The Best Fruits to Add to Red, White, Rosé, and Sparkling Sangria
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Sipping sangria is one of life's simplest pleasures, and it's not only reserved for warmer weather. This classic Spanish cocktail is traditionally made with red wine and brandy, but if you aren't feeling red wine, you can still use white wine, rosé, or even sparkling wine. Then, depending on what else you put in it, you can even make sangria with fall or wintery flavors (such as this caramel apple sangria).
If you're wondering what fruit to add to sangria, the world is your oyster. There are no hard and fast rules, but you should aim to include at least two kinds of fruit in your sangria: one that's a citrus fruit and one that isn't.
The goal is to have fun and create a drink around flavors (and colors!) you enjoy. Just be sure to pick ripe fruits that taste good, and clean them well. Consider that the fruits release juices that flavor the sangria, and you want to be able to snack on those yummy, ripe chunks of fruit, as well — so this is not the place to ditch those mealy apples. (However, sangria is a great way to use wine that's gone slightly bad.)
It's recommended that you let sangria chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to two hours before enjoying, so the fruit can really soak up the alcohol and all the flavors can come together. Longer isn't necessarily better; if you let it soak for more than four hours, the fruit may get soggy and leave your sangria tasting bitter.
Ready to pick your sangria fruits? Here are some dependable fruits that will work well with sangria, so you can get your sip on.
Best Fruit For Red Wine Sangria
- Orange: This is the classic citrus fruit people add to red wine-based sangria. Orange pairs perfectly with the next go-to fruit on this list.
- Apple: For a traditional take on a red wine sangria, go with apple. Just be sure to pick a variety you enjoy eating. Cut the apple into cubes or thin slices, depending on which presentation you prefer.
- Plum: Swap apple for plum for a red wine sangria with a little twist.
Best Fruit For White Wine or Sparkling Sangria
- Peach: Slice juicy chunks of peach into white wine sangria in place of apple. It makes it super refreshing and delicious.
- Lemon: Don't have oranges in your fruit bowl? Lemon is another citrus fruit to try when preparing sangria. It pairs well with white or sparkling sangria and is perfect for warm days.
- Strawberry: Strawberries work great with a white or sparkling wine sangria.
- Pear: Pear makes another great apple swap for white sangria, and helps maintain the bright color.
- Pomegranate: During the holidays, ad pomegranate to a white wine sangria (like in this winter sangria recipe).
Best Fruit For Rosé Sangria
- Peach: That's right: peach goes well in rosé sangria, too. Just try it in this peach rosé sangria recipe, and you'll see why.
- Cherries: Chop up fresh sweet cherries to give your rosé sangria an extra pink punch.
- Raspberries: Raspberries crush easily, adding plenty of flavor and a perfectly fitting pink color to a rosé sangria.
- Blood oranges: Blood oranges add a pop of orange color and citrus flavor.
- Grapes: Halve red or purple grapes for a cotton-candy colored rosé sangria.
- Watermelon: Pink, juicy watermelon is a fitting addition to rosé sangria in summer. (Here's a whole recipe for watermelon sangria.)