Summer drink recipe: Watermelon limeade
Pureed watermelon, lime juice and mint sugar syrup make a refreshing summer drink. (July 2023) Credit: Marge Perry
This nearly magical watermelon limeade is crisp, sweet and refreshing. My kids say it just tastes so good.
With only four ingredients (five, if you count water) and 1 minute over the stove, it is incredibly easy to make. You can buy cutup watermelon at grocery stores or get half a watermelon (about 4 pounds) and cut it up yourself. Or do what I do: buy a whole watermelon and use half to make the watermelon limeade and the other half to snack on.
The drink separates when it stands — just give it a stir before you pour it into glasses.
Watermelon Limeade
1 cup sugar
2 cups water
½ cup mint leaves, very coarsely chopped
12 cups cubed seedless watermelon
1 ½ cups fresh lime juice
1. Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Allow it to boil 1 minute, then remove from the heat, stir in the mint, and let cool slightly before refrigerating until it is at room temperature.
2. Puree the watermelon in a blender (working in batches if necessary). Pour through a strainer into a bowl, pressing on the solids with the back of your spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
3. Pour the sugar mixture through the strainer and discard the mint. Combine the sugar syrup with the watermelon and lime juices. Stir well and serve over ice. Garnish with additional lime and fresh mint leaves if desired.
MAKES 10 CUPS
