Super Refreshing Agua De Melon Recipe

Somewhere between a juice and a smoothie lies this refreshing agua de melon drink. It's perfect for refueling the body with hydration and nutrition, while experiencing one of the many vibrant flavors of Mexican cuisine. With a short line up of ingredients it's easy to whip up this drink for brunch, a day at the beach, a visit to the pool, or a festive family gathering. This frothy beverage takes advantage of ripe and juicy cantaloupe along with just the right amount of sugar to bring up the sweetness level to perfection. Tangy lime balances out the flavors and fresh mint adds that touch of freshness.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Fruit has a high water content and is bursting with hydration. I love using whole foods to provide hydration along with the vitamins and minerals they supply." Also, it certainly doesn't help that this fruity beverage happens to taste so good, with just a little bit of added sugar to help bring things to a perfectly sweet, balanced juice.

To make this recipe, start by picking up a large cantaloupe. If you want to buy one pre-cut into chunks and save a step, that works too. You'll also need a couple of limes, plenty of fresh mint, a little bit of granulated sugar, and water.

Cut each cantaloupe half into 4 wedges.

Using a serrated knife, cut the melon away from the skin from each wedge.

Chop the wedges into chunks.

Add half of the cantaloupe chunks into a blender with ¼ cup sugar, 2 ½ cups water, and the juice of 1 lime.

Blend until smooth, then repeat with the second batch.

Transfer to a pitcher or jars, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Pour over ice, garnish with mint if desired, and serve.

Agua de melon, also known simply as melon water, is a popular beverage in Mexican cuisine and has been enjoyed by a large population of people for centuries. It falls under the broader term agua fresca, which is Spanish for fresh water. Fruity beverages date back quite far in Mexican history, with the Aztecs being some of the first to craft such beverages, though now they're quite popular across Mexico, Guatemala, and beyond.

Agua fresca, and by proxy agua de melon, is commonly sold in local markets and on street carts, is popular with both the younger and older generations. Because it is non-alcoholic it can be enjoyed at any time of day and by people of all ages, the drink's popularity has expanded far beyond its Mexican roots, gaining popularity in the United States as well. This colorful drink is both refreshing, nutritious, and hydrating. Over the years many variations have developed but the core ingredients, and especially remaining on fruits like melons for the main flavor profiles, has remained the same.

You can make agua de melon with other types of melons. To start, you can make a honeydew agua melon, but it will be trickier because it's difficult to pick a perfectly ripe honeydew. When choosing a honeydew look for one that is completely yellow and smooth to the touch. It might be slightly sticky and should have a light give when touched with your fingers. You'll also want to choose one that is fragrant. Unlike cantaloupe, honeydew doesn't continue to ripen after it has been picked, so it is important to choose one that is ready to go.

Watermelon is another common melon to use for agua de melon. Choose a seedless watermelon and look for one that has a dark yellow spot which indicates where it rested on the ground while ripening. You'll also want to give it a thump test. If it has a deep hollow sound, that shows it's full of water and ripe. Because watermelon has a higher water count than other melons, start with a cup less water when blending the drink to determine if that is the right consistency.