It’s hard to believe that two ingredients can make a beverage as sweet and refreshing as this watermelon mint cooler, but it’s true! With just a blitz in a high-speed blender, watermelon and mint meld into a beverage that needs no sugar and, oddly enough, no straining. It’s great as is or, as my dad put it, “This would be great with vodka.” But if you’re sensitive to alcohol, as I am, this recipe is a great mocktail for poolside afternoons.
History of watermelon
For the 5,000-year history on the watermelon, check out this article from National Geographic! While there are many debates on watermelon’s origins, horticulturalist Harry Perry believes it dates back to ancient Egypt. In the desert, the Egyptians might have used watermelon as a water-carrying gourd. Unlike the modern watermelon, the fruit’s wild ancestor was likely bitter and NOT a candidate for a summer cooler, as it were. Its ancestor also had a yellow interior. Over thousands of years of cultivation, the fruit became pinker and pinker as farmers bred it for sugar content. (The genes for red color and sweetness go together.)
Ingredients
- Watermelon: Watermelon cooler is best when you make it with watermelon that’s sweet and firm. Still, any watermelon will do. If, like me, you have a super high-speed blender, you can even include the seeds. Watermelon seeds are not only edible but nutrient-rich. My cooler didn’t come out grainy. But if you’re worried about the seeds, just pick them out or strain the mixture through a mesh strainer along with a few layers of cheesecloth.
- Mint: Chop your mint before adding it to the blender. As you blend, it should almost disappear, turning into tiny green flecks like glitter in your pink drink.
It’s a simple recipe, so there’s not too much else to say! Just blend both ingredients on high in a blender and enjoy. You could also freeze this mixture into ice cubes and re-blend it the next day to make watermelon slushies. Alternately, just pour your mixture over ice or chili and serve, making sure you stir it well beforehand.
Looking for other watermelon recipes? Check out this watermelon salad with mint and watercress!
Easy Watermelon Mint Cooler
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
- Category: beverages
- Diet: Vegan
Description
A quick, cooling summer drink.
Ingredients
- Watermelon chunks – enough to fill a tall blender
- Leaves from 3 sprigs or mint, chopped finely
- Additional mint for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
- Pile the watermelon into a high speed blender. Blend on high for at least one minute, or until the mixture is pulverized and feels smooth on the tongue.
- Add the mint leaves and blend on high again, until the mint leaves nearly disappear.
- Pour over ice or enjoy chilled on its own or with a shot of vodka. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Notes
To make watermelon slushies, freeze the above mixture in ice trays for 24 hours. The following day, add the ice cubes to a blender and blend on high until smooth.
Keywords: watermelon mint cooler, cooler, beverage, cocktail, mocktail, watermelon, mint, vegan, vegetarian, summer