Fresh Watermelon Lime Agua Fresca with Mint (No-Cook Camp Drink)
Mash cubed watermelon in a bowl with a potato masher, strain it into a jug, and stir in lime juice, sugar, muddled mint, cold water and a pinch of salt. Chill it in the cooler for 20 minutes, then pour over ice. No stove or fire needed, and it takes about 35 minutes start to finish.
Agua fresca is a Mexican fruit drink made from fresh fruit, water, sugar and lime. It's lighter than juice and much easier to make than lemonade. You don't need a blender. A potato masher and a mesh strainer do the job.
It's a good drink for a hot afternoon when you don't want to light anything. The melon does most of the work. Mint and lime keep it from tasting flat, and a pinch of salt makes the melon taste sweeter.
Fresh Watermelon Lime Agua Fresca with Mint (No-Cook Camp Drink)
- Prep
- 15 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Heat
- No heat
- Pack weight
- 5 lb
- Campfire
- Camp stove
- Backpacking
- Cooler required
- No stove
- Some water
- A few dishes
- Prep ahead
Ingredients
Tap an item to copy it for your shopping list or a store search.
Gear you'll need
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife
- Large bowl or pot
- Potato masher
- Mesh strainer
- 2-quart jug with lid
- Cups
- Large spoon
- Citrus juicer or clean hands
Steps
-
Wash the melon
Scrub the whole melon rind under clean water with your hands or a clean brush. Dirt on the rind rides the knife into the fruit.
-
Cube the melon
Cut off the rind on a clean cutting board and cube the flesh into 1-inch pieces. Measure 6 cups into a large bowl or pot.
-
Mash the fruit
Press the cubes with a potato masher for about 3 minutes, until the bowl is mostly juice and pulp. A few small chunks are fine.
-
Strain the juice
Set a mesh strainer over your jug and pour in the mash. Press the pulp with a spoon to get all the juice out. Skip this step if you like it pulpy.
-
Muddle the mint
Add the mint and sugar to a sturdy cup and crush them with the back of a spoon for 30 seconds. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir until the sugar dissolves.
-
Mix and season
Pour the mint mixture into the jug with the watermelon juice. Add the cold water and the salt, stir, and taste. Add more sugar or lime if you want.
-
Chill it down
Cap the jug and set it in the cooler for at least 20 minutes. Stir again before serving, since the juice settles.
-
Serve over ice
Fill cups with ice and pour the agua fresca over it. Keep the jug in the cooler between rounds.
Trail Notes
Mash and strain the melon at home and pack the juice in a sealed jug on ice. Add the lime, mint and water at camp. It keeps in a 40°F cooler for up to 2 days.
Cut melon goes bad faster than whole melon. Keep the jug and any extra cubes at 40°F or below. Toss anything left out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's above 90°F.
Keep the whole melon in the shade under a damp towel and make the drink in small batches. Serve it right away and drink it within a couple of hours.
Pack out the rinds, strained pulp and mint stems in a trash bag. Don't dump them in the woods, because they attract animals. Strain any rinse water for scraps before scattering it.
Campers ask
Can you make agua fresca without a blender?
Yes. Mash cubed watermelon with a potato masher or the back of a big spoon, then strain it. It takes a few minutes and works well for watermelon because the fruit is so soft.
How long does watermelon agua fresca last in a cooler?
Up to 2 days if the cooler stays at 40°F or below. Stir it before serving, because the juice separates.
How do you make it less sweet or more tart?
Skip the sugar and add an extra squeeze of lime. Ripe watermelon is often sweet enough by itself.
Cooked it? Rate & review it.
Your rating helps the next camper pick dinner. Got an idea to make it better? Tell us below — good ones get added to the recipe with credit to you.