This Watermelon Sangria is the ultimate summer party drink — fruity, floral, and perfectly refreshing. Fresh watermelon juice, crisp rosé, floral St. Germain, and freshly squeezed lime juice makes for a light and vibrant twist on traditional sangria; served with some bubbles for an added refreshing touch.
Serve it poolside, at your next barbecue, or any time a hot summer day calls for a pitcher of something festive and fruity. This is the perfect drink for lazy weekends, backyard brunches, or those moments when you just want to feel like you’re on vacation.
Jump to:
- Why You Will Love This Watermelon Sangria
- Ingredients
- Substitutions and Variations
- How to Make Watermelon Sangria
- More Recipes You Will Love
- How to Serve Watermelon Sangria
- What to Serve with Watermelon Sangria
- Top Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions About Making a Watermelon Sangria
- More Recipes You Will Love
- Watermelon Sangria Recipe
If you're into watermelon cocktails, try these refreshing options made with our Fresh Watermelon Juice: Watermelon Mojito, Watermelon Basil Margarita, Watermelon Moscow Mule, Watermelon Punch, Watermelon Sour and Watermelon Vodka Cocktail.
Why You Will Love This Watermelon Sangria
- Fresh and Fruity: Packed with fresh watermelon juice and citrusy lime for a clean, refreshing flavor.
- No Added Sugars: Sweetened naturally by the fruit and liqueur — no simple syrup required.
- Great For a Crowd: This recipe makes a generous batch, perfect for a large serving pitcher.
- Flexible: Use white, rosé or even a light red wine depending on your preference.
- Low Effort: Just blend, stir, chill and serve — no need for a long prep time.
Ingredients
This watermelon sangria recipe comes together with just a quick trip to the grocery store.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
- Watermelon Juice: The base of the sangria, we love making it fresh with seedless watermelon. Try our homemade watermelon juice recipe.
- St. Germain: A floral elderflower liqueur that adds a delicate sweetness.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Balances the sweetness with just the right amount of zing.
- Rosé Wine: Choose a dry wine for a light and balanced taste.
- Club Soda: Topped off before serving to give it a little fizz and keep it light.
For this simple sangria recipe, you'll want to have on hand a large pitcher, spouted measuring cup, measuring spoon and cocktail spoon.
Substitutions and Variations
Looking to mix up this sangria differently next time? Here are some ideas to inspire you.
- White Wine Base: Swap rose wine for a crisp white wine like pinot grigio, sauvignon Blanc, or another dry white wine for a lighter white sangria.
- Moscato Wine: Prefer a sweeter wine? Try Moscato or another sweeter white wine for a more dessert-like sangria.
- Add Orange Juice: Boost the citrusy brightness with a splash of fresh orange juice or orange liqueur like triple sec or Grand Marnier.
- Make it a Cocktail: Stir in a shot of tequila Blanco or vodka for a boozier version.
- No St. Germain?: Try Aperol or elderflower syrup as a budget-friendly substitute.
How to Make Watermelon Sangria
Look at how simple it was to make this crowd-pleasing cocktail.
In a large pitcher add rosé, watermelon juice, St Germain and lime juice.
Stir well and serve immediately on ice or chill for a couple hours.
When ready to serve fill a glass with ice and pour about ½ way and top with club soda.
Hint: Starting with cold rosé and watermelon juice keeps the sangria refreshing and prevents excess dilution from ice.
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How to Serve Watermelon Sangria
The way you serve watermelon sangria can make all the difference in presentation and flavor.
- Shaken/Stirred: Sangria is always stirred to gently combine the flavors without over-diluting.
- Glass: A stemless wine glass helps keep things casual and sturdy — perfect for outdoor entertaining — while a highball offers more room for ice and fruit. But our preference is a low ball since we often drink this by the pool!
- Garnishes: For a fun twist, float melon wedges or cubes to keep things cold without watering it down and a lime wheel to finish it off.
What to Serve with Watermelon Sangria
- Brunch Items: Crispy fluffy pancakes, strawberry rhubarb muffins, blueberry pancakes, spinach and ham quiche Lorraine, cranberry sauce muffins, spinach and bacon quiche, strawberry scones, blueberry and lemon scones.
- Snack Items: Mini cheese balls, guacamole and chips, jalapeño poppers, or air fryer bacon wrapped sausage.
- Dessert Items: Chocolate cake mix cookies, red, white and blue cookies, lemon blueberry dump cake, vanilla cake mix cookies, chocolate chip brownie bars, carrot sheet cake, strawberry rhubarb dump cake, red, white and blue dump cake.
- White Wine Sangrias: Apple cider sangria.
Top Tips
For the most refreshing, flavorful results, keep these simple tips in mind.
- Fresh Watermelon Juice: If making fresh, double strain out any pulp for a smoother sangria or leave it in for extra texture and flavor.
- Adjust Sweetness: If you prefer a sweeter drink, add a splash of simple syrup or extra St Germain to taste.
- Serve Immediately or Chill: Letting the sangria chill for a couple hours allows flavors to meld, but it's also delicious served right away.
- Club Soda Last: Pour club soda directly into your glass as serving to keep the sangria bubbly and fresh.
- Give It a Good Stir: Right before pouring, make sure everything is well mixed for the perfect balance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Making a Watermelon Sangria
Do you have questions about this watermelon sangria?
Yes! You can blend and strain the watermelon juice up to 1 day in advance and mix the sangria a few hours before serving. Add club soda right before pouring.
You can! Try a dry white wine, or a Moscato for a sweeter sangria.
Absolutely. Swap wine and liqueur for sparkling water, ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda for a non-alcoholic fruity drink.
Look for a dry wine like a sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or a crisp rosé. It's best to avoid anything oaky or overly complex.
Refrigerate in a sealed container and enjoy within 1-2 days. To revive the fizz, you can add fresh soda water when serving.
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Watermelon Sangria Recipe
Equipment
- Large Pitcher
- Spouted Measuring Cup
- Measuring Spoon
- Cocktail Spoon
Ingredients
- 1-750 mL rosé wine
- 1 ½ cups watermelon juice
- ½ cup St Germain liqueur
- 2 tablespoon lime juice freshly squeezed
- Club soda as needed
Instructions
- In a large pitcher add rosé, watermelon juice, St Germain and lime juice.
- Stir well and serve immediately on ice or chill for a couple hours.
- When ready to serve fill a glass with ice and pour about ½ way and top with club soda.
Notes
- Starting with cold rosé and watermelon juice keeps the sangria refreshing and prevents excess dilution from ice.
- If making fresh, double strain out any pulp for a smoother sangria or leave it in for extra texture and flavor.
- If you prefer a sweeter drink, add a splash of simple syrup or extra St Germain to taste.
- Letting the sangria chill for a couple hours allows flavors to meld, but it's also delicious served right away.
- Pour club soda directly into your glass as serving to keep the sangria bubbly and fresh.
- Right before pouring, make sure everything is well mixed for the perfect balance.
- Nutritional information would change based on the brands purchased.
Nutrition
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