Name: Non-Alcoholic Summer Sangria
Prep time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 cups/1.5 l filtered water; 4 Rooibos tea bags; 2 Tablespoon rose hips; 3 Tablespoons/45ml pomegranate molasses; ½ cup/120ml fresh blood orange juice; ¼ cup tart unsweetened cherry juice; 2 blood oranges, thinly sliced; 8oz/1 cup/225g strawberries, thinly sliced; 8oz/1 cup/225g cherries, pitted and halved; 2 small red or black plums, thinly sliced

This mock sangria filled with strawberries, cherries and plums is just as refreshing and crowd-pleasing as the original.

If any drink was made for summer sipping, it’s sangria.

Brimming with fruit, a big pitcher of sangria is always welcome at summer parties and backyard barbecues. Fun and festive, no one needs much persuading to start pouring when you bring out a pitcher, it’s also one of the easiest make-ahead drinks you can serve. And while the traditional boozy version is delicious, I also like to make a non-alcoholic sangria that both the adults and kids can enjoy.

At its core, sangria is really just a wine and alcohol based fruit punch. It’s all that fresh fruit that gives sangria its appeal, as it steeps it releases sweetness and flavor into the wine giving sangria its signature taste. So the key to making a good non-alcoholic version is to keep the fruit and simply replace the booze with something of a similar color and taste.

To that end I’ve used a combination of red rooibos and rose hip tea along with pomegranate molasses, blood orange juice and tart cherry juice to create a ruby-red wine and orange liqueur replacement that’s a little tart and tannic and lightly fruity like what you’d use for sangria. It’s also wonderfully rich with anti-oxidants and vitamin C thanks to the rooibos, rose hips and tart cherry juice.

To that you just add a heap of sliced fresh strawberries, cherries and plums. The fruit and juices are naturally sweet so there’s no need for any additional sweetener but if you like yours on the sweeter side you can always add a bit more fruit and let it soak longer. In either case, you’ll want to start your sangria at least the night before to allow the fruit to sit overnight for the best flavor but I think it’s even better after 24 hours if you have the time.

Whether you’re relaxing on the deck, entertaining in the backyard or just sitting by the pool you’ll want to keep a batch on hand to enjoy on a hot summer day.

Cheers!

Serves serves 6

Non-Alcoholic Summer Sangria

Sylvie Shirazi

This mock sangria filled with strawberries, cherries and plums is just as refreshing and crowd-pleasing as the original.

30 minPrep Time

24 hr, 30 Total Time

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Ingredients

6 cups/1.5 l filtered water
4 Rooibos tea bags
2 Tablespoon rose hips
3 Tablespoons/45ml pomegranate molasses
½ cup/120ml fresh blood orange juice
¼ cup tart unsweetened cherry juice
2 blood oranges, thinly sliced
8oz/1 cup/225g strawberries, thinly sliced
8oz/1 cup/225g cherries, pitted and halved
2 small red or black plums, thinly sliced

Instructions

Bring filtered water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add tea bags and rosehips, cover and remove from heat. Let steep for 30 minutes.
Strain tea into a large pitcher and add pomegranate molasses, orange juice, cherry juice and sliced fruit. Stir gently, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 but preferably 24 hours.
Serve in chilled glasses.

Notes

Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegan, Paleo