Patio-Perfect Red Sangria

Patio season would not be complete without a pitcher of sangria. With this recipe, there is no need to buy an expensive bottle of red wine- you can find cheap table wines in the liquor store (typically in the “Spain/Portugal Wine” section) that will work perfectly for this recipe. After you add the fruit and liquor and let it sit for a few hours, no one will be able to taste the difference! The only thing they will taste is the sweet and fruity flavour of #PatioSeason.

Servings: 1 pitcher (6-8 servings)

Difficulty: Easy

Prep Time:  10 minutes   |   Cook Time: 0 minutes   |   Total Time: 6 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 750-ml bottle red table wine
• 1 cup Triple Sec (orange liqueur)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved (or quartered if they are large)
• 1/2 apple, thinly sliced
• 1/2 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen mixed berries (my mix has blueberries, blackberries and raspberries), plus more for serving
• 15 mint leaves, whole, plus extra for garnish
• Sparking water
• Optional: Vanilla ice cream (see my Pro Tip below)

Directions:

This recipe couldn’t get any easier. Place the red wine, Triple Sec, orange juice, strawberries, apple, orange, mixed berries and mint leaves into a large pitcher. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon, cover, and place in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. The longer the sangria sits in the refrigerator, the tastier it gets!

When you are ready to serve, give the sangria a quick stir with the wooden spoon and pour into glasses about 3/4 of the way full. Top with extra frozen berries (to keep your drink cool and to not dilute the flavour!), a sprig of mint, and a bit of sparking water.

Sip with friends and family on the patio and enjoy!

Pro Tip: A great use for leftover sangria fruit is to add it as a topping on vanilla ice cream. Trust me, it’s absolutely delicious and great for warm summer days 🙂