Agua de melon (cantaloupe water) is a refreshing and flavorful Mexican drink perfect to beat the summer heat. An easy recipe that comes together in just 10 minutes!
We are sharing today the two popular ways for making this drink, the regular and the creamy versions.
What is Agua de Melon?
Agua fresca de melón is a refreshing and tasteful type of agua fresca made with fresh cantaloupe, water, and a bit of sugar.
When the recipe is prepared with condensed milk is called agua de melon con leche and it has a creamy and sweeter taste, perfect to enjoy as a treat for those summer afternoons.
Aguas frescas are a type of drink very popular in Mexico. Those soft beverages are usually made with fruits, seeds, grains, or citrus.
In Mexico, is very common to find those beverages in the streets. You will notice the stalls with large jugs selling them everywhere, from local markets to ice cream parlors.
Why You Should Make This Recipe
- Is Easy. The recipe is really straightforward and surprisingly easy to make! Prep doesn’t include heating any ingredients or using the stove. Just cut, blend, and mix.
- Budget-friendly. Cantaloupe is very cheap in the summer season, make and advantage of it and eat as many as you can!
- No special ingredients. Love Mexican authentic recipes with easy-to-find ingredients? Then this is for you!
- It has two versions. You can make the regular fresca with only fruit, water, and sugar, or you can add a bit of condensed milk to make agua de melon con leche, a creamy and delicious version of the traditional recipe.
- Is healthy. Despite this drink containing sugar, it is for sure a healthier choice than sodas or canned fruit juices. And you can even go sugar-free for a healthier drink and get all the flavor without the calories.
About Cantaloup Melon
Melons are a fruit of the Cucurbitaceae family. This fleshy and sweet fruit has many health benefits like being low in sodium, low in cholesterol, and low in fat.
They are also rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, and vitamin B6, besides being a good source of potassium, copper, and fiber.
It has an amazing tropical, floral, and sweet taste. Besides, is made up of over 90% water. This means is also low in calories!
Choosing the perfect fruit to make this melon water is the key to a tasteful drink. Nobody likes flavorless frescas, that’s for sure.
So avoid melons with a green tint, they should be pale yellow with healthy skin. Push your finger in the stem end (also known as the “belly button”), it should be a bit soft and have a wonderfully fragrant and sweet smell.
Remember that picking the perfectly ripe, juicy melon means you won’t need so much sugar to make this drink, therefore it will be more healthy!
Related: How To Pick A Perfectly Ripe Cantaloup. By forkly.com
How To Make It
Remove the rind of the melon with a sharp knife and scoop out all the seeds. Then cut the pulp into chunks so it will be easier to blend.
Place the melon pulp into a blender, add sugar (or any other sweetener you prefer), and then 2 cups of water.
Blend for 2 minutes at high speed or until you’ll have a smooth mixture.
Pour the mixture through a strainer into a large pitcher. You can also add it without straining if you want to take full advantage of the fruit’s fiber.
Add 6 more cups of water to the pitcher. Mix, taste, and adjust sweetness if needed.
To Make The Creamy Version
- Pour the blended mixture without straining it into a pitcher.
- Add 2 cans of condensed milk, plus 2 cups of water and mix to combine.
- Adjust sweet if needed and serve.
Serve immediately in glasses with crushed ice or chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.
Useful Notes
- If you want to take advantage of all the fruit benefits, for instance, the fiber, don’t strain the pulp!
- Do not add ice to the pitcher as it will dilute the drink and remove some flavor. Add it to the glasses or make the recipe hours before and allow to chill in the fridge.
- You can make this recipe using MelloSweet melons, Juan Canary melons, Kandy Lemondrop melons, and Golden Dewlicious melons.
Recipe Variations
I like to experiment with this simple recipe, and make some variations from time to time, below are my favorites:
- Add some lime juice to the blend, this gives a nice tangy flavor to the drink.
- Combine other fruits or vegetables with melon, such as pineapple, mango, kiwi, or cucumber. The result is a tasty and tropical drink that will surprise everyone!
- Make it creamier by using also condensed milk instead of regular sugar to sweeten it. Or use coconut milk too.
How To Store Melon Water
Store agua de melon con leche in the fridge for up to 3 days, and don’t forget to cover it to prevent it from absorbing bad smells.
If your pitcher doesn’t have a lid, you can use a small piece of cling film to cover it.
Want to freeze it so you can enjoy this drink when cantaloupes are not in the season? Add only one cup of water to the blender, then freeze the mixture in a container. It lasts for up to 4 months in the freezer.
Next time you want to make this recipe, just thaw the mixture, add to a blender, pour one cup of water, and blend until smooth again.
Similar Recipes
It is summer, is hot, and you crave something easy and flavorful to cool down. Check out more easy drinks recipes to make:
- Horchata and strawberry fresca
- Agua de pepino (cucumber water)
- Watermelon agua fresca
- Lime and chia agua fresca
- Tamarind drink (agua de tamarindo)
Agua de Melon (melon water)
Ingredients
- 1 ripe cantaloup melon (about 3 pounds)
- â…“ cup brown sugar (or more, to taste)
- 8 cups water
- ice (to serve)
- 2 cans condensed milk – 14 oz each (optional)
Instructions
- Remove the rind of your melon and cut it in half.
- Scoop out the seeds then cut the flesh into chunks.
- Place the melon chunks in a blender, add sugar and 2 cups of water. Blend for 2 minutes at high.
- Pour the mixture through a strainer into a large pitcher, then add 6 more cups of water.
- Mix, taste and adjust with sugar if needed.
- Serve in glasses with ice or refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
For the creamy version
- Replace 4 cups of water with the 2 cans of condensed milk and add them to the melon mixture.
Notes
- For a tangy kick, add some lime juice to the blend.
- You can combine other fruits or vegetables with melon, such as pineapple, mango, kiwi, or cucumber.
- You can also sweeten the drink with condensed milk and make it creamier. Use this option if you go with agua de melon con leche.
Nutrition Information
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Can you use carbonated water
I haven’t tried, but why not? :)
I managed to find a fresh melon just at the last week of october (don’t ask how!) and made this agua de melon because I wanted to do it from the first time I saw it posted here. It was amazingly good! Thank you.