Lactose Free Cucumber-Basil Watermelon Agua Fresca
This is the kind of drink that makes you feel like summer actually has its act together. Ripe watermelon and cool cucumber get blended together with fresh basil, bright lime juice, and a touch of honey, then strained into a pitcher of pure, refreshing liquid gold. The basil is the quiet hero here — it adds an herbal lift that makes the whole thing taste more sophisticated than your average fruit drink without any extra effort. Because every ingredient is naturally free of dairy, there's zero substitution stress and nothing to second-guess at the grocery store. The straining step is worth it: you get a silky-smooth, beautifully colored agua fresca that looks stunning poured over ice with a sprig of basil on top. It's easy to adjust the sweetness and tartness to your liking before chilling, so it's practically impossible to get wrong. Serve it at a backyard gathering or just keep a pitcher in the fridge for yourself — honestly, no judgment either way.
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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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