Refreshing Hibiscus Strawberry Agua Fresca Recipe

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings (about 8 fl oz / 240 ml each)
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes (steeping)
• Total Time: 30 minutes (plus optional chilling)

Quick Ingredients

• 4 cups (960 ml) water, just boiled
• 1/2 cup (about 20 g) dried hibiscus flowers or 8 hibiscus tea bags
• 1/2–3/4 cup (100–150 g) granulated sugar, to taste
• 1 lb (450 g) fresh strawberries, hulled (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups (480 ml) cold water
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
• Ice, plus lime slices, extra strawberries, and fresh mint for serving (optional)

Do This

• 1) Steep hibiscus in 4 cups just-boiled water for 10–15 minutes.
• 2) Strain into a large pitcher, then stir in sugar (and a tiny pinch of salt) until dissolved; let cool slightly.
• 3) In a blender, combine strawberries, 2 cups cold water, lime juice, and 1 cup of the hibiscus tea.
• 4) Blend until completely smooth.
• 5) Pour strawberry mixture back into the pitcher with remaining hibiscus tea; stir well.
• 6) Taste and adjust sweetness or water if needed; chill until cold.
• 7) Serve over plenty of ice, garnished with lime, strawberries, and mint.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It is incredibly refreshing: tart hibiscus and sweet strawberries make a bright, thirst-quenching drink.
• Beautifully vibrant: a deep ruby-pink color that looks impressive with almost no effort.
• Flexible and forgiving: easy to adjust sweetness, tartness, and strength to your taste.
• Make-ahead friendly: perfect for parties, cookouts, or keeping in the fridge for easy sipping.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 lb fresh strawberries, 1–2 limes, fresh mint (optional), extra strawberries and lime for garnish (optional)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Dried hibiscus flowers or hibiscus tea bags, granulated sugar (or other sweetener), fine sea salt (optional), ice

Full Ingredients

Hibiscus Tea Base

• 4 cups (960 ml) water, just boiled
• 1/2 cup (about 20 g) dried hibiscus flowers or 8 hibiscus tea bags
• 1/2–3/4 cup (100–150 g) granulated sugar, to taste
• 1 small pinch fine sea salt (about 1/16 tsp; optional, enhances flavor)

Strawberry Blend

• 1 lb (450 g) fresh strawberries, hulled and halved (about 3 cups)
• 2 cups (480 ml) cold water
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 1 medium lime)

To Serve (Optional but Lovely)

• Ice cubes (plan on at least 1–1 1/2 cups per serving)
• Extra cold water, to thin if needed
• Lime slices or wheels
• Extra strawberry slices
• Fresh mint sprigs

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the strawberries and equipment

Rinse the strawberries under cool running water. Remove the green tops (hull them) and cut any large berries in half so they blend easily. You want roughly 3 cups of prepared berries.

Set out a heatproof measuring jug or kettle, a large pitcher (at least 2 liters / 2 quarts), a fine-mesh strainer, and a blender. Having everything ready makes the process smooth and quick.

Step 2: Brew a strong hibiscus tea

Bring 4 cups (960 ml) of water to a boil. Place the dried hibiscus flowers (or tea bags) in a heatproof jug or directly in your pitcher, as long as the pitcher is safe for hot liquids.

Pour the just-boiled water over the hibiscus. Stir briefly to make sure all the flowers are submerged. Let the mixture steep for 10–15 minutes. A 10-minute steep will be bright and tart, while 15 minutes will be a bit more intense and floral. The liquid should turn a deep ruby-red color.

Step 3: Strain and sweeten the hibiscus base

Set a fine-mesh strainer over your large pitcher if you brewed in a separate container. Carefully pour the hibiscus tea through the strainer, pressing the flowers gently with the back of a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the used flowers or tea bags.

While the tea is still hot, add 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and a tiny pinch of salt. Stir until completely dissolved. Taste: if you prefer a sweeter drink, add up to another 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, stirring to dissolve. Remember that the strawberries and ice will both soften the flavor a bit, so slightly sweeter than you think is usually ideal.

Let the sweetened hibiscus tea cool for at least 10 minutes. You can place the pitcher in the refrigerator while you prepare the strawberries to speed this up.

Step 4: Blend the strawberries with lime and water

Add the prepared strawberries to a blender. Pour in 2 cups (480 ml) cold water and 2 tbsp fresh lime juice. For extra flavor integration, add about 1 cup of the cooled hibiscus tea from the pitcher to the blender as well.

Blend on high speed until the mixture is completely smooth and uniform in color. This usually takes 30–60 seconds, depending on your blender. If your blender is small, work in two batches and divide the ingredients roughly in half.

If you prefer a very smooth agua fresca with no seeds or pulp, you can set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl or directly over the pitcher and strain the strawberry mixture, pressing with a spoon to extract the juice. This step is optional but gives a more refined texture.

Step 5: Combine and adjust to taste

Pour the strawberry mixture into the pitcher with the remaining hibiscus tea. Stir well until everything is evenly combined. The drink should now be a vivid deep pink-red color.

Taste the agua fresca. Adjust as needed:

• Too tart? Add a bit more sugar, stirring until it dissolves.
• Too sweet or strong? Stir in additional cold water, 1/2 cup at a time, until it tastes just right to you.
• Want more brightness? Add another teaspoon or two of lime juice.

Keep in mind that serving over ice will dilute the drink slightly, so it can be a little more intense at this stage.

Step 6: Chill, garnish, and serve

For the most refreshing result, cover the pitcher and refrigerate the agua fresca for at least 1 hour, and up to 24 hours. This allows the flavors to mellow and blend. If you are in a hurry, you can serve it right away over plenty of ice.

To serve, fill glasses with ice cubes. Give the agua fresca a good stir, then pour over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lime wheel, a slice or fan of strawberry, and a small sprig of fresh mint if you like. Serve cold and enjoy the floral, fruity, thirst-quenching flavor.

Pro Tips

• Use non-reactive equipment: Hibiscus is quite acidic and can react with some metals. Stick to glass, stainless steel, or food-safe plastic pitchers and strainers.
• Do not over-steep too much: Going far beyond 15 minutes can make hibiscus slightly bitter. If you want a stronger flavor, add more hibiscus rather than steeping longer.
• Sweeten while warm: Dissolving sugar in hot hibiscus tea gives a smooth, even sweetness with no gritty texture. If the tea has cooled, use simple syrup instead.
• Adjust sweetness after chilling: Flavors dull slightly when cold. After chilling, give it a final taste and fine-tune with a bit more sugar or lime if needed.
• Scale it up easily: This recipe doubles or triples well for parties. Use a large drink dispenser and keep extra ice on the side so you do not dilute the whole batch.

Variations

• Sparkling Hibiscus-Strawberry Agua Fresca: Replace some or all of the 2 cups cold water in the strawberry blend with chilled sparkling water. For the best bubbles, mix in the sparkling water just before serving, directly in each glass.
• Ginger-Hibiscus Twist: Add 3–4 thin slices of fresh ginger to the hot hibiscus tea while it steeps, then strain out with the flowers. You will get a gentle, warming spice note that balances the fruity sweetness.
• Lighter Sugar Option: Reduce the sugar to 1/3 cup (65 g) and rely more on the natural sweetness of perfectly ripe strawberries, or sweeten to taste with a sugar substitute such as stevia or monk fruit, adding a little at a time.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store leftover hibiscus-strawberry agua fresca in a covered pitcher or airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The color and flavor will remain vibrant, but some light separation is normal. Simply stir or shake before serving. For make-ahead entertaining, prepare the drink up to 24 hours in advance and keep it chilled; add ice directly to glasses, not to the pitcher, so it does not become watered down. You can also freeze some of the agua fresca in ice cube trays and use those cubes to chill future batches without dilution, or pour it into popsicle molds for a refreshing frozen treat.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per 1 serving (about 8 fl oz / 240 ml), using 3/4 cup (150 g) sugar and without garnishes:

Calories: ~120 kcal; Carbohydrates: ~30–31 g; Sugars: ~27–28 g; Protein: ~1 g; Fat: 0 g; Fiber: ~2 g; Sodium: <5 mg. These numbers are estimates and will vary based on the sweetness of your strawberries and the exact amount of sugar or water you use.