Watermelon & Blueberry Vodka Smash

I had a ginormous amount of watermelon left this week after jumping on the watermelon arugula salad train! So in my brainstorm, my dad sent me a recipe for a watermelon margarita. We both agreed it sounded absolutely refreshing, but wanted to make something with a twist. Welcome the watermelon blueberry vodka smash! This also used some on-the-way-out blueberries I was afraid I would have to throw out; think of it as a kitchen sink cocktail!

So what even is a vodka smash?

According to Imbibe Magazine, to be a smash:

There must be ice, though you may strain it out if you prefer. There should be fruit in season, though you may use it simply as a garnish. There should be a spirit base, though you may use your spirit of choice. Mint is a classic choice, though many other herbs can work. You may want to water your smash down a little or add a spritz of seltzer. At its heart, the smash is a wonderfully forgiving and flexible drink, made for hot days, for using what’s on hand and for smashing it all together over ice for pure sipping bliss.

For more, read Imbibe Magazine’s articles on the History of the Smash.

If you, like me, love the idea of a cocktail that is pretty much a mixture of fruit + liquor + herbs, you would also like my Strawberry-Basil Vodka Cocktail.

Ingredients (makes 6 drinks)

Watermelon Blueberry Vodka Smash

1½ Cup Vodka*

8-9 Cups Fresh Cubed Watermelon

3 Limes

¼ Cup Simple Syrup

½ Cup Thyme Leaves

½ Cup (or more) Blueberries

Glass Decoration

Thyme Leaves

Blueberries

Instructions

1. Blend watermelon in blender.
2. Add blueberries and thyme leaves into a large pitcher (should be able to hold about 8 cups of liquid). Lightly muddle the blueberries and thyme leaves.
3. Strain watermelon juice into the pitcher. Make sure to press on the pulp to get extra watermelon juice.
4. Squeeze the limes into the pitcher and add the vodka and simple syrup.
5. Stir.
6. Put the watermelon blueberry vodka smash into the fridge for about 20-minutes so the flavors have time to mix and the liquid gets cool.
7. Serve into glasses with ice, thyme leaves and blueberries.
8. Cheers!

*Of course, if you prefer other liquors, feel free to use another. Rum or Gin would taste great with this cocktail! Also, this drink would be absolutely great and refreshing even without liquor, so no worries if that’s not your thing!