Watermelon water is so light, refreshing and satisfying! From Mexico, this recipe is for Agua de Sandia and is incredibly easy to make! All you need is watermelon, some water and a small amount of sugar, if desired.
My husband lived in southern Mexico for two years after high school. We met shortly after and he introduced me to all of his favorite foods and drinks. He loves "aguas frescas", which are very popular in Mexico. Agua de Sandia is near the top of his favorites list; he absolutely loves it.
This pairs well with our Tart Lemon Cookies and our Chicken Caesar Wrap, which are both light and summery too. Or try our Homemade Lemonade for another sweet drink.
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How to Pick the Perfect Watermelon
My husband is really good at picking out watermelon! He follows these tips and gets a great one every time
- large ground spot - watermelons will have a yellow ground spot on them, that is usually rough in texture. The bigger the ground spot the better! It means it was allowed to ripen for a longer time before being picked, which will give it the best flavor.
- deep, hollow sound - when you knock on it, it should have a deep hollow sound. This will indicate it's juicy instead of airy (aka: grainy) and will have a great texture.
- bee stings - There should be plenty of bee stings- it'll look rough and scratched up, this means there were plenty of bees stinging it, indicating sweetness.
- character over beauty - a beautiful, green watermelon that is uniform in color might be beautiful and look tasty, but the flavor will likely be much less desirable than selecting a melon with more "character".
Ingredients
Make this easily with just 3 simple ingredients. Follow our guide to the ingredients below for the best results.
- watermelon - see our "how to pick the perfect watermelon" section above to pick a delicious and flavorful watermelon. I recommend refrigerating the melon for a nice cold drink.
- cold water - the colder the water the better for this recipe! The cold water keeps it nice, cold and refreshing.
- sugar - completely optional, regular granulated sugar.
- lime or lemon juice - also optional, can be used in very small amounts to gently enhance the watermelon flavor. During our recipe testing we found that just a little bit made a huge difference in flavor, and we recommend adding a little bit.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Watermelon Water
Use these process shots to help get the results you are wanting. The pictures can help with texture and be a visual guide for best results.
1. Slice cold watermelon into cubes, around 2", but no need to be precise. The watermelon may also be cut at room temperature and then refrigerated.
2. Place half the watermelon in a blender and blend.
3. Add the other half of the watermelon and the water and a little sugar. Blend.
4. Add more sugar, to taste and lime juice, if desired. Serve cold.
Hint: Use cold water and cold watermelon for best results!
Substitutions and Variations
We love switching things up when we're in the kitchen. Try any of these variations for something a little different.
- No Water - this can easily be made without water. The less water you use, the less sugar is needed as the flavor is strong and sweet and undiluted. We found while testing this recipe that some of our taste testers preferred this with plain pureed watermelon and no water or sugar. Feel free to make it according to your preferences.
- Sugar Free - make this sugar free by simply skipping the sugar. You can use an alternative sweetener if desired, but we often make it without any sweetener at all. It's a little lighter of a flavor, but we really enjoy it.
- Spicy - top with a sprinkling of Tajin for that spicy Tajin fruit flavor! My husband does this sometimes and absolutely loves it.
- Lemon Lime Soda - skip the sugar and replace the water with lemon-lime soda. To do this, we recommend pureeing the watermelon first, then gently stirring it into the soda so that the soda keeps its carbonation.
- Raspberry Watermelon Water - substitute 1 ½ cups of watermelon with 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen raspberries for an absolutely delicious variation.
- La Croix - puree the watermelon by itself, and add a little sugar if desired. Then mix slowly with your favorite La Croix or other seltzer water (we recommend a berry or lemon- lime for best results). Make sure to mix slowly to maintain that carbonation.
Make Ahead
This recipe can be made ahead. We recommend waiting until the day of to blend, but you can chop your watermelon up to 2 days in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.
Storing Watermelon Water
Store in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to give it a little stir before serving.
Use any leftovers to make watermelon popsicles!
Top tip
This drink is best served cold, add some ice if desired!
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Watermelon Water:
Recipe
Watermelon Water (Agua de Sandia)
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 8 cups watermelon cut into 2 inch cubes
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1-4 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lime juice optional
Instructions
- Cut cold watermelon into 2 inch cubes. Mix in a high speed blender with ice cold water. You will likely need to fill the blender with part of the watermelon, blend, then add the rest.
- Add sugar to taste! Many times the watermelon is sweet enough it doesn't need any sugar at all. Add lime juice if desired and serve cold!
Video
Notes
- Store any leftover watermelon water in the refrigerator. Stir with a spoon before enjoying.
- The lime juice is optional and will give it a slight tang and enhance the flavor of the watermelon. We love it with the lime juice and recommend putting it in.
- More water may be added, if desired. Be warned, this may dilute the flavor of the watermelon so more sugar may need to be added too.
- Add mint or basil or a lime wedge for a beautiful garnish.
Nutrition
FAQ
Refrigerate watermelon so it's nice and cold. Cut into large cubes. Blend with a small amount of cold water and add sugar to taste. Serve immediately.
Agua de Sandia in English is Watermelon Water. It is an "aguas frescas" made with watermelon, water and a small amount of sugar. Aguas frescas are popular drinks in Mexico.
Make yummy watermelon water by mixing together cold watermelon with cold water and a little sugar in a blender on high speed. Lemon or lime juice may be added to enhance flavor. Blend until well mixed then serve!
Popular in Mexico, watermelon water or "agua de sandia" is a delicious drink for hot weather made by blending cold watermelon in a high speed blender with cold water and a touch of sugar.
92% of a watermelon is water. It lives up to its name and makes a hydrating and refreshing snack for hot days.
Nicole says
We love this Watermelon Water Recipe. It's so refreshing for a hot day, sometimes we freeze the watermelon to make a frozen drink and we all love it! My husband lived in Mexico and loves his agua de sandia!