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There aren’t many things in life better than a glass of great sangria. Unfortunately, it is harder than one would think to actually find a really good sangria recipe, whether from a restaurant or one to make yourself.
The Problem with Most Sangria
A lot of sangrias utilize liqueurs, sugar, juices, and lemon/lime flavored sodas in them. These are added in order to make the drink sweeter and more refreshing. But in my opinion, a lot of them end up making the recipe too sweet and I don’t want to drink more than a sip or two. Plus, these additions exponentially increase the drink’s sugar and calorie content. Which is both unwanted, and not necessary to prepare a great sangria.
Inspiration for DWBH Watermelon Sangria
Recently I took a trip to Asheville, North Carolina (awesome city, I loved it. You should go and if you have any questions feel free to reach out). Our first meal was at this great little place called the White Duck Taco Shop. On their menu was a watermelon sangria. I was curious, so I asked about it. The waitress said that it was a simple watermelon puree and Chablis wine. She also said it was one of their most popular items. I wasn’t sure if I believed her on those being the only ingredients, and I usually choose red wine based sangria, but I decided to give it a try.
It was amazing. So fresh, not too sweet, and just what I needed after a four hour car ride (the tacos were really great too). I could have stayed there the rest of the day drinking and been content with my trip to Asheville. I didn’t do that, but that cocktail really stuck in my mind.
The next weekend I was hosting a family grill out. And no family function is complete without some good refreshments. So I decided I was going to try to make this drink myself. Unsure if the restaurant’s recipe was as simple as it sounded, that is what I was going with.
Watermelon. Wine. Done.
This would keep the recipe fresh, the drink low calorie and low sugar, plus it makes it super simple. Which is always nice when you want a large batch drink for a party. And it was a hit! I ended up having to make even more! I was thrilled. Even my cousins who were hungover from a wine festival the day before said they had to try it and then drank multiple glasses. It made me so happy that everyone loved it, especially when I thought about how easy it was to make.
Making the Drink
This recipe only requires two ingredients. Watermelon and a white wine of your choosing. I couldn’t find Chablis in the store I was at, so I got Pinot Grigio. If you like sweeter wines and sangrias, you can get a Riesling or Moscato. Then just some watermelon! And you don’t need a whole watermelon – about a fourth of a whole fruit should do it.
Cut the watermelon into small pieces, the smaller size makes pureeing easier. Put in a blender a portion at a time, and mix. If your blender has a puree setting, use that. If it doesn’t, the standard mixing will do just fine.
The next step is optional. If you don’t want any sort of watermelon “pulp” in your drink, you can strain your puree with a mesh strainer. I did not do this. I was scared at first that people might not like the teeny bits of watermelon, but everyone said it actually made it taste fresher and showcased the fact that it was made with real fruit, and not artificial syrups. So that was great to hear. Especially because the recipe is quicker if you don’t strain!
Lastly, if you try the drink and decide you want your recipe to be sweeter, feel free to add some sugar, agave, or your preferred sweetener. I didn’t add anything to mine and I thought it was perfect, so try it before you jump to the extra sugar. (Also, even if you don’t usually drink sweeter wines, using a sweeter white like a Riesling or Moscato could help solve this for you too).
Watermelon Sangria
Ingredients
- 1/4 of a medium to large sized watermelon
- 2 bottles of white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
Instructions
- Cut watermelon into small bite-sized chunks
- Pour wine into large pitcher
- Puree watermelon in a blender – just add small amount of the fruit at a time and mix, that is all! (some blenders will have a setting that says puree, if yours does, use that).
- Optional – Strain watermelon puree
- Pour puree into pitcher, and mix to combine.
Even if you are usually a red sangria drinker, give this a try. If you like fresh cocktails, you will like this. This made enough for me to serve about ten people a couple of glasses each, at a dinner party with mild drinking. So feel free to double the recipe!
What are some of y’alls favorite sangria recipes?
