Cucumber Agua Fresca With Mint and Ginger

By Yewande Komolafe

Published July 27, 2021

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
15 minutes
Rating
4(819)
Comments
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Light and refreshing with a slight bite from fresh ginger, this cooling cucumber drink is perfect on days when the warmth of the sun bakes everything in its path. A simple syrup of bruised mint and sugar adds sweetness. Agua fresca, a chilled nonalcoholic drink popular in Mexico and Central America, is most often made by blending fruit or soaked grains or by steeping plant blossoms in water. The mix is then strained, sweetened and served chilled. Enjoy this cucumber version as is, or add a splash of gin to turn it into a light aperitif or a delightful afternoon cocktail. 

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Ingredients

Yield:4 cups

  • 1 ½ packed cups fresh mint leaves, plus sprigs for garnish

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

  • 1 cup hot water

  • 2 English cucumbers, ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces

  • 1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger (about 2 ounces), scrubbed and chopped

  • 1 lime, plus more as needed

  • Ice cubes, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

38 grams carbs; 151 calories; 1 gram fat; 4 grams fiber; 138 milligrams sodium; 2 grams protein; 28 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a medium bowl, combine the mint leaves, sugar and salt, and crush them all together using a fork or the back of a wooden spoon just until the mint is bruised. Pour in the hot water, and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Allow the mixture to steep for 5 minutes while you prepare the cucumbers.

  2. Step 2

    Combine the cucumbers and ginger in a blender. Zest the lime right over the blender, then halve it and squeeze in its juice. Pour in 1 cup room-temperature water and purée on high until smooth. Pour the purée through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing lightly on the solids with a spatula to extract the liquid. Discard the solids and pour the agua fresca into a medium pitcher.

  3. Step 3

    Pour the mint syrup through the same strainer into a container, pressing on the leaves to extract the liquid. Add ¼ cup strained syrup to the agua fresca. Taste and add more syrup or more lime juice to taste. Cover any leftover syrup and refrigerate for another use.

  4. Step 4

    Fill glasses with ice, pour in the agua fresca, garnish with mint and serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
819 user ratings
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Comments

The Inept Chef

These flavours are wonderful together. After making this a couple of times, I got lazy and started adding a few springs of mint right to the blender instead of steeping a cup and a half. I did away with the sugar syrup all together, added extra water to the blender to compensate, and then after straining, I added agave syrup to taste. And ice. And gin.

Betty

This is delicious! I don’t have a blender so used my food processor. May not purée quite as well as a blender so I recommend adding two layers of cheesecloth to the strainer. Then once most of the liquid has dropped through, gather up the corners of the cheese cloth and twist to wring out every last drop of liquid. Tomorrow I may add vodka.

James Brooks

Tasty, and a great way to fill the dishwasher.

LM

I think the proportions are off a bit here. I almost doubled it and got 4 cups. There is plenty of mint syrup but the cucumber mixture is the problem. So if you want more add more liquid and cucs or maybe soda water when serving. I plan to try an addition of ginger beer.

Suzy

Don't throw out the cucumber and ginger solids, they are useful in other recipes, such as dumpling filling, meat balls and meatloaf, muffins and of course - a soup. The solids for this, along with any left over agua fresca sweetened perhaps a little more, makes great ice pops too. Don't throw away money or foods that can be used.

Hope

Really tasty! We used regular cukes, skin off, which worked just fine. It is messy tho'and would be much easier with a juicer! I'm glad I found a delicious use food this year's bumper crop of cucumbers.

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