A drink that is delicious, sweet yet tart, easy to make and striking pink in color. This Prickly Pear Lemonade is perfect to add some desert flair to summer!
Summer is the perfect time to enjoy drinks. Water based like lemonade, lemongrass ginger cooler and mixed fruit cocktail juice to the milky Boba Tea, Thandai and so on.
These drinks are easy to make, generally made with different fruits and super flavorful. They are great for summer parties, birthdays or just brunch with family. They pair brilliantly with so many grilled recipes and summer recipes.
From all the different drinks, everyone has a favorite. A lot of folks including me love Prickly Pear drinks. They have a striking color, a sweet yet tart taste and is super refreshing through summer. For all those unfamiliar with this fruit; read on and you will know what is so special about it!
Jump to:
What is Prickly Pear
Prickly Pears are the fruits of the Nopales Cactus. This is predominant in Southwest America between Southern California and Central Texas.
These are strikingly bright in color and their taste is somewhat a cross of watermelon and bubble gum.
These are harvested through the summer months and make a lot of delicious recipes. They are perfect for drinks, desserts, sauces or other recipes
Prickly pears are popularly known as 'tunas' in Spanish or figure de Barbary in French.
They are somewhat uncommon in markets so whenever you spot some, pick a few. They are more likely to be found in Mexican stores and markets than other places.
How to use Prickly Pears
Prickly Pears are from the cactus plant and tend to have a lot of razor sharp thorns and fine glochids on them.
Both of these tend to be super sharp and not bets to get into the skin. So often it is better to work with a pair of tongs or use a pair of gloves to work.
We do not wash or clean the prickly pears as the flesh we use is deep inside. I like to simply slice the pear into half, scoop the flesh and get going with the recipe.
They have a ton of seeds which I am told are edible (fibre after all). But I remove all the seeds before using them for the syrup. But this step is optional.
Purée or use the prickly pear cubes as desired. It is also great to enjoy it straight from the fruit using a spoon.
What does Prickly Pear taste like
Those who have tasted prickly pear often describe it as a cross between watermelon and bubble gum. A mild tasting fruit, prickly pear does not have either of the tastes overpowering the other.
Prickly pears have a ton of health benefits. They are rich in vitamins and nutrients and they have been used for so many health conditions. They are linked to reducing diabetes, maintaining cholesterol levels and possibly even curing brutal hangovers.
Why this recipe works
- This recipe needs only four ingredients including water. A rather simple lis of ingredients; we only need to find the right prickly pears. Rest of the ingredients are quick and easy to find in any pantry.
- This drink has the perfect chic color and flavor. It is striking pink in color and works well for summer parties and themed parties.
- We can easily prepare this drink up to a day ahead. It stays well in the refrigerator and can be served at the party.
- We do not cook anything to make this recipe and kids can help in the process too. Except blending, they can do everything else with adults.
- While this is a non-alcoholic recipe, spike it with alcohol for a delicious cocktail.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Prickly Pears: These are the prime ingredient in the recipe. We use the ripe fruit from the Nopal cactus to make this prickly pear lemonade. To make 3 glasses we need two medium size pears. Make sure they are ripe else they will not be deep pink and neither will they be sweet. If fresh pears are unavailable, use frozen purée.
- Lemon: The lemonade will have a lot of lemons for sure. Fresh lemons work the best. However, substitute with limes if they are unavailable. Canned or bottled lemon juice should be the last resort if both fresh lemons and limes are unavailable.
- Sugar: As the lemons are sour and the pears are not generally sweet enough to balance this, we add some sugar to the drink. Jaggery powder, coconut sugar or honey works too.
- Water: I like to use water to make this lemonade. Chilled water is the best. However, use sparkling water or even something like Sprite if you like. They work well too.
- Mint: Top the lemonade with mint leaves for a pop of color, flavor and beauty.
- The recipe can spiked with Vodka, Tequila or Cointreau for an alcoholic drink.
See the recipe card for detailed ingredient information, measurements and nutrition.
How to make this recipe
1- Divide the prickly pears into half.
2- Using a spoon scoop out the flesh and add to a blender jar.
3- Then add sugar to the jar.
4- Blend well till smooth.
Pro Tip: Do not blend a high speed blender at full speed; this tends to crush the seeds which we do not want.
5- Transfer the purée to a bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
6- Then add lemon juice to the juice and mix well.
7- In a jar add this mix and then top with water or sparkling water and mix well.
8- In a glass add lemon slices and ice. Pour the prepared lemonade and top with mint leaves; enjoy the drink!
Expert Tips and Notes
- Choose ripe and slightly soft prickly pears for the recipe. They tend to be slightly sweet and deep pink in color. Raw ones are pale and bland.
- Use gloves to work with prickly pears if needed. The spines tend to be tiny but sharp.
- Pass the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. They tend to be unappetizing in a drink.
- Make the lemonade before hand if needed. Store in the refrigerator till ready to serve. Do not add the ice while storing. This is because melting ice will dilute the drink as it stands.
- The fresh prickly pears can be substituted with frozen pears. Moreover, if that is not available, substitute with frozen pitaya. That works really well too.
Recipe FAQs
We use prickly pears, lemons, sugar and water for the recipe. However, adding sparkling water works for the recipe too.
Prickly pears have a ton of health benefits. They are rich in vitamins and nutrients and they have been used for so many health conditions. They are linked to reducing diabetes, maintaining cholesterol levels and possibly even curing brutal hangovers.
Yes for sure. Make the syrup or simply make the lemonade ahead of time. It can be refrigerated and enjoyed up to 1-2 days. Add ice just before serving to avoid diluting the drink.
More Summer Drinks
I love seeing when you share my recipes!
Tag me on Instagram @herbivorecucina or mention #herbivorecucina so I can enjoy them virtually with you! You can also find me on Pinterest, Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube.
Prickly Pear Lemonade
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 prickly pears
- 1 lemon (juiced)
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 3 cups water (cold)
- 4-5 sprigs mint
Instructions
- Divide the prickly pears into half.
- Using a spoon scoop out the flesh and add to a blender jar.
- Add sugar to the jar.
- Blend well till smooth.
- Transfer the purée to a bowl using a fine mesh strainer.
- Add lemon juice to the juice and mix well.
- In a jar add this mix. Top with water or sparkling water and mix well.
- In a glass add lemon slices and ice. Pour the prepared lemonade and top with mint leaves. Enjoy the drink!
Video
Notes
- Choose ripe and slightly soft prickly pears for the recipe. They tend to be slightly sweet and deep pink in color. Raw ones are pale and bland.
- Use gloves to work with prickly pears if needed. The spines tend to be tiny but sharp.
- Pass the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. They tend to be unappetizing in a drink.
- Make the lemonade before hand if needed. Store in the refrigerator till ready to serve. Do not add the ice while storing. The melting ice will dilute the drink as it stands.
- The fresh prickly pears can be substituted with frozen pears. Moreover, if that is not available, substitute with frozen pitaya. That works really well too.
Leave a Reply