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Watermelon Sangria

Watermelon sangria is a blush-pink, pitcher-style summer sangria made with fresh watermelon juice and rosé wine. Blend, strain, mix, chill for 2 hours, then top with sparkling water for a lightly fizzy watermelon cocktail.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 220
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Watermelon
  • 2 cup fresh watermelon, cubed and seeded Blend until smooth for juice.
  • 2 cup fresh watermelon, cubed and seeded Add as cubes for texture.
Wine and mixers
  • 1 can (750 ml) dry rosé or white wine Use either rosé for classic rosé sangria or white for a lighter tone.
  • 0.5 cup watermelon vodka or plain vodka Choose watermelon vodka if available; plain vodka still works.
  • 0.25 cup triple sec Adds orange brightness.
  • 2 tbsp honey or simple syrup Sweeten to taste; adjust if your watermelon is very sweet.
Citrus and sparkle
  • 1 lime, thinly sliced Sliced for floating garnish and flavor.
  • 1 lemon, thinly sliced Sliced for floating garnish and flavor.
  • 1 cup sparkling water or club soda Top right before serving.
  • 0.25 fresh mint sprigs for garnish Use more or fewer sprigs to taste.

Equipment

  • 1 pitcher
  • 1 fine mesh sieve
  • 1 blender

Method
 

Make the watermelon juice
  1. Blend 2 cups of watermelon cubes until smooth, then strain through a fine mesh sieve to get 1 cup of fresh watermelon juice. This should look like bright, seedless juice with no large pulp chunks.
Build the pitcher
  1. Combine watermelon juice, rosé wine, vodka, triple sec, and honey in a large pitcher and stir to combine. The liquid should turn rose-tinted and fully dissolve the honey.
  2. Add remaining watermelon cubes, lime slices, and lemon slices to the pitcher. Distribute fruit so cubes and citrus are visible throughout.
Chill and meld
  1. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to chill and allow flavors to meld. Keep it cold so the watermelon cubes stay crisp and the drink stays lightly pink.
Serve
  1. Right before serving, top with sparkling water, stir gently, and pour into ice-filled glasses garnished with fresh mint. The surface should show tiny bubbles and the mint should look fresh and aromatic.

Notes

Pro tip: If you want a smoother base, blend the 2 cups fully and strain well—leaving only minimal pulp makes the drink look extra glossy in the pitcher. Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours; add the sparkling water only right before serving so it stays fizzy. Freezing is not recommended because the watermelon texture changes. For a lighter option, use a dry white wine (or extra dry rosé) and reduce the vodka to 1/4 cup while keeping the citrus and honey.