Description
Watermelon Lemonade is the ultimate refreshing summer drink, combining the juicy sweetness of watermelon with the tangy brightness of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Perfectly sweetened and served chilled over ice, it’s a vibrant beverage that cools you down on hot days while delighting your taste buds with a harmonious blend of flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 8 cups cubed seedless watermelon, chilled
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 6-8 lemons)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- 4 cups cold water, plus more to adjust consistency
Garnish
- Lemon slices, for garnish
- Watermelon wedges, for garnish
- Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
- Ice cubes
Syrup
- 1/2 cup water (for simple syrup)
Instructions
- Prepare Watermelon: Cut the watermelon into 1-inch cubes, ensuring you have about 8 cups of seedless pieces, and keep them chilled until ready.
- Blend Watermelon: Place the cubed watermelon into a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth and consistent without chunks.
- Strain Puree: Pour the blended watermelon through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander to separate the juice from the pulp. Discard the solids for a smooth lemonade base.
- Juice Lemons: Squeeze fresh lemons to extract 1 cup of lemon juice, taking care to remove any seeds for a pure, crisp flavor.
- Make Simple Syrup: Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar fully dissolves, then allow the syrup to cool.
- Mix Lemonade Base: In a large pitcher, combine the fresh lemon juice and the cooled simple syrup. Stir thoroughly and adjust sweetness to your taste if necessary.
- Add Watermelon Juice: Pour the strained watermelon juice into the pitcher containing the lemonade concentrate and stir well to blend the flavors.
- Add Water and Adjust Consistency: Add 4 cups of cold water to the mixture in the pitcher. Stir well. If the lemonade is too strong, add more cold water to achieve your desired consistency.
- Chill: Cover the pitcher and refrigerate the watermelon lemonade for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the drink to chill thoroughly.
- Prepare Glasses: Fill serving glasses with ice cubes to keep the drink refreshingly cold upon serving.
- Serve: Pour the chilled watermelon lemonade over the ice-filled glasses.
- Garnish: Decorate each glass with lemon slices, watermelon wedges, and optionally, fresh mint sprigs for a vibrant and aromatic presentation.
- Enjoy Immediately: Serve the watermelon lemonade right away for the best refreshing experience.
Notes
- Adjust the sugar to your sweetness preference; you can use honey or agave syrup as alternatives to granulated sugar.
- For an extra cold drink, freeze some watermelon pieces and use them in place of ice cubes to avoid diluting the drink.
- The simple syrup ensures the sugar dissolves completely, preventing a grainy texture in the lemonade.
- This recipe can be easily doubled or halved depending on your serving needs.
- Use seedless watermelon to avoid any unwanted seeds in the final drink.
- If you prefer a pulpier texture, you can skip the straining step or leave some pulp in for added fiber.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes (for simple syrup)
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
