Cantaloupe Aqua Fresca with Beet Swirl
A refreshing Mexican-inspired drink that combines sweet cantaloupe juice with a vibrant beet swirl. This colorful beverage perfectly balances the mellow sweetness of cantaloupe with a touch of lime and an earthy beet accent.
Ingredients
- •1 whole small red beet
- •1 whole ripe cantaloupe
- •4 cups cold water
- •¼ cup fresh lime juice
- •⅓ cup sugar
- •divided
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
5 min
- 2.
Wrap beet in foil and put in a small 4-sided sheet pan, then roast until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 to 50 minutes. Unwrap and let stand until cool enough to handle.
50 min
- 3.
While beet roasts, purée cantaloupe, 3 cups water, lime juice, and 1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar (to taste) in 3 to 4 batches in a blender until very smooth, about 1 minute per batch. Chill agua fresca until cold, about 2 hours.
120 min
- 4.
Peel and chop beet, then purée with remaining cup water and remaining tablespoon sugar in cleaned blender until smooth. Chill beet purée until cold, about 2 hours.
120 min
- 5.
To serve, pour agua fresca over ice in tall glasses, then dollop 1 Tbsp beet purée on top of each drink, swirling it decoratively with a spoon.
5 min
