Watermelon, water, and a little sugar in a blender. That’s it. A classic Mexican agua fresca — light, barely sweetened, and done in five minutes. It tastes like watermelon actually tastes when it’s good, which is exactly what you want on a hot day.
The ⅓ cup of sugar in the recipe is a starting point, not a fixed amount. Taste before serving and adjust — a very ripe, sweet watermelon might need almost none. A less ripe one might need a little more. The watermelon determines the sweetness target, not the recipe.
5 minutes · Serves 4 · Vegan
Four Ingredients
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 cups fresh watermelon, roughly chopped, seeds removed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar — adjust to taste
- Ice, for serving
- Optional: watermelon wedges and mint for garnish
How to Make It
Add the water, watermelon, and sugar to a blender and blend for about 1 minute until smooth. Skim any foam off the surface with a spoon. Pour over ice and serve immediately.
A squeeze of lime juice before blending brightens the whole drink and rounds out the sweetness — worth adding if you have one.
A Few Notes
- The foam: skim it off before pouring — it makes the drink look clean and pink rather than frothy and pale on top
- Serve immediately: the drink separates slightly as it sits; give it a quick stir if it’s been in the fridge
- More intense flavor: reduce the water to 2–3 cups for a stronger watermelon taste
- Sweetness: the riper the watermelon, the less sugar you’ll need — taste as you go
Make This While Watermelons Are Good
This is a seasonal recipe and it knows it. In peak summer when watermelons are ripe and sweet, this drink is genuinely excellent. Out of season, the melon is flavorless and no amount of sugar saves it. Make it when the fruit is worth making it.
Tell me in the comments whether you added the lime and how sweet your melon was. Rate the recipe, save it on Pinterest, and subscribe for more.
Print
Watermelon Agua Fresca
Fresh watermelon blended with water and a little sugar, skimmed of foam, and poured over ice. Light, refreshing, and done in five minutes. A classic Mexican agua fresca that tastes like summer in a glass.
- Total Time5 minutes
- Yield4 servings 1x
Ingredients
The Drink
- 950 ml cold water (4 cups)
- 2 cups fresh watermelon, roughly chopped and seeds removed
- 65 g granulated sugar (1/3 cup) — adjust to taste
Optional Garnish
- small watermelon wedges
- fresh mint sprigs
- ice, for serving
Instructions
Blend and Serve
- Blend: Add the water, chopped watermelon, and sugar to a blender. Blend for about 1 minute until completely smooth.
- Skim and pour: Skim off any foam that has collected on the surface with a spoon — this keeps the drink looking clean and not frothy. Pour over ice into glasses and garnish with a watermelon wedge and mint sprig if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Taste before serving and adjust sweetness — the sugar range depends entirely on how sweet your watermelon is. A ripe, sweet watermelon may need less than ⅓ cup; a less ripe one might need a little more. For a more intense watermelon flavor, reduce the water to 2–3 cups. Squeeze of lime juice added before blending brightens the whole drink. The agua fresca is best served immediately — the foam settles back and the drink separates slightly as it sits; stir before serving if it’s been sitting.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Beverage, Drinks
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Calories: 80
- Sugar: 19
- Sodium: 5
- Carbohydrates: 21
