This might just be the easiest drink you make this summer! Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca uses in season produce to ensure we don't need to add any extra sweeteners. It's so delicious and refreshing, and it's the perfect addition to your next picnic get together!
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Agua fresca is a traditionally Mexican drink, that uses ripe fruit and blends it with water and usually sugar. Herbs are often added as well. We capture the essence of this fruity summery drink without the extra sugar.
Serve watermelon strawberry agua fresca cold, alongside other Mexican inspired foods, like Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchiladas, or our 5-minute Weeknight Tacos!
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Heart Health Benefits of Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca
Strawberries are an excellent source of vitamin C - just one cup contains 150% daily value. We tend to think of vitamin C as a winter nutrient, but it's really important all year round! Vitamin C is an antioxidant, which means that it helps prevent your cells from becoming damaged. This is incredibly important during sunburn season (1) [but seriously put on sunscreen, too (2)!].
Watermelon on the other hand, is a good source of both vitamins A and C. But its real claim to fame is its lycopene content. When it comes to lycopene, tomatoes and prostate health get all the attention. But other red produce like watermelon, papaya, and red peppers (but not strawberries) also have lycopene! Lycopene is a carotenoid, which is an antioxidant that gives a red, yellow, or orange color to foods.
Lycopene's benefits extend well beyond prostate health. This potent antioxidant has been linked to reduced rates of certain types of cancers (3) (prostate and breast), skin damage as a result of ultraviolet radiation, cataracts, and memory loss (4, 5, 6).
Excitingly, lycopene may also play an important role in heart health (7). It seems the carotenoid may be helpful in lowering LDL ("bad") cholesterol, and reducing stroke risk (8, 9).
Important: Studies that have relied on supplements have shown harm in some populations (10, 11). But the good news is that a diet high in fruits and vegetables will cover your bases with no harmful side effects!
Herbs, like mint, contain additional (in some cases more) powerful antioxidants to contribute (12). All that in a delicious little glass?!
Ingredients
These are easy to find ingredients that make for an out of this world combination!
- Watermelon
- Strawberries
- Mint
- Water
- Lime juice
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
As easy as blending and drinking! The most challenging part might be cutting the watermelon, so scroll down to our How to Cut a Watermelon instructions if you need to know!
- Step 1: Chop the strawberries and watermelon.
- Step 2: Measure the mint, very loosely packing it into the measuring cup.
- Step 3: Add all the ingredients to the blender.
- Step 4: Blend on high for a minute or two, until you can't see large specks of mint any longer.
Hint: if you find there are still some chunks of fruit after blending, or if you don't want all the froth on the top, strain the agua fresca through a fine mesh sieve.
How to Easily Cut a Watermelon
If you've never had to cut a watermelon before, how can you know how to do it?! Follow along with these steps to cut your whole watermelon in about five minutes!
- Step 1: Wash the skin of the watermelon, and place it on a large cutting board.
- Step 2: Slice both ends off.
- Step 3: Place the watermelon vertical on the cutting board, and use a large knife to cut the rind off in slices, from top to bottom, just inside the white of the rind.
- Step 4: Continue to cut the rind off this way all the way around the watermelon.
- Step 5: Now you have a rindless watermelon!
- Step 6: Cut your watermelon into slices or cubes in whatever size is best for your needs.
Substitutions
There are so many different types of agua frescas and you can substitute almost any of the ingredients!
- Fruit - use any fresh fruit combination that sounds good to you - you may need added sweeteners for some varieties
- Herbs - in addition to mint, try a few leaves of basil, rosemary, thyme, lavender, or even edible rose petals
- Sweetener - if the drink isn't sweet enough, or if you're using out of season fruit, you can add 1 or 2 tablespoons of your sweetener of choice
Equipment
To make this strawberry watermelon drink, you will need some basic tools, like a cutting board, a chef knife, and some measuring cups.
Any blender will do the trick, but a high speed blender will make quick work of the strawberries and mint, and ensure you won't have any chunks when you're done. If you're using a regular blender, simply strain the drink before you serve it to remove any chunks left behind.
Storage
Chill the strawberry watermelon agua fresca completely before serving - it's best cold! Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Pro tip
If strawberries aren't in season and the ones that are available don't look very ripe, use frozen strawberries instead.
FAQ
Typically, an agua fresca is made from fresh fruit, water, sugar, and lime juice. The amount of sugar added will determine how healthy or not the individual drink is. Our agua fresca has no sugar, so it's both healthy and refreshing!
Other common fruits to use in an agua fresca are cantaloupe, honeydew melon, pineapple, mango, cucumber, and orange.
Some fruits will not completely puree into the drink. If you use fruits like pineapple, cherries, or blueberries and other berries, you will probably want to strain the drink.
Related
Looking for other healthier drink recipes? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca:
Reader Review
This is so refreshing after a hot day in the sun!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Watermelon Agua Fresca
Ingredients
- 2 cups Watermelon cubes
- 1 cup Strawberries, roughly chopped
- 1 cup Water
- ¼ cup Fresh Mint leaves loosely packed
- 1 tablespoon Lime Juice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to blender, and blend on high for a minute or so, until you can't see anymore green specks.
- Chill completely. Serve over ice, and garnish with a strawberry and mint leaves or a slice of lime, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.
Food safety
Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.
- Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
- Thoroughly wash all produce, including thick skins and rinds, before cutting and using in this recipe
- Use cutting boards and knives that have been thoroughly washed and sanitized, especially if they have been used for raw meat before
- Keep this beverage cold at all times, and discard if out of refrigeration longer than 2 hours (or 1 hour in hot weather)
Paula says
This is so refreshing after a hot day in the sun!
Laura Yautz says
Glad you enjoyed! 🙂