Watermelon Mint Agua Fresca (No Sugar)

Watermelon Agua Fresca with mint and no sugar using only 5 ingredients. This “agua de sandia” recipe is a healthy, non-alcoholic Mexican watermelon drink that’s refreshing, 80 calories per serving with only 1 gram of fat. Takes minutes to prepare. The perfect watermelon water to enjoy by the pool on a hot summer day!

Do you feel it? Summer is a comin’ and it’s about time to unpack that grill and dust off those barbecue recipes (like my Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burger and my Carrot Dogs 4-Ways!) And, depending upon what part of the country you’re in, it’s also time for hotter weather that makes staying hydrated extremely important.

Never, fear, though, as I have something to wet your whistle that’s thirst-quenching, healthy and delicious, a triple winner doozy of a drink: my watermelon agua fresca with fresh mint and lime juice made with NO SUGAR, just the natural sweetness of agave nectar!

🍹 What is Agua Fresca?

Agua frescas, or translated to “fresh waters“, are a tradition in Mexico and are becoming increasingly popular in the United States. They are typically a combination of fruits, cereals, flowers or seeds blended with water and sugar to make a light, refreshing non-alcoholic beverage. Of course, if you prefer something with a little kick to it, try my Blue Kamikaze Shot or authentic Tinto de Verano.

🍉 Ingredients For Watermelon Agua Fresca

• Agave nectar – use in place of refined sugar to make agua fresca recipe healthier.
• Fresh mint – choose mint leaves that are dark green and vibrant for best results. If you don’t care for mint, you may omit this ingredient all together or minimize how many leaves you use in the recipe.
• Watermelon – I use seedless which still has some small white seeds. These do not need to be removed, as they blend easily in the blender during the process of preparing the drink.
• Fresh lime juice – if you don’t have fresh, you may substitute with bottled lime juice or use lemon instead.
• Sea salt – sea salt enhances the natural flavors of the drink. If you’re on a low sodium or salt-free diet, please omit.

🔪 How to Make Watermelon Agua Fresca

Step 1: Add all ingredients to a blender.

Step 2: Blend on high speed for 2-3 minutes, until mint is no longer visible.

To garnish: Pour some sea salt on a small plate. Take a lime wedge and rub it around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim in the salt, moving it back and forth until you get the desired amount of salt on the rim. Add ice. Pour watermelon water over ice. Garnish with fresh mint, a squirt of lime and a watermelon wedge.

🍍 Substitutions

• Sweetener – you may use any other sweetener if you don’t have agave nectar, such as Florida Crystals, Sugar in the Raw, or plain white sugar (although this is far less healthy)
• Mint – omit if you don’t care for mint and substitute with other herbs, such as rosemary or thyme.
• Lime juice – if you don’t have fresh lime, you can use bottled. Alternatively, you can use lemon instead of lime if you have that on hand.
• Watermelon – if seedless watermelon is unavailable in your area, just get a watermelon with seeds and strain the juice before pouring it into a glass or container.
• Sea salt – you can absolutely use regular salt in this recipe, or, you can omit it completely if you’re following a low sodium, or no added salt diet.

🍓 Variations

You can find many an agua fresca flavor in Mexico and varying your recipe with what you have on hand works in most cases. Here are some of Mexico’s most popular flavors:

• Cantaloupe
• Guava
• Papaya
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Passion fruit
• Cucumber
• Chia Seed

💭 FAQs

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Before adding the watermelon to a blender, chop it in half, then scoop out large sections with a spoon to dice into smaller chunks. As you’re doing this, you’ll likely see an abundance of water inside your watermelon half. Don’t waste this fresh watermelon water; alternatively, add it to the blender for a more flavorful beverage
• For best results, serve this Mexican watermelon drink chilled, either from the refrigerator, or over ice.
• If drink is too sweet, add a bit more lime juice.
• Watermelon Agua Fresca naturally separates when it sits for a while, either on the dinner table or in the refrigerator. Be sure to stir thoroughly before serving.

🍔 What Goes Good With This Recipe?