This blueberry agua fresca is a quick and refreshing fruit drink made from fresh blueberries (or your fruit of choice), water, lemon juice, and honey. It’s an easy drink to blend up on any occasion, and I’ll be making a big batch for my next summer party!
If you’re looking for more alcohol-free drink recipes to cool down with this summer, try my spa detox water and this copycat Starbucks strawberry acai refresher.
Agua fresca is a light and refreshing drink made with fresh fruit, and it’s one of my best summer sippers. It’s a Mexican recipe, though years ago Olive Garden had a pitcher of agua fresca on their menu that I would order religiously before it got discontinued (the nerve). It was light, fresh, and fruity– and not at all difficult to recreate at home! There are so many flavors of this fruit drink that you can make, but this blueberry agua fresca is my all-time favorite.
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Agua Fresca Recipe
- Light and refreshing. Blended fresh fruit and citrus make agua fresca the perfect drink to cool down with. It’s easy to adjust the sweetness and there are so many variations that you can try.
- Alcohol-free. I see you, moms-to-be and alcohol-free ladies and gents. Agua fresca is the ultimate non-cocktail to sip in the summertime or any other time of the year. I drank gallons of it during my pregnancies! It’s refreshing, flavorful, and booze-free, so it’s also great for kids.
- Bright and colorful. I love the deep blue color of this blueberry agua fresca. This drink takes on the color of whichever fruit you use and always looks so pretty in a glass.
- Scale the recipe. Make agua fresca for one, or make a pitcher. It’s easy to scale the ingredients for solo sipping or for a 4th of July crowd.
What Is Agua Fresca Made Of?
Agua frescas originate in Latin America, and the name translates literally to “cool waters”. To make it, all you need is fresh fruit, lemon or lime juice, water, and your choice of sweetener. It’s also common to add fresh herbs, like mint.
I’ve included some ingredient notes here. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list.
- Fruit – I make this version with fresh summer blueberries. You can flavor your agua fresca with any fresh (or frozen) fruit you’d like. Other good choices are pineapple, strawberry, lemon, mango, and melon. I include some easy variations further on.
- Lemon Juice – Or lime juice. Freshly squeezed is best!
- Honey – Or another sweetener, like sugar or agave.
- Mint – Fresh mint leaves make the perfect garnish for blueberry agua fresca. You can also try basil leaves for a more savory finish.
How to Make Agua Frescas
Combine water and your fruit of choice in a blender. In this case, that’s blueberries. Once smooth, strain the blended fruit over ice. Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice, add a little honey, and stir. You’re done! I like to drop in a few “bonus” berries and finish with mint leaves for garnish.
No Blender? No problem. Mash together the fruit and water with a potato masher to extract the flavor the old-fashioned way.
Straining. Note that straining is necessary for berries with seeds. If you use other fruits like pineapple, watermelon, cantaloupe, etc, you won’t need to strain them.
More Agua Fresca Flavors
- Strawberry. Instead of blueberries, make a version with fresh strawberries while they’re in season.
- Melon. Blend in cantaloupe, honeydew, or watermelon.
- Hibiscus. Blend in dried hibiscus (like the classic Jamaican sorrel drink) or brew hibiscus iced tea to replace some or all of the water.
- Horchata. Swap the fruit for rice and almonds to make another Mexican “cool water” recipe, agua horchata.
- Cucumber. Blend in fresh garden cucumbers for a refreshing vegetable twist. With the mint as a garnish, it tastes a bit like a virgin cucumber mojito.
Serving Suggestions
Blueberry agua fresca is a delicious refresher on its own, and it goes well with just about any summer meal you can think of. Serve it with snacks like crispy chicken flautas and a platter of tortilla chips and guacamole, or some Spanish tapas, like this easy shrimp ceviche.
How to Store
Store your agua fresca in a pitcher or container in the fridge. While it’ll last 3-4 days, the flavors will be best within the first two days.
More Refreshing Drink Recipes
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Blend the ingredients. Combine water and blueberries in a blender; blend until smooth.
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Pour over ice. Fill two glasses with ice. Set a strainer over the glasses and slowly pour the blueberry mixture into the strainer.
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Add sweetener. Stir in lemon juice and honey. Taste for sweetness and adjust accordingly.
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Serve. Garnish with mint leaves and enjoy!
Note: Straining is necessary for berries with seeds. If you use other fruits like pineapple, cantaloupe, or watermelon, you won’t need to strain them.
Calories: 167kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 15mg | Potassium: 190mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 128IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.