Fresh fruit infused water, often referred to as aguas frescas, is a refreshing and light non-alcoholic summer drink that is easy to make. Slice up some fruit, add some veggies or herbs, place it in a pitcher, add cold water, and chill for a few hours. Pour over ice, garnish with a piece of fruit, and enjoy.
Recipes for Fresh Fruit Infused Water
Citrus Cucumber Water
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon, sliced
- 1 large lime, sliced
- 1 large orange, sliced
- 1 large cucumber, sliced
- 1/2 gallon of water
Instructions
- Place all fruits and vegetables in a glass pitcher.
- Add water.
- Allow to infuse for two hours before serving over ice.
Orange Mint Water
Ingredients
- 3 large oranges, sliced
- 10 mint leaves
- 1/2 gallon of water
Instructions
- Place mint and orange slices in a pitcher.
- Add water.
- Infuse for two hours in the refrigerator.
- Pour over ice.
- Serve garnished with an orange slice and a sprig of mint.
Cucumber Melon Aguas Frescas
Ingredients
- 1 large cucumber, sliced
- 1/4 honeydew melon, cubed
- 1/4 cantaloupe, cubed
- 1/2 gallon of water
Instructions
- Place melon and cucumber in a glass pitcher.
- Add water.
- Allow to rest, refrigerated, for two hours.
- Serve over ice.
- Garnish with melon balls skewered on a swizzle stick.
Watermelon Basil Aguas Frescas
Ingredients
- 2 cups of seedless watermelon, cubed
- 10 to 12 basil leaves
- 1/2 gallon of water
Instructions
- Pour water over melon and basil.
- Refrigerate for two hours.
- Serve over ice.
- Garnish with a sprig of basil.
Citrus Coriander Aguas Frescas
Ingredients
- 1 large lemon, sliced
- 1 large lime, sliced
- 1 large orange, sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Pour water over citrus fruits and cilantro.
- Refrigerate for two hours.
- Serve over ice.
- Garnish with an orange slice and sprig of cilantro.
Lemon Lavender Aguas Frescas
Ingredients
- 3 large lemons, thickly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh lavender
- 1/2 gallon of water
Instructions
- Pour water over the lemons and lavender.
- Refrigerate for two hours
- Serve over ice, garnished with a sprig of lavender.
Pineapple Chipotle Mint Aguas Frescas
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of water
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 10 mint leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon of dried chipotle powder
- 2 cups cubed pineapple
- 1/2 gallon of water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring sugar and water to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to simmer and allow syrup to simmer about three minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the liquid is slightly thickened.
- Remove the syrup from heat and allow to cool fully.
- Place cooled syrup in a glass with mint leaves and chipotle and muddle the syrup and mint.
- Place pineapple in a large glass pitcher and add the muddled syrup and water. Stir.
- Refrigerate for two hours. Stir again before serving over ice, garnished with a slice of pineapple and a sprig of mint.
Variations
The variations on aguas frescas are virtually unlimited - your ability to make fruit infused waters is limited only by your imagination. The flavors can be as simple as a single fruit flavor, or can be made more complex by adding complementary fruit flavors. Mix together some fruit, herbs, vegetables, and even flowers to see what flavors you can create.
Some fruits and vegetables you might want to try alone or in combination with other fruits:
- Orange
- Lemon
- Lime
- Watermelon
- Cantaloupe
- Berries - either single berry or mixed berries
- Cucumber
- Mango
- Pineapple
The drinks can be served either sweetened or unsweetened and can be made with still or sparkling water.
Make a Batch to Enjoy and Serve
Fruit infused water keeps in the refrigerator for several days. Make up a batch of fresh fruit infused waters for your next barbecue or party and serve it up with some gourmet seafood appetizers.
