Recipes

Papaya and Cilantro Agua Fresca

Add a refreshing, tropical elixir to your summer festivities.

  • Serves

    4

  • Cook

    15 minutes

REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM TREJO’S CANTINA BY DANNY TREJO WITH HUGH GARVEY COPYRIGHT © 2023. PHOTOGRAPHS BY LARCHMONT HOSPITALITY GROUP LLC. PUBLISHED BY CLARKSON POTTER, A DIVISION OF PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE, LLC.

By Danny Trejo


Published on May 23, 2023

This recipe is brought to you by SAVEUR Cookbook Club, our passionate community of food-loving readers from around the globe celebrating our favorite authors and recipes. Join us as we cook through cookbooks new and old, and share your food pics and vids on social media with the hashtags #SAVEURCookbookClub and #EatTheWorld.

Papaya and cilantro are perfect partners. Papaya is so rich and creamy, with a little tropical funk and astringency that stands up to cilantro’s fresh, peppery bite. Together they make one sweet and refreshingly harmonious drink.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups cubed, peeled papaya (12 oz.)
  • 1 1 tsp. finely chopped cilantro, plus 4 whole leaves, for garnish
  • ¼ cup fresh orange juice
  • 2 Tbsp. plus ½ tsp. sugar
  • Fine salt

Instructions

Step 1

To a blender, add the papaya, chopped cilantro, orange juice, sugar, and 2 cups of water and blend until smooth. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain into a pitcher or 4-cup measuring cup (discard the solids). Add a pinch of salt, or more to taste. Serve over ice in wine glasses and garnish with the cilantro leaves. 

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