Strawberry Agua Fresca (Broke Bank Vegan)
Do you ever fancy something cool and refreshing and fruity to drink, but don’t want a fizzy pop, nor a sugary fruit juice? Then discover Agua Fresca, the national drink of Mexico! This mixes fresh fruits with water and sugar, and sometimes a little fresh lime juice. It’s sold everywhere in Mexico on street stalls, and makes a lovely homemade refreshing beverage.
Avoid unpasteurised juice for pregnancy/nursing or weak immune systems. Just bin citrus/rhubarb scraps, as acids could harm compost creatures.
If used, canteloupe melon should be stored differently, due to slight risk of salmonella. Thoroughly scrub exterior with a produce brush then store cut melon in a sealed container, discarding leftovers that have been at room temperature for over 2 hours.
Agua de Pina (Broke Bank Vegan) only needs fresh pineapple, water and sugar.
You could almost compare it to our Slush Puppies, but far more healthy (a drink that is blue for the raspberry flavour is not good!) This drink is a slushy cool drink, but totally natural. Serve alongside plant-based Mexican recipes!
Although in Mexico, the drink is usually made with tropical fruits (like guava), you can make this a seasonal English drink, simply by subbing with local fruits like strawberry, raspberry, apple, peach, plum or cherry.
Simple Agua Fresca Recipe
This recipe makes about 4 to 6 servings.
Shopping list:
- 4 cups fresh fruit, chopped (try strawberry/basil)
- 4 cups cold water
- 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar or agave
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- Ice, to serve
Always wash fruit well to remove dirt and pesticides.
- Chop your 4 cups of fresh fruit into chunks. Then add to a blender containing 2 cups of the water. Blend until smooth.
- Sieve the mix, using a spoon to press out the liquid. You can use the discarded pulp for baking or smoothies.
- Transfer the strained liquid to a large pitcher, and stir in the other 2 cups of water.
- Add sugar or agave to taste, starting with 2 tablespoons. Squeeze in lime juice for colour. Don’t add too much.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavours settle, then serve over plenty of ice. Garnish each glass with a slice of fruit or mint sprig.
How to Make Mexican Horchata
If you fancy something a bit more creamy, try this recipe for Horchata (Broke Bank Vegan). This is another traditional refreshing Mexican drink, made with soaked rice, almond milk, cinnamon and real vanilla. And optional cane sugar to make it sweeter.
