Nitrate & Nitrite Free Cucumber-Basil Watermelon Agua Fresca
This refreshing blended drink is everything summer should taste like — sweet watermelon, cool cucumber, bright lime, and a whisper of fresh basil all coming together in one gorgeous, jewel-toned glass. Every single ingredient here is whole and unprocessed, which means you can sip without a second thought about hidden preservatives or cured-meat-style additives that sneak into so many packaged beverages. Honey steps in as a gentle, natural sweetener, and a pinch of sea salt pulls the flavors into focus without any processed seasoning blends. The straining step is what elevates this from a smoothie to a proper agua fresca — silky, light, and endlessly drinkable. A squeeze of extra lime or a drizzle more honey lets you dial in the sweet-tart balance exactly to your taste. Serve it over a big pile of ice with a sprig of basil on top and it looks like something you'd pay twelve dollars for at a fancy café — except you made it at home with five minutes and a blender.
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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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