This 2-Ingredient Sparkling Watermelon Drink Is Summer In A Glass

It doesn't take much to perfect a sunny summer afternoon. A warm breeze, a little shade, an ice-cold drink, and you've got it made. Sure, a tall glass of iced tea is a great thirst-quencher, but for a beverage that screams summer, all it takes is two simple ingredients: Sparkling water and watermelon juice.

Creating this refresher is even easier than making lemonade. Simply add ice to a glass, fill it halfway with watermelon juice, top it with sparkling water, and enjoy. If you picked up a whole watermelon at the store and now find yourself with more juicy slices than you could possibly eat, this drink is a fantastic way to use up the fruit. To make homemade watermelon juice, put cubed watermelon in a blender and blitz it until smooth. Pour the fresh juice through a strainer to remove any pulp and bits of seeds before adding it to your glass.

You can also opt for store-bought watermelon juice, which is thankfully becoming easier to find. Look for juice that has been freshly squeezed in-store, a bottle of cold-pressed juice, or a canned watermelon juice like Mela.

Once you've mastered your ideal watermelon-to-sparkling water ratio, it's time to start experimenting. Citrus, herbs, and flavored waters (not to mention a little booze) all make the watermelon really shine in your new favorite summer drink.

A squeeze of lime transforms watermelon juice into watermelon agua fresca, which you can balance with a pinch of salt to help harmonize the flavors. If you don't want to strain the watermelon juice, simply throw the fruit and water in a blender with some lime and a few ice cubes to make a watermelon batido. Still have lemonade on your mind? Swap a little carbonated water for lemonade for a sweet, sour, and sparkling sip.

Watermelon and mint are a match made in culinary heaven. Muddle mint leaves in your glass before pouring in the juice and water, then garnish with a sprig for a bright aroma. Watermelon also pairs beautifully with passionfruit or pineapple. Check your grocery store's freezer section for frozen fruit pulp and add it to the blender. We won't tell if a little cachaça finds its way into your glass, too.

Trade plain club soda for flavored sparkling water to add some pizzazz. Lemon- or lime-flavored water would be great. We ranked Trader Joe's sparkling water flavors and loved the coconut water with yuzu, which would work well for a more adventurous flavor, as would Spindrift's Ginger Lime Mule.

Whether it's 5 o'clock or you're sitting pool-side on your day off, watermelon juice is also the perfect base for a refreshing summer cocktail. Replace the sparkling water with prosecco and you've got a shockingly easy watermelon spritz to enjoy.