Agua de Pepino (Cucumber Agua Fresca)
Bright, clean and refreshing as can be, my simple recipe for Agua de Pepino is a perfect summertime treat. This cucumber lime cooler is one of my favorite drinks on a hot day, and I have a feeling it will be one of yours, too!
Why youโll love this recipe
Agua de pepino (literally “cucumber water”) is soooo refreshing! There’s a reason all those fancy spas serve cucumber slices in their water – just sayin’.
The first time I tasted agua de pepino I was hooked. With the combination of lime and sugar it tastes like limeade and spa water.
- Low-calorie. At just about 100 calories per serving, I also love that I don’t have to feel guilty reaching for seconds.
- Kid friendly. So tasty that even the kiddos love it! Once you try making this agua fresca de pepino, you’ll never look back.
- Customize it. Adjust the amount of sugar to suit your taste preference โ more for a sweeter flavor, less for a milder one, or omit the sugar altogether. Feel free to incorporate fresh mint leaves as well.
- Refreshing. Absolutely delicious, incredibly refreshing, and guess what? It’s also incredibly easy! The delightful blend of fresh cucumbers and lime offers a light, crisp flavor that’s simply irresistible. Plus, with cucumbers being mostly water, this drink is super hydrating too!
What is Agua Fresca?
Homemade aguas frescas are much healthier and more natural than the majority of bottled beverages for sale. These tasty beverages are made with fresh produce and are mostly water. While many do include sugar, remember that they are only lightly sweetened and use real, natural cane sugar.
Love aguas frescas? Try my agua de jamaica, agua de piรฑa, agua de melon, agua de sandia, or horchata.
What is Agua de Pepino?
Cucumber water, known as “agua de pepino” in Mexico, is a hydrating, refreshing, and delightful agua fresca. Aguas frescas involve blending fruitsโsuch as cucumbers in this instanceโwith fresh water and a hint of sweetness, creating a delicious drink perfect for sunny days.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.
- Cucumber: You’ll need large, peeled cucumbers. For a vibrant green agua de pepino, avoid peeling the cucumbers before blending. I prefer reaching for organic ones and make sure to select regular slicing cucumbers, not English cucumbers.
- Water: Water is an essential ingredient for any agua fresca! Feel free to add more if you prefer a lighter taste.
- Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is the way to go for that extra zesty kick that really amps up the flavor.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar to lightly sweeten the drink, but feel free to adjust the amount to your taste preferences. You can add more or less than what the recipe suggests to suit your liking.
How to Make Agua Fresca de Pepino (Cucumber Limeade)
Simply blend up your fresh ingredients with water (you don’t even have to peel the cucumbers), strain the resulting liquid into a pitcher, and season with sugar and lime juice. It’s a snap! In literally just 5 minutes you can have this homemade fruit water to enjoy all day long.
Step 1: Blend. In a blender add peeled cucumbers and water and blend until smooth. As a bonus, you don’t even have to peel the cucumbers. That skin will make your agua fresca a beautiful green hue!
Step 2: Strain & Sweeten. Strain the liquid into a pitcher and discard the pulp. Add the lime juice and sugar.
Step 3: Serve. Mix well. Serve chilled over ice, with slices of cucumber and/or lime, and fresh mint leaves.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate agua de pepino for up to three days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not really, no. Juice is made just from pressing fresh fruit. For aguas frescas, juice and water combine for more of a fruit flavored water. Not only does it stretch your fruit further and serve more thirsty mouths, but it also means that there is less sugar per glass than you would find in a glass of fruit juice.
Traditional aguas frescas use cane sugar, but you don’t have to. In fact, liquid sweeteners like agave or honey might actually be easier to stir into the drink. You can also swap in your favorite cup-for-cup sweetener if you’re avoiding sugar altogether.
While I prefer it served fresh – it’s called agua fresca for a reason! – this cucumber agua fresca will last for up to three days in the fridge.
If you like agua de pepino, try these cucumber cocktails:
If you tried this recipe for my Agua Fresca de Pepino (Cucumber Lime Cooler), please rate and review it below. Five stars means you LOVED it!
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Agua Fresca de Pepino (Cucumber Lime Cooler)
Ingredients
- 2 organic cucumbers, peeled and chopped
- 6 cups water
- 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
- 2/3 cup sugar
- fresh mint leaves, optional
Instructions
- In a blender add cucumbers and water and blend until smooth.
- Strain the liquid into a pitcher and discard the pulp.
- Add the lime juice and sugar. Mix well.
- Serve chilled over ice, with slices of cucumber and/or lime, and fresh mint leaves.
Notes
- For a vibrant green agua de pepino do NOT peel cucumbers before blending.
- Refrigerate agua de pepino for up to three days.
41 Comments on “Agua de Pepino (Cucumber Agua Fresca)”
Absolutely delicious. Iโm both Mexican & white and my partner is full Mexican and use to all the Mexican recipes so Iโm learning everything and this definitely hit!ย
Thanks, Iโve been wanting to learn how to make ย Auga de pepino so Iโm going to try this recipe.
Thanks for the recipe, it is wonderful! I have a garden and refrigerator full of huge Japanese cucumbers. This is a great use for them! It is so refreshing and the ratios are perfect. I also added mint to the blender.
Can I use fresh lemon juice in place of lime juice
Hi Charlene, YES, you can absolutely use lemon juice to make this agua de pepino. Enjoy!
Finally got my husband to try it. Hes hooked. Cool and refreshing for these hot south Louisiana days. Thank you
So refreshing! This will be a regular recipe used all summer long at our house.
I am “one of those people” cutting back on sugar and made this per the recipe and found 2/3 cup of sugar to be to much for my likening. I will certainly try it again cutting the sugar in half.
Thank you having fun making different waters
Hola Yvette!
Thank you for this recipe! Iโm having company later so -Perfect timing! ย I like it but later , Iโll tell you how my guests liked it. I think theyโll love it! ย Have a great Saturday!
~Sandy
Sounds delicious.ย