Orange Agua Fresca (Agua de Naranja)
This orange agua fresca recipe is easy, sweet and refreshing. Made with only three ingredients including freshly squeezed orange juice. This traditional Mexican agua de naranja is the perfect drink.
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 46kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.25 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed about 5-6 oranges
- 3 cups water
- 2 teaspoons honey
Instructions
- Squeeze the oranges into a bowl or measuring cup.1.25 cups orange juice, freshly squeezed
- Pour the freshly squeezed orange juice into a large pitcher.
- Add the water and honey into the pitcher. Stir together until honey dissolves.3 cups water, 2 teaspoons honey
- Refrigerate for a few hours (2 hours) to let the flavors meld together, or enjoy immediately over ice.
Notes
Storage Directions: As with any fresh squeezed juice, enjoying this agua de naranja while fresh is best. If you do have any leftovers, store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Four ways to juice oranges: Hand squeezing the oranges is the cheapest option, but can be strenuous if making big batches. The quickest way to juice any citrus is to use a citrus press.
With a traditional juicer, most of the juice will remain in the pulp and you will have to strain the remaining pulp to release enough juice. To use a blender, you will have to remove the peels of the oranges prior to adding to the blender and then strain.
The variety of orange matters: Oranges can vary in sweetness depending on the variety and season. I recommend using the Seasonal Food Guide’s comprehensive database of seasonal food in the United States to determine when different varieties of oranges are in season in your state and using an in-season orange for the freshest agua fresca.
It is important to choose an orange variety that matches your flavor preferences and when determining how much sweetener to add. Some oranges may be very tart and may need much more sweetener if you prefer that, while others may be naturally extremely sweet. My typical top choices are Navel, Cara Cara or Valencia oranges.
Choosing the sweetener: There’s many different sweetener options out there: honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, simple syrup, granulated sugar, the list goes on and on. My preferences for this recipe are honey and agave nectar. I find that maple syrup is too strong in taste and overrides the gentle orange flavor.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 46kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 157mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 155IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg