Beat the heat this summer and quench your thirst with this super refreshing Cucumber Melon Sangria.
The best summer cocktails are light, refreshing and easy to sip on all night long.
This Cucumber Melon Sangria ticks all of those boxes plus it is made in advance which pretty much makes this the perfect summer party cocktail.
What is sangria?
Sangria is a cocktail that originates in Spain. The most readily known version uses red wine along with a variety of fruits, orange juice and another form of liquor like brandy.
This Cucumber Melon Sangria is different in that it uses white wine instead of red and gin instead of brandy. You'll even find sangria recipes that use rosé wine, too, like our irresistible Peach Rosé Sangria.
The beauty of sangria is that it is completely adaptable to your tastes, which makes creating a delicious, refreshing batch cocktail quick and easy.
Not a brandy fan? Use rum. Is vodka your spirit of choice? Feel free to swap it for the gin in this recipe. See how easy it is to make it your own?
Ingredients
The ingredient list for this Cucumber Melon Sangria is tailor-made for a hot summer day. It has refreshment written all over it.
Think crisp cucumber, juicy honeydew melon and fresh, fragrant mint leaves along with a bit of gin, white wine and a bit of bubbly club soda or sparkling water. It's spa water with a lovely kick.
Tip: Not a honeydew melon fan? Try substituting cantaloupe instead!
Best Wine
What I love about sangria is you don’t have to break the bank to enjoy it. A $10-12 bottle of white wine will do the job nicely in this recipe.
Since this Cucumber Melon Sangria gets its sweetness from fruit and a bit of sugar, look for a white wine that is dry and crisp. Definitely reserve that oak-heavy Chardonnay for another occasion.
I used a Sauvignon Blanc from California, but a Vinho Verde, a dry Riesling or even a Pinot Grigio would work well, too.
Sangria recipes make beautiful presentations because of all the fruit floating in it. If you have a punch bowl, now is the time to break it out.
No punch bowl? A pitcher gives an equally lovely look as does popping a few pieces of fruit in each lowball or stemless wine glass. (I think these tasty, slightly boozy bites are the best part of any sangria recipe.)
Batch Cocktails
Most sangrias, including this Cucumber Melon Sangria, have a lower alcohol content than most mixed drinks making them ideal (and more economical) for large groups.
The beauty of sangria is that once you’ve made it, you are done bartending for the night. So go ahead and make a double (or triple) batch of this Cucumber Melon Sangria for your backyard BBQ. This thirst-quencher goes down quickly!
Pin this Cucumber Melon Sangria recipe for later!
More white sangria recipes
- Pineapple Sangria - Garnish with Lemon®
- Fruity White Sangria - Aggie's Kitchen
- Elderflower Sangria - Garnish with Lemon®
- White Sangria Recipe - Dinners, Dishes and Desserts
- Sangria Lemonade - Garnish with Lemon®
Recipe
Cucumber Melon Sangria
Ingredients
- 1 750 ml bottle dry white wine
- ¾ cup gin
- 2 tablespoons superfine sugar
- ½ honeydew melon cubed
- ½ seedless cucumber sliced
- ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup sparkling water or club soda
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except sparkling water in a large pitcher and still well. Refrigerate at least 4 hours (more if possible).
- Just before serving, pour in sparkling water and gently stir to combine. Serve over ice in lowball or stemless wine glasses.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Loved this sangria! Sangria is usually way, way too sweet for me, but this was so light and refreshing. I found a bag of frozen honeydew and cantaloupe balls, so that cut out 90% of the prep time. I would definitely make this again!
Love the frozen fruit shortcut!
I WOULD LOVE TO TRY THIS RECIPE BUT IN WEST AFRICA, ITS DIFFICULT TO GET
HONEY DEW MELONS. CAN I USE WATER MELONS INSTEAD.
EVEN THOUGH THE COLOURS ARE NOT THE SAME
I'd definitely give it a try, Helena. Stop back and let us know how it turns out!
Looks great! Can this be made a few days prior to drinking like a typical sangria or will the ingredients not sit well?
Hi Jen, I wouldn't make it more than a day in advance as the alcohol will start to break down the melon and cucumber. That is more of a personal preference though, as I enjoy eating those "drunken" pieces straight from the glass. Enjoy!
I did use the gin, made it exactly as shown, for a dinner party of 12. Everybody loved it, including me! Thanks for the great idea.
Yay! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
I am going to try this with cucumber vodka !
Great idea, Terri!
Love this drink! It's light and refreshing. Perfect drink for relaxing on the deck.
Agreed, Erika! Cools you right off after a hot summer day.
Delish!! A huge hit for a before dinner summer cocktail for a party of 8 ( I doubled it.)
Modification : I "thought" I had club soda on hand, so when making it I decided to use ginger beer that I did have (carbonated with citrus & ginger), so I omitted the sugar...plus my honey dew was really sweet.
I placed small plastic appetizer forks on the rim of the glass, so the fruit/cucumber could be easily eaten out of the glass. We all commented on the fruit being so alcohol-infused…"boozy" as one labeled it.
It made for a very good time !!!!
Hi Sandy, So glad you enjoyed it! And I love your adaptation. Cheers to more summer parties!
I am not a fan of gin. Mediciney flavor. Have you tried it with wine only?
Hi Karen, I have not tried it without the gin, but you certainly could give it a go. Alternately, you could try swapping the gin for vodka. (Another reader suggested that for folks who don't enjoy gin.) Happy experimenting!
Not a fan of gin. Can u use vodka
Hi Jacque, I've never tried it with vodka, but it's a pretty forgiving recipe. Would love for you to give it a go and let us know how it turns out!