Go Back

Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon sangria is a blush-pink, party pitcher drink made by blending fresh watermelon into juice, then mixing it with dry rosé or white wine and vodka. After a 2-hour chill, you’ll get a refreshing watermelon cocktail with juicy cubes, citrus slices, mint garnish, and a lightly fizzy finish from sparkling water.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Watermelon sangria
  • 4 cup fresh watermelon cubed and seeded
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) dry rosé or white wine
  • 1 cup watermelon vodka or plain vodka
  • 0.25 cup triple sec
  • 2 tbsp honey or simple syrup
  • 1 lime thinly sliced
  • 1 lemon thinly sliced
  • 1 cup sparkling water or club soda
  • 0.25 fresh mint sprigs for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Make the watermelon base
  1. Blend 2 cups of the fresh watermelon cubes until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to get about 1 cup fresh watermelon juice. The texture should look like bright pink juice with no visible pulp.
Mix the pitcher
  1. In a large pitcher, combine the watermelon juice, dry rosé or white wine, watermelon vodka or plain vodka, triple sec, and honey or simple syrup, then stir to combine. You should see an even, blush-pink base without streaks.
Add fruit and chill
  1. Add the remaining fresh watermelon cubes, lime slices, and lemon slices to the pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours so the fruit softens slightly and the flavors meld.
Finish and serve
  1. Right before serving, add the sparkling water or club soda, stir gently, and pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish each glass with fresh mint sprigs and serve immediately for the best bubbles.

Notes

Pro tip: Chill the pitcher at least 2 hours, but add the sparkling water or club soda only right before serving so it stays fizzy. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 24 hours; the watermelon pieces will soften more over time. Freezing is not recommended. For a lighter option, swap the rosé/white wine for a low-ABV wine and keep the rest the same for a lower-alcohol watermelon drink.