Cool Off This Summer With a Refreshing Blueberry Sangria

By
Brett Moore
Brett Moore
Brett Moore
Before becoming a food writer, Brett Moore earned a culinary degree and worked as a professional chef.
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Updated on 12/6/20
Refreshing Blueberry Sangria
Roco Juli
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings

Sangria is a quick and easy way to prepare a party drink that is both delicious and visually appealing. The basics are just wine with lots and lots of fresh fruit mixed in, traditionally apples and citrus like orange and lemon. But this classic Spanish cocktail shouldn't be limited to just these types of fruit—why not try it with blueberries? The drink is flavorful and pretty and definitely gives your guests something to talk about!

The Grand Marnier is optional for this recipe, but it is worth giving it a try; the orange-flavored liqueur is a great complement to the blueberries. For a non-alcoholic version, you can easily substitute the white wine with apple juice.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups blueberry juice
  • 1 1/2 cups white wine (chilled)
  • Optional: 1/4 cup orange-flavored liqueur (such as Grand Marnier)
  • 1 orange (halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 lemon (halved and sliced 1/4 inch thick)
  • 1 pint fresh blueberries
  • 1 pint fresh strawberries (hulled and quartered)
  • 1 1/2 cups lemon-lime soda (chilled)

Steps to Make It

  1. Into a 2-quart pitcher, combine blueberry juice, wine, and liqueur, if using.

  2. Add orange and lemon slices and fresh blueberries and strawberries. Chill until ready to serve.

  3. Just before serving, stir in soda. Serve in tall glasses over ice cubes, if desired.

Tips

  • Since this is a Spanish cocktail recipe, it is ideal to use a nice, dry Spanish white wine when making this drink. Good options are an Albarino or Verdejo, but you can also try a Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, or Vinho Verde, a Portuguese wine.
  • The two important things to remember when choosing a wine for sangria are that it needs to be dry and un-oaked, and it should not be expensive and top-of-the-line. You want the wine to be something you would drink on its own, but since you are adding juice and fruit and soda, it doesn't need to be high-end.
  • Since sangria is also made with red wine, feel free to substitute if you prefer; just keep the two rules in mind when choosing the wine.
  • You can eliminate the strawberries if you want to keep the focus on blueberries. Just increase the quantity of the blueberries.

Recipe Variations

  • This recipe calls for blueberry juice, which may be tricky to find at your local grocery store (Ocean Spray is a popular brand to look for). You can substitute grape juice if need be.
  • You can use lemonade or pink lemonade in place of the blueberry juice, though this will change the taste of the drink significantly.

Other Sangria Recipes

Once the warm weather arrives it seems only fitting to sip a cocktail that features fresh fruit. If you are a fan of sangria and are open to some non-traditional recipes, give raspberry tequila sangria a try, especially in the summer when raspberries are in season. Or this Mexican version with pineapple and cinnamon.