Citric Acid Free Cucumber-Basil Watermelon Agua Fresca
Summer drinks can be a minefield when you're avoiding citric acid, since so many bottled beverages and powdered mixes rely on it as a preservative or flavor enhancer. This agua fresca sidesteps all of that by leaning on whole, fresh ingredients — ripe watermelon, cool English cucumber, and fragrant basil — to build every bit of its flavor naturally. The lime juice brings a gentle tartness that's entirely fruit-derived, and a drizzle of honey rounds everything out without any synthetic additives. Blending and straining the mixture gives you a beautifully smooth, jewel-toned drink that feels genuinely refreshing rather than artificially bright. The cucumber adds a subtle, almost spa-like coolness that plays off the sweetness of the watermelon in the best possible way, while the basil lifts the whole thing with a faintly herbal note. It's the kind of drink you'll want to keep a pitcher of in the fridge all season long.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 6 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes (about ½ small watermelon)
- 1 medium english cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 1–2 tbsp honey, or to taste
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- 1 cup cold water
For serving
- ice, for serving
- fresh basil sprigs or thin cucumber slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Add the watermelon cubes, chopped cucumber, basil leaves, lime juice, honey, salt, and cold water to a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 45–60 seconds.
- 2
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through the strainer in batches, pressing gently on the solids with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
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