What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think about an outdoor summer lunch? Apart from firing grills, Greek salads, and filling main courses, is the refreshing tropical pitcher of sangria. Here are some of the best sangria recipe variations for you to try in the summer heat.
Red Spanish sangria is an excellent drink from southern Spain. It’s festive and fun with family, friends, or alone on a hot summer day.
The recipes for sangria for the authentic Spanish sangria are fancy yet simple to make and a vegetarian recipe. It is a no-brainer and can be made in under just 10 minutes. Before we get to the recipe for this versatile cooler drink, let’s see what Spanish Sangria is and why it is such a hit.
The Origin
It might not seem like it, but sangria has existed since the middle ages. During that period, about 2000 years ago, water was unhealthy to drink.
Consuming fermented beverages had a lower risk of causing an illness. Therefore people would often mix wine with spices like cinnamon and, at times, herbs. It is to be noted that wine at that time was much less intense than it is today. Sangria is a Spanish term for a mixture of fresh fruit, red wine, and some spices.
It became popular in the European countries, England and France. It emerged in America when it was served in New York at the World’s Fair in 1964.
Loads of European restaurants have tried making versions of the red sangria recipe. Spain itself has many different variations depending on the region.
Sangria comes from a Latin word for blood because of the red tint of the red wine used for making the first sangria. In the 1700s and 1800s, different sangria was made in France and England using French grapes. Some other variations are made, like white sangria, sparkling sangria, and one made with peaches, also known as zurra.
You can buy a decent ready-made sangria from the store. Still, it is much more fun to make it at home step by step using these fantastic sangria recipes, and it will taste great for refreshing and cooling off the summer heat or enjoy sangria for gatherings.
Components and Recipes
All of the sangria recipes in the article are vegetarian; the original sangria typically requires the following components:
The recipe for making a delicious and straightforward sangria is to mix one bottle of Spanish red wine, a few slices of fresh fruits, some apple brandy, ice cubes, some soda water or and some sugar or a little maple syrup in a large pitcher and let it sit overnight in a refrigerator, and voila.
But there can be numerous variations of an authentic Spanish sangria; you can experiment with various ingredients like an orange liqueur or triple sec of your choice.
Some tips to keep in mind while making the perfect sangria with the best flavors are:
Best 6 Recipes to Know
1. Traditional Red Sangria Recipe
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Total time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Course: Beverage
- Cuisine: Spanish-inspired
1.2 Ingredients
Ø 2 bottles of red wine
Ø 1/2 cup brandy
Ø 2 oranges, one fresh-squeezed orange juice, one sliced into smaller pieces
Ø 1 green apple, diced, skin on
Ø 1 lemon diced
Ø 1 cinnamon stick
Ø Maple syrup or simple syrup (sweetener)
Ø Lemon-lime soda, ginger ale, or sparkling water (bubbles)
Ø 1 cup ice to chill
1.3 Directions
1. In a pitcher, add red wine, brandy, and orange juice, then the fruits: diced oranges, apples, lemon, and cinnamon sticks. Stir everything to combine.
2. check the taste and add a few sweetener tablespoons.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
4. Serve the sangria with ice, adding bubbly soda or sparkling water if desired.
5. Store the leftover sangria in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. Add fruits like green apples, plums, peaches, apricots, blueberries, or cranberries to the sangria recipes.
It is one of the best recipes because it contains everything from Spanish red wine like Pinot Noir, favorite fruits, and whole foods.
You can use soda over ginger ale to reduce sugar levels, as the orange juice makes it sweeter sangria. Cointreau, rum, Grand Manier, Schnapps, or any other liqueur are some, as they will add a great flavor.
The best part is that because we can use inexpensive wine in a large pitcher, you can feel free to make a double batch of this beautiful recipe.
2. White wine sangria
2.1 Ingredients
Ø 750 ml bottle of white wine
Ø 1 lemon, cut in wedges
Ø 1 orange, cut in wedges
Ø 1 lime, cut into wedges
Ø 1 peach pitted and cut into wedges
Ø 1 cup strawberry, sliced and hulled
Ø 1/2 cup lemonade or lemon juice
Ø 1/2 cup sugar
Ø 3 ounces of brandy
Ø 8 ounces of canned pineapple, diced with juice
Ø 2 cup ginger ale, chilled
2.2 Directions
1. Pour the wine into a pitcher, and squeeze the lemon, orange, and lime juice from wedges into the sangria.
2. Add the citrus fruit wedges to the pitcher
3. Use peaches, strawberries, lemonade, sugar, brandy, and pineapple juice.
4. Chill overnight to settle the flavors.
5. Add ginger ale and ice before serving this delicious recipe of sangria using white wine is full of fresh flavor, the best taste of thinly sliced lemon, seasonal fruits, simple syrup, good wine, and all this in a large pitcher chilled and served.
It is an excellent recipe if you like citrus flavors over sweet ones, although you can try adding peach schnapps, blackberry brandy, or orange liqueur, too, if you want to add some sweetness.
3. Rose Sangria
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Total time: 10 minutes
- Servings: 14 servings
3.1 Ingredients
Ø 750 ml bottle of dry rose wine
Ø 1 cup sliced strawberries
Ø 4 cups lemon-lime soda
Ø 3 limes, one lime thinly sliced
Ø 2 to 3 tablespoons of sugar
Ø 2 tablespoons fresh mint
3.2 Directions
1. Add sliced strawberries, juice of two limes, and sliced lime in a pitcher.
2. Add the wine
3. Roll the mint sprigs in your hand to release the fragrance and then cut the mints into thin strips and place them in a large pitcher.
4. Add sugar and soda and stir
5. Fill the pitcher with ice before serving, and garnish with mint and strawberries.
You can add citrus elements by adding lime and soda. This sangria recipe creates a fizzy sangria; it also has more flavor and color to the sangria. This sangria recipe is a sweeter sangria due to the dry rose wine.
Fresh strawberries are essential; use fresh strawberries and try avoiding frozen strawberries. Use different varieties of mint, like peppermint and spearmint, which will add a unique flavor to the sangria.
4. Vodka Sangria
- Prep time: 8 minutes
- Total time: 3 minutes
- Servings: 3 servings
4.1 Ingredients
Ø 750 ml bottle of white wine
Ø 1/2 cup vodka
Ø 1/2 cup white grape juice
Ø 1/2 cup sliced grapes
Ø 1 green apple, sliced
Ø 1/2 pineapple, sliced
Ø 1/2 cup white sugar
Ø 2 cups club soda or ginger ale
4.2 Directions
1. In a pitcher, pour the white wine, vodka, and white grape juice, and then add thinly sliced grapes, green apples, and pineapple.
2. Add brown sugar. Stir gently until blended. If using ginger ale, sugar is optional.
3. Chill the mixture for at least 1 hour. Add club soda or to the sangria before serving.
You can also use sliced strawberries, a handful of fresh blueberries, banana slices, and 1/2 cup of soda pop.
It is a rare yet great recipe. Feel free to experiment with this sangria recipe using seasonal fruit and wine, which is quite different from the authentic Spanish sangria; it is close to the best.
5. Thanksgiving Fall Sangria
- Prep time: 10 minutes
- Chill: 8 hours
- Total time: 8 hours and 10 minutes
- Serving: 15 servings
5.1 Ingredients
Ø 1/2 cup brandy
Ø 1/2 cup gin
Ø 1 cup of green tea, chilled
Ø 1 cup pomegranate juice
Ø 2 ounces cinnamon syrup
Ø 1 750 ml bottle of dry wine
Ø 1 medium apple
Ø 1 medium pear
Ø 1 medium orange
Ø 3 cinnamon sticks, more to garnish
Ø 1 cup club soda
Ø Apple slices in half for garnish
Ø Orange slices for garnish
5.2 Directions
1. Add brandy, gin, chilled green tea, pomegranate juice, and cinnamon syrup in a pitcher and stir well.
2. Add the entire bottle of dry white wine
3. Cut the sliced apple, pear, and oranges into the pitcher along with cinnamon sticks.
4. Cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to mix.
5. Before serving, add club soda to the pitcher, serve with ice garnish each glass with half an apple, an orange slice, and a cinnamon stick.
Brew the tea in hot water and chill it in the refrigerator for about an hour for the best taste. You can make cinnamon syrup or even use a coffee sweetener. Make the sangria a night before and refrigerator overnight for the best flavor.
6. The New Zealander Sangria
- Prep time: 5 minutes
- Total time: 5 minutes
- Servings: 4 servings
6.2 Ingredients
Ø750 ml bottle of white wine
Ø1 tangerine, peeled and sliced
Ø3 to 4 kiwis, peeled and sliced
Ø1 lemon, peeled and sliced
Ø1/4 cup sugar
Ø2 cups ginger ale or club soda
6.3 Directions
1. Pour the wine into a pitcher and squeeze the juice from the lemon or lime into the wine.
2. Add the sliced kiwi, tangerine, lemon, and sugar.
3. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving. Add ice, too.
You can also use sliced seasonal fruit like mango, peach, or strawberries for the sangria recipes. New Zealand wineries are Villa Maria Estate, Spy Valley Wines, Craggy Range Winery, Forest Estate, and Nautilus Estate.
Sangria is a relatively low-alcohol drink, making it a pleasant daytime gathering or summertime party.
It tends to be lighter than a glass of wine, even with additional brandy or liquor. Feel free to add these recipes of sangria to your recipe books and make them for any celebration.
Frequently asked questions
There are a few questions that people often ask about sangria recipes are:
1. What kind of fruit should be added to sangria?
Sangria is one of the most versatile drinks, so any fruit will blend well. Anything can be added, from chopped apples and cherries to citrus fruits. It also goes best with fruity spanish red wine sangria or rioja wine.
2. Does sangria taste sweet?
Sangria can be sweet if you would like it to be. In general, it has a fruity taste.
3. How to serve sangria?
If you have a punch bowl, you can use it to serve sangria. Or else. You can serve sangria in a simple pitcher and If you have your recipes for sangria, do drop those in the comment section. We would love to hear from you.
Last Updated on by Sathi Chakraborty, MSc Biology
