Passion Fruit Sangria Recipe

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Fruity and refreshing, passion fruit sangria is an ice cold summertime beverage with a boozy kick. While most classic versions of sangria are made with apples and oranges, this passion fruit sangria recipe puts a tropical twist on the iconic drink. Passion fruit is native to South American countries like Brazil, but is grown today in other tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Depending on where you live in the world, it can be hard to find fresh passion fruit in stores. As someone who does not have access to fresh passion fruit, I've developed this recipe with frozen passion fruit cubes, which offers a simple but effective (and just as delicious) workaround. 

Passion fruit can vary in terms of sweetness and tartness, and the frozen fruit I used in this sangria provided a distinct tart note that was both tasty and refreshing. Those tart notes were sweetened up a bit after I mixed brandy and orange juice into the mix, and all of the flavors melded together beautifully after the sangria chilled in the fridge. With vivid colors and a bold, memorable flavor, passion fruit sangria is perfect for parties or intimate dinners alike. Whip up this recipe to relax with tropical vacation vibes, no matter where you live.

This recipe calls for frozen, seedless passion fruit cubes, but see the FAQ below for information about how to work with it fresh if you have it (and know the signs for identifying ripe passion fruit). You'll also need a bottle of dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc), brandy, and triple sec. Grab an orange, and apple, strawberries, and a lime for the fruit, as well as another orange to make freshly squeezed orange juice and seltzer for topping. Simple syrup is an optional ingredient if you'd like the drink sweeter. I didn't want to cover up the unique passion fruit flavor with too much sugar, which is why I made it an optional ingredient, but depending on the kind of passion fruit you're working with and your preference for sweetness, you can decide how much, if any, sugar to add.

Let the passion fruit sit out to defrost and liquefy, about 30 minutes. Mash any remaining solid pieces with a fork to liquefy.

Pour the passion fruit juice into a large pitcher.

Add the wine, brandy, triple sec, and orange juice to the pitcher and stir to evenly mix the liquids.

Place the orange, apple, strawberry, and lime pieces in the pitcher and stir to coat all the fruit in the liquid.

Cover and refrigerate the pitcher for at least 4 hours, or overnight for more flavor. After chilling, taste the sangria and stir in optional simple syrup if you'd like it sweeter.

Fill a wine glass with ice.

Stir the sangria and pour it into the glass, making sure to include several pieces of fruit. Leave a little empty space at the top for seltzer.

Top the glass with seltzer and serve immediately.

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Frozen passion fruit is more accessible if you don't live in a tropical or subtropical region, provided that stores near you keep it in stock. You can find the Pitaya foods brand in many grocery stores in the United States, although it can be more expensive than other kinds of frozen fruit. I recommend frozen or fresh passion fruit for the best flavor. If that's not accessible, you can sub passion fruit juice, either 100% juice or a blend. Blends will be sweeter and have less of a pure flavor, so check the taste before adding any sugar.

If you're able to find fresh passion fruit and would prefer to use that, you'll need to do a little extra prep work before proceeding with the recipe. First, slice the fruit in half and spoon out the seeds and flesh. Place both the seeds and flesh in a food processor and pulse until the seeds separate from the pulp. Then pour the mixture through a sieve (catch the juice in a container below) to strain out the seeds. Use a spoon or your fingers to press and move the seeds on the sieve to get all the juice. You can also blend the frozen cubes in a blender or food processor at the start of this recipe if you don't want to wait for them to defrost. You don't need to discard the seeds, as they are edible and you can enjoy them on their own or use them for a different purpose.

Brandy is normally included in sangria, as it is in this recipe as well, but you could also use cognac. White rum is a good option if you'd like to give the drink a more neutral flavor profile. Whichever one you choose, keep the ratio to ½ cup per bottle of wine. Sangria is normally made with a dry wine, but if sweetness if your thing, you may enjoy this recipe with a sweet white wine like moscato. This recipe calls for orange juice, but pineapple juice or passion fruit juice would also be tasty.

I opted for apple, orange, strawberries, and lime for the fruit pieces, but many kinds of fruit would go well in passion fruit sangria. Other tropical fruits like mango or pineapple pair well with passion fruit. Peach, kiwi, and other berries like blackberries or raspberries would also be delicious. Feel free to sub lemon slices instead of lime slices if that's easier.

It's worth repeating not to taste the sangria until it's had a chance to sit for a few hours with the chunks of fruit inside. Then decide if it needs optional simple syrup. If you don't have simple syrup on hand or prefer not to make it, you can use granulated sugar or caster sugar (also known as superfine sugar) instead. Stir the sangria a few times and wait until it's completely dissolved before serving. Since caster sugar is more finely ground, it will dissolve more easily.

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