Cucumber-mint Agua Fresca Recipe

Prepare cucumber

Wash the cucumber thoroughly. If the skin is thick or waxed, peel half or all of it; otherwise leave the skin on for color and nutrients. Cut off the ends and chop the cucumber into 1-inch chunks.

Blend cucumber and mint

Place the chopped cucumber, 1 cup packed fresh mint leaves (reserve some leaves for garnish), and 2 cups cold water into a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 45–60 seconds. If your blender is small, work in two batches.

Strain

Place a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth over a large bowl or pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through the sieve, pressing gently with a spatula or spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids left in the sieve or save for another use (smoothies, cold soup). You should have about 2 to 2 1/2 cups of cucumber-mint juice.

Sweeten and balance

Stir 1 tablespoon granulated sugar into the warm (room-temp) cucumber-mint juice until dissolved. If the juice is very cold, dissolve the sugar first in 2 tablespoons warm water to make a simple syrup, then stir into the juice. Add 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice and taste. Adjust sweetness or acidity: add up to 1 more tablespoon sugar or another teaspoon of lime juice to your preference.

Dilute and chill

If the cucumber concentrate is strong, stir in up to 2 cups additional cold water to reach your desired intensity. For a fizzy version, replace part or all of the additional water with club soda just before serving.

Assemble drinks

Fill four glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup ice per glass). Pour the agua fresca over the ice, dividing evenly. Garnish each glass with a lime slice and a small mint sprig. Taste and adjust with extra lime or sweetener if needed.

Keep any remaining agua fresca refrigerated in a covered pitcher for up to 48 hours. Stir before serving; add fresh water or soda if it has concentrated.