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    You are here: Home / Beverages / Sour Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

    Sour Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

    Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

    Agua de Xoconostle

    Mexico has an infinite variety of aguas frescas. Enjoy this one prepared with xoconostle, a sour cactus fruit. The peak season for xoconostle is summer and fall but you can often find it year-round.

    Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca in Glass
    Mexican Cactus Fruit Drink in Glass with Ice

    How to Make

    Gather your ingredients. You’ll need:

    • 4 xoconostle cactus fruits
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 8 cups water
    Where to Buy Cactus Fruit

    There is a good chance that your local Mexican or Latin market will carry fresh xoconostle cactus fruit. Look for it in the produce section.

    Ingredients to Make a Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

    How to Clean Cactus Fruit

    Don’t be intimidated by the cactus fruits. They are very easy to clean. Slice the ends off the cactus fruit then score the skin lengthwise. Use the blade of you knife to peel off the outer layer. Scoop out the seeds with small spoon. See the cleaning cactus fruit tutorial.

    Cleaned Xoconostle Cactus Fruit on Cutting Board

    Preparing the Base

    Blend the cleaned fruit with 4 cups of water and ½ cup sugar for 1 minute. After blending, strain the mixture to remove the pulp. Add the remaining 4 cups water and stir well.

    Straining Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca Base

    Serving

    Serve over ice. Enjoy aguas frescas with your mid-day meal. They are a healthy alternative to sodas.

    Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

    Storing

    It will keep in the fridge for 3 days but we like it best when served freshly made.

    More Agua Fresca Recipes

    Here are some of our favorites. Give them all a try.

    • Watermelon Agua Fresca
    • Tamarind Agua Fresca
    • Jamaica Agua Fresca
    • Chia Agua Fresca
    • Horchata
    Mexican Cactus Fruit Drink in Glass with Ice
    Print Pin
    4.50 from 2 votes

    Sour Cactus Fruit Agua Fresca

    Tangy Mexican agua fresca prepared with a sour cactus fruit called xoconostle and brown sugar. An easy to make drink which is a delicious healthy alternative to sodas.
    Course Drink
    Cuisine Mexican
    Keyword agua fresca, cactus fruit, drink, xoconostle
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time 10 minutes minutes
    Servings 8 Medium glasses
    Calories 43kcal
    Author Andrés Carnalla

    Ingredients

    • 4 xoconostle cactus fruits
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • 8 cups water

    Instructions

    • Clean the cactus fruit by removing outer skin and seeds
    • Blend the cleaned cactus fruit with 4 cups of water and ½ cup sugar for 1 minute.
    • After blending, strain the mixture to remove the pulp.
    • Add the remaining 4 cups water and stir well.
    • Serve over ice.

    Notes

    • You don’t need to add lime. The drink is already quite tart from the xoconostle.
    • Add more sugar is you prefer a sweeter drink.
    • Try preparing this drink with tunas, the sweet prickly pear cactus fruit.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 43kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Sodium: 3mg | Sugar: 9g

    Let us know what you think in the comments below.

    More Beverages

    • Champurrado Mexican Hot Chocolate
      Champurrado (Chocolate Atole)
    • Classic Mexican Margarita
      Classic Mexican Margarita
    • Glass of Agua de Melon
      Agua de Melon
    • Mexican Mangonada Drink on Table
      Mangonada

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. S says

      May 04, 2021 at 3:52 pm

      4 stars
      Xoconostle are known as tunas and are tart or sour prickly pears not the prickly pairs common in most grocery stores. One easy way to know you have Xoconostle and have paid for Xoconostle and not the sweet prickly pear is the seed will be centralized and not throughout the fruit, the core is also where vibrant color is with the seed core and is with green fruit surrounding it.

      Reply

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    Hola, I am Douglas. Let me share my love of Mexican Cuisine with you that developed over 20+ years of living in Mexico.

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