Watermelon limeade is a wonderfully refreshing drink for the summer. You can drink it on its own or use it as a mixed drink with vodka or tequila.
Here are some tips for how to make this easy summer fruit drink using watermelon and lime juice. This recipe tastes very similar to the organic watermelon limeade Chipotle makes, sweet and tangy at once.
How to Make Watermelon Limeade
The only ingredients you’ll need to make watermelon limeade recipe are a watermelon, four limes, and 1/2 a cup of simple syrup.
First cut your watermelon into cubes. Start with just a quarter watermelon. That’s often enough to make the watermelon juice for this watermelon limeade recipe.
Fill your blender about half way with watermelon juice. Then pulse the blender. If the watermelon doesn’t liquefy easily, stop the blender and mix the pieces to readjust them and try again. Sometimes it takes a minute for the watermelon to get started in the blender. But once it does, it liquefies easily.
Once your first batch of watermelon has blended, add another cup or two of watermelon cubes and pulse the blender again. Continue this process until you the blender has about 1 liter of watermelon juice. That’s usually about a full blender.
Next, you’re going to strain the watermelon juice. Place your wire mesh strainer over a bowl and then slowly add the juiced watermelon. To filter it more quickly you can shake the strainer. You’ll see the watermelon juice in the bowl and the watermelon pulp in the strainer.
Add the watermelon juice to your serving pitcher. (You can toss the pulp or save it to use for another recipe.)
Making the Lime Juice
Cut four limes in half, and then use a juicer to squeeze them. (If you’re going for an organic version like the Chipotle watermelon limeade recipe, then of course you’ll use organic limes here, along with organic watermelon and simple syrup.) The result will be about 8 tablespoons of lime juice.
If you have another lime on hand, you can cut it into wedges to use as a garnish for the watermelon lime drink.
Add the lime juice to the pitcher and stir.
Also try: Cucumber Lemonade
How to Make Simple Syrup
If you don’t have simple syrup on hand, it’s very easy to make. All you do is combine one cup of water and 1 cup of sugar in a sauce pan and heat it until the sugar is dissolved. That usually means just bringing it to a boiling point because it dissolves pretty quickly.
Allow the simple syrup to cool before you use it.
Once you have your simple syrup, all you need is about a half a cup. Start by adding 2 tablespoons to your watermelon and lime juice. Then taste it. If it’s sweet enough for you stop right there. But if you want it a little more sweet than add another 2 tablespoons and continue that process until it’s a sweet as you like it.
Can you just add plain sugar to the watermelon lime juice to sweeten it up? Yes, you can. The difference with using simple syrup for cold drinks is that it is already blended, so the sugar dissolves and disperses through the drink much easier than using granulated sugar.
Once you’ve added enough sweetener, then your watermelon limeade is ready to drink!
Watermelon Limeade Cocktails
You can use watermelon limeade in a variety of cocktail recipes. It goes very well with vodka or tequila.
Try using three parts, watermelon, limeade, and one part vodka or tequila. You can rim your glass with a combination of sugar, salt, and a little cayenne pepper.
Storing Watermelon Limeade
If you have leftover watermelon limeade, you can keep it in the refrigerator for two to three days. Fresh squeezed fruit juice does not last long!
If you need to keep your fresh juice longer than a few days, consider freezing it. Then thaw it when you are ready to use, but be sure to use it within a day of thawing it. Watermelon limeade should keep in the freezer for up to a year.
Watermelon Limeade
Equipment
- Blender
- wire mesh sieve
- Mixing Bowl
- pitcher
- juicer
- Sauce Pan
Ingredients
- ¼ – ½ watermelon
- 4 limes (to yield 8 tablespoons lime juice)
- ½ cup simple syrup
Instructions
- Cut watermelon into cubes. Add about 2 – 3 cups of cubed watermelon to the blender. Pulse. If watermelons don't blend easily, take a wooden spoon and stir them. Once the watermelons start blending, they will blend quickly.
- Continue to add chunks of watermelons about 1 -2 cups at a time until you have blended a 1 liter of watermelon juice.
- Place the wire mesh strainer over the mixing bowl and strain the pulp from the watermelon juice. Shaking the strainer helps it drain faster. Transfer your filtered watermelon juice to a pitcher.
- Cut four limes in half and juice. You should have about 8 tablespoons. Add to the pitcher and stir.
- To make simple syrup, heat sugar and water in a 1-to-1 ratio in a sauce pan. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. Then add 2 tablespoons to the watermelon lime juice, stir, and taste. Continue adding simple syrup until it reaches your desired sweetness level.
- Garnish glasses with a wedge of lime or sprig of fresh mint.
Looking for good recipes using fresh fruit? Try Strawberry Lime Vinaigrette or Blueberry Raspberry Compote.
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