Agua de melon in Spanish means cantaloupe water in English.
About agua de melón
Agua de melón is a traditional Mexican agua fresca made from ripe cantaloupe, water, and a touch of sugar. It’s light, hydrating, and the drink that instantly cools you down.
Whether you serve it with tacos, sip it by the pool, or pack it in your kid’s lunchbox, this agua fresca is always a good idea.
What are Aguas Frescas?
Mexican agua frescas can be made from many different fruits; there is no exact recipe, but they will always turn out well. You can make them with watermelon,strawberry, lemon, papaya, tamarind, etc., butthe recipe will always be the same: water, fruit, and sugar.
Take this recipe as a guide and adapt it to your and your family’s tastes.
Ingredients Notes
Cantaloupe (melon): Ripe melon is key! The riper, the sweeter (and the less sugar you’ll need).
Water: Filtered water gives the cleanest taste.
Sugar: Adjust to taste. Start small—you can always add more.
Cantaloupe seeds: Blend them in! They make the drink creamier and more flavorful—no need for milk.
Optional add-ins: A squeeze of lime, a dash of vanilla, a few mint leaves… even a splash of horchata for a nostalgic Mexican twist.
Adding cantaloupe seeds to the agua fresca will make it creamier and more flavorful, without the need for milk.
How to make Melon water
First, find a ripe melon (cantaloupe), peel it, and cut it into large chunks. Don’t throw away the seeds; save them. The seeds give flavor to melon water. When the melon is peeled, put it in the blender with sugar and water.
When blended, pass it through a fine strainer. At this point, I put it in a pitcher and tasted it. If it lacks sugar or water, I’ll adjust it.
Tips and tricks for the best melon agua fresca
Ripe fruit. The number one rule for making good agua fresca is that the fruit is ripe. The better the fruit, the better the agua fresca will be.
Lemon. To make it a little more refreshing, add a little lime or lemon juice.
Vanilla. A dash of vanilla extract makes this water delicious and with a dessert-like taste.
Horchata. In Mexico, the paletería, la Michoacana, makes this combination, and it’s delicious. Half a cup of horchata agua fresca and half a cup of agua de melon.
Mint. You can decorate with mint leaves or blend a few leaves, as I did in the mint melon paletas.
This melon agua fresca, or agua de melón, is one of my favorite summer drinks—right up there with agua de jamaica. Cantaloupe is naturally sweet, low in calories, and when blended with a little water and sugar? You get a refreshing, nourishing drink that tastes like summer in a glass.
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 0 minutesmins
0 minutesmins
Total Time 15 minutesmins
Course Drinks
Cuisine Mexican
Servings 6cups
Calories 385kcal
Cut the melon in half and peel completely. Save the seeds.
Put the peeled melon, sugar, water and seeds in the blender jar. Blend until everything is fully integrated.
Pour into a fine strainer, taste and adjust if necessary. Serve with ice and mint leaves.
1 large melon gives us about 5-6 cups of cut melon.
Storage
Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving as it may separate a little.
I create easy, family-friendly recipes with Mexican roots and a plant-forward mindset—always flexible and made to bring people together. I’m also the co-author of Yo Cocino Latino and love helping home cooks feel more confident in the kitchen.
Come say hi on Instagram—I’d love to hear what you’re cooking.
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