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Watermelon Agua Fresca with Lime and Mint

Watermelon Agua Fresca with Lime and Mint

Agua fresca means fresh water, and this is about as simple as a drink gets: ripe watermelon blended with cold water and lime, strained, and poured over ice. It is lighter than juice and much more refreshing on a hot day.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 glasses
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 6 cups seedless watermelon cubed, from about a 4 lb (1.8 kg) wedge
  • 1 cup cold water
  • 2 tbsp fresh lime juice from 1–2 limes
  • 1–2 tbsp honey or sugar optional
  • 6 leaves fresh mint plus sprigs to serve
  • ice to serve
  • lime wedges to serve

Method
 

  1. Cut the rind off the watermelon and cube the flesh, removing any obvious black seeds.
  2. Put the watermelon, water, lime juice and mint leaves in the blender. Blend on high for about 30 seconds until completely liquid.
  3. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a pitcher, pressing gently with a spoon. Discard the pulp.
  4. Taste and stir in honey or sugar only if the melon was not very sweet. Add more lime if it tastes flat.
  5. Chill for 30 minutes or serve right away over ice with lime wedges and mint sprigs.

Notes

  • Taste a piece of the melon first. A sweet, deep-red melon needs no added sugar at all.
  • Straining is optional; unstrained agua fresca is thicker and slightly frothy.