Easy Red Sangria Recipe
Some mixed drinks require fancy mixology equipment and cocktail ingredients, making them difficult to whip up on a whim. For those occasions when the desire for a colorful drink suddenly strikes or spontaneous guests show up at your door, an option like this easy red sangria recipe is appreciated. Plus, any boozy drink that lets us enjoy fruit as we imbibe has bonus points in our books. Not to mention, there's something to be said about the convenience of serving cocktails in a pitcher.
Recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating put together this simple concoction, but the flavors are anything but basic. She describes it as "fresh, fruity, and vibrant" and adds, "The sweet fruits and brandy pair so well with the bold red wine." With a few common fruits, red wine, brandy, and sugar, this easy sangria recipe comes together in 10 minutes. If you're hosting, you'll be back with a fresh pitcher of sangria before your guests realize you left. And if you're enjoying a lazy weekend on the porch, you'll barely miss out on the rays of sunshine.
Assemble the ingredients for the easy red sangria
For six servings of sangria, you'll need two oranges, any variety of apple that you choose, and a lemon. Then, measure out ¼ cup of sugar and ⅓ cup of brandy. Brookes notes, "White sugar works well here, [but] you could also use light brown sugar if preferred."
Make sure to chill a bottle of red wine so you can serve the sangria nice and fresh. Brookes shares, "My favorite kind of wine to use is a merlot, but you can go for whichever you prefer here." Finally, you'll need plenty of ice, so pick up a bag if your ice cube trays are running low.
Prep the fruit
Start by prepping the fruit for the sangria. Brookes explains, "Leaving the skins on the fruits helps to enrich the wine with even more zesty flavor." Since you'll keep the peels and rinds on, be sure to wash the fruits thoroughly first. Then, dice an orange along with the apple and lemon, and place the chopped fruit into a large pitcher.
Stir in the sugar and alcohol
Grab the second orange, slice it in half, and squeeze all of its juice into the pitcher. Mix in the sugar, stirring properly so that it dissolves. Then, pour the brandy and the entire bottle of wine into the pitcher as well. Using a spoon with a long handle, give the contents a good stir to combine everything.
Mix in ice and serve
Carefully dump the ice into the pitcher to avoid getting splashed, and mix the sangria again to chill the contents. Serve the sangria in tall glasses, ensuring that each portion has some fruit and ice. "Sangria pairs well with grilled meats and veggies, as well as snacks such as cheeses, cold meats, and crackers," Brookes recommends.
If you aren't serving it all at once, you can keep the sangria cool in the refrigerator. Meanwhile, if you want a head start on your party planning, Brookes comments, "you can prepare this up to 48 hours ahead and chill [it] in the fridge."
- 2 oranges
- 1 apple
- 1 lemon
- ¼ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup brandy
- 1 (750-milliliter) bottle red wine, chilled
- 2 cups ice cubes
- Dice one orange, the apple, and the lemon, leaving the skin and rinds.
- Add the fruit to a pitcher.
- Squeeze the juice from the second orange into the pitcher.
- Add the sugar and stir the contents well.
- Pour in the brandy and wine and stir.
- Add the ice and give everything a final stir, then serve.
| Calories per Serving | 206 |
| Total Fat | 0.1 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0.0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.0 |
| Cholesterol | 0.0 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 21.8 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.0 g |
| Total Sugars | 16.6 g |
| Sodium | 8.8 mg |
| Protein | 0.7 g |
