Agua Fresca: A Cinco de Mayo Recipe
Agua Frescas are simple fruit drinks made with fruit blended with water, lime juice and sugar. They are simple, refreshing drinks perfect for summer entertaining!
What is Agua Fresca?
If you can reach back into the archives of high school Spanish you’ll know that Agua Fresca translates to “fresh water” but this amazing drink is so much more than that!
Agua Fresca can be made with just about any fruit you can think of, combined with water, ice, and sugar or other sweetener.
Agua frescas are popular in Mexico and Central America as a healthy non-alcoholic drink
Flavor Variations
While I’m only sharing three recipes below, remember that you can make these delicious fruit drinks with many different types of fruits like strawberries, pineapple, honeydew, and mango.
Watermelon Agua Fresca is another very popular option, for that variation just omit the extra water as the fruit itself has plenty!
I don’t recommend making this recipe with blueberries or blackberries, however. These fruits are too chunky when pureed and require straining the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and usually aren’t sweet enough as well.
Also, while pitted cherries taste delicious, the color turns muddy pretty quickly which makes the drink less appealing.
Base Agua Fresca Recipe
For each recipe below combine all of the ingredients in a blender (affiliate link) and puree until smooth and slushy and sugar is dissolved! The basic recipe is:
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups fresh fruit
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 cups ice
- lime wedges & mint for garnish (optional)
You can serve agua frescas to a crowd and pour from a pitcher or you can serve individually garnished with mint springs and sliced fruit for an extra special presentation.
If you like agua fresca, you might also like to try my Strawberry Iced Tea, Peach Iced Tea, or Strawberry Lemonade recipes!
Agua Fresca Variations:
Cucumber Agua Fresca
- 2 cups thinly sliced seeded peeled cucumbers
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 cups crushed ice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
Cantaloupe Agua Fresca
- 1 (3-pound) ripe cantaloupe or other small melon, diced
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups crushed i
ce
Strawberry Agua Fresca
- 4 cups ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 4
cups water - 2 cups crushed ice
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
I hope you give these recipes a try this weekend-or anytime this summer! They are so refreshing, my favorite is actually the cucumber, it reminds me of something they would serve at a spa!
If you try this recipe, please comment and rate it below!
Print
Basic Agua Fresca
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Puree
- Cuisine: mexican
Description
Agua Frescas are simple fruit drinks made with fruit blended with water, lime juice and sugar. They are simple, refreshing drinks perfect for summer entertaining!
Ingredients
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups fresh fruit
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 cups ice
- lime wedges & mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Combine all of the ingredients in a blender (affiliate link) and puree until smooth and slushy and sugar is dissolved. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional information is for Strawberry Agua Fresca, exact nutrition info will changed based on fruit used.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 72
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 10.4 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 18.2 g
- Protein: 0.5 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: Agua Fresca
This post was originally posted May 1, 2013, but has been updated April 2019 with better photography and answers to reader questions.
Love these and have been using your recipe for years. The updated pictures look great!!
★★★★★
Hi there! I am co-hosting this week on Fit Frugal Family Link Party. Thanks for linking up!
I also host a TGIF Link Party over at my place — A Peek Into Paradise… https://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/ Would love for you to link up, Opens on Fridays and stays open until Wednesday at midnight.
Thanks again for visiting Fit Frugal Family Link party!
Have a terrific week!
Hugs, Cathy
Thanks Cathy I’ll try to stop by and link up!
These look refreshing and I know that they are good because they make them here in Honduras also. Thank you for sharing the recipes.
Consider yourself hugged,
https://simpleesue.com/try-one-new-recipe-a-week-perfectly-peanut-butter-brownies/
Thanks! And I’m totally going to check out those peanut butter brownies-yum!!
I love aqua frescas – my favs are cantaloupe & pineapple…they are highly underated, imho.
Stopping by from I Should Be Mopping The Floor, have a great week!!
I’ll have to try pineapple, I haven’t had that yet. I just got a watermelon to make some today!
Watermelon has always been my favorite. Thanks for reminding me what a cool refreshing drink this is for summer!
Michelle @ On A Wing And A Prayer
I have a watermelon on my counter for the same purpose! If only it would feel more spring/summer-y outside I’d be set!!
Yum!!
Thanks Diana, I hope you like them as much as I did!!
I can’t figure out which to make first, but I want them all. Pinned this and shared a link on my blog. Thanks for sharing!!
Karen @ annumography
These are making me thirsty! I am always on the lookout for yummy drinks…pinned!
Oh my gosh, these look amazing! I’m definitely going to have to try them!
The Strawberry Agua Fresca looks and sounds so refreshing and looks really appealing. Thanks so much for the recipes and I will be returning often to your blog.
those all look so refreshing!! Came over from What Shakin… I blog at nap-timecreations.com… would love to have you stop by.
these look gorgeous!!! i am having some family over for a birthday and just may have to make these! I am trying to break a diet pepsi addiction and maybe these would do it! I am hosting today at https://www.frugalfitfamily.com – swing by and share if you can!
Ohhh yummy! I love fresca and this puts a nice little twist on it.
yum!!! but wheres the tequila for cinch de mayo??!?! 🙂
You’ll have to come spike them for me Jocie!
Yum! I’ve been craving tons of fruit this pregnancy. I have to try these. Cantaloupe sounds delish!
I hope you like them Jenny-they were soooo good!
Thanks! Love this idea!
Thanks Angie!
Looks freshing!! Summertime here we come!! Thanks for the recipes!!
No problem, I hope you like them as much as I did!!
So, I know what I’m gonna be drinking by the pool this summer.
Me too Beth! They’re the prefect poolside drink!
Pinning this for sure….and adding a little vodka 🙂
I might try that next time!
These look SO so good! Pretty sure they’ll be a summer staple! Pinned!
Thank Keri! I hope you like them as much as I did!