Watermelon Agua Fresca with Lime and Mint

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A taquería-style watermelon agua fresca: ripe melon blended smooth, strained until it's clear and drinkable rather than pulpy, and balanced with lime, a quick mint syrup and a pinch of salt that makes the fruit taste twice as sweet. No thickeners, no dairy — just cold, clean melon water you can pour over ice by the pitcher.

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves and tender stems
• 2 strips lime zest, peeled wide with a vegetable peeler

• 8 cups seedless watermelon, rind removed, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 4 lb trimmed melon)
• 2 cups cold water, plus more as needed
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

• ice cubes, or frozen watermelon cubes
• 1 lime, cut into thin wheels
• fresh mint sprigs
• flaky salt or Tajín, for rimming glasses (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the syrup: combine the sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir just until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes, then bring to a bare simmer and cook 1 minute more. Remove from the heat, add the mint and lime zest strips, press the mint down into the liquid with a spoon, and steep 15 minutes. Strain into a small bowl and refrigerate; discard the mint. Do not boil the mint or it will turn grassy and dull.
2. While the syrup steeps, prep the melon: cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes, picking out any stray seeds. Set aside 1 cup of cubes on a small tray and freeze them to use in place of ice, if you like.
3. Working in two batches, blend the remaining watermelon with the 2 cups cold water on high speed for 30 to 45 seconds, until completely liquid and frothy. Do not over-blend past 1 minute — long blending whips in air and makes the drink foamy and cloudy.
4. Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large pitcher or bowl and pour the blended melon through it. Stir the pulp gently with a spatula to help the liquid pass, but do not force or press the solids through; scrape the pulp out and discard it. You should have about 8 cups of clear pink juice.
5. Whisk in the lime juice, the sea salt, and the cooled mint syrup a tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go — very ripe melon may need only half the syrup. The finished agua fresca should taste bright and lightly sweet, not syrupy. If it tastes dense or candied, thin with cold water 1/4 cup at a time.
6. Chill at least 1 hour, or until very cold (below 40°F). The drink separates as it sits, which is normal — stir well right before pouring.
7. To serve, rim glasses with flaky salt or Tajín if using, fill with ice or frozen watermelon cubes, pour, and finish each glass with a lime wheel and a mint sprig.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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