add ice.
- Squeeze 1/4 of the lime into the glass and add 1 cup of the watermelon juice.
- Mix to combine.
- Top off the glass with sparkling water (about 1/2 cup).
- Repeat same process for each individual serving with the remaining watermelon juice.
Notes
- Make this a cocktail by adding a shot of tequila to each serving.
Love this, an amazing summer drink!
So great to hear. Yes, it’s so refreshing!
Tried this recipe twice. Came out beautiful. Thanks.
I’m so glad to hear that! Thank you for trying it and for the comment.