Learn how to make sangria with this easy recipe! This wine punch is cool, refreshing, and serves a crowd, so it’s perfect for summer entertaining.
This red sangria recipe is perfect for summer entertaining! It’s cool, fruity, and refreshing (and it makes a whole pitcher). As cocktails go, it’s inexpensive and easy to make. What better drink to share with friends on a hot day?
What is sangria?
Sangria is a Spanish wine punch. Its origins aren’t entirely clear, but it likely evolved from a mixture of water, wine, sugar, and spices that the early Greeks and Romans drank. They added wine to their water to make the water safe to drink.
Since then, wine drinks similar to sangria have popped up all over Europe (think mulled wine!), but today, Spain and Portugal are the only European countries legally permitted to market sangria.
Though there’s no one definitive Spanish sangria recipe, the traditional ingredients include red wine, brandy or orange liqueur, sugar, fresh fruit, and sometimes soda water. Keep reading to learn what I use in mine!
Red Sangria Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy sangria recipe:
- Red wine – I use a Spanish red wine such as Tempranillo or Garnacha. Read more about the best wine for sangria in the callout below.
- Fresh fruit – Oranges, apples, and lemons are the fruits most commonly added to classic red sangria. I sometimes use lime instead of lemon, and I always add fresh raspberries for extra sweetness.
- Liquor – Brandy is most traditional, but orange liqueur like Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or triple sec is another great option. Add less or more depending on how strong you want the cocktail to be.
- Orange juice – Instead of adding a sweetener like brown sugar or maple syrup, I sweeten this recipe naturally with orange juice. I love its citrusy flavor with the wine.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
What is the best wine for sangria?
These days, you’ll often see sangria made with white wine or rosé, but dry red wine is most traditional. I like to use a Spanish red such as Garnacha or Tempranillo.
It shouldn’t be expensive. Because you’re adding so many other ingredients to the wine, you won’t taste its nuances. An affordable bottle with a good flavor makes a great base for this recipe!
How to Make Sangria
This red sangria recipe is SO simple to make! Here’s how it goes:
First, prep the fruit. Thinly slice the orange, and then cut those slices into quarters. Chop the apple, and thinly slice the lemon or lime. Add this fruit to a large pitcher along with the raspberries.
Next, add the wine, brandy or orange liqueur, and orange juice. Stir to combine.
Finally, chill. Pop the pitcher in the fridge to chill overnight.
Serve in glasses with ice. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skimp on the chilling time. By chilling the sangria, you give the fresh fruits a chance to infuse the wine with sweet, fresh flavor. If you cut this time short, the punch won’t taste as fruity or as balanced. I let mine chill for at least 8 hours before serving, or overnight for the best flavor.
- Taste and adjust. Whenever you’re making a cocktail at home, be sure to taste and adjust it to your liking. If you want this recipe to be sweeter, add an extra splash of orange juice or a little maple syrup. Like it stronger? Stir in more Cointreau. Have fun finding a balance of flavors you love.
- Change it up! This recipe is great as-written, but feel free to play with it. If you like your sangria to be bubbly, top it off with club soda after it chills. Replace the raspberries or apples with another seasonal fruit like strawberries or pears. Or, for a spiced-up variation, toss a cinnamon stick into the pitcher before you chill it. Let me know what variations you try!
More Favorite Summer Drinks
If you love this recipe, try one of these refreshing summer cocktails next:
Red Sangria
Serves 8
Learn how to make red sangria at home! This Spanish wine punch is perfect for entertaining. Mix it up before a gathering and pop it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
- 1 Granny Smith or other green apple, cored and chopped
- 1 orange, thinly sliced, then sliced into quarters
- 1 lemon or lime, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup raspberries or sliced strawberries
- 1 (750 mL) bottle Tempranillo, Garnacha, or Rioja wine
- ½ cup orange juice
- ¼ to ½ cup Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or brandy
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Place the apple, orange, lime, and raspberries in a large pitcher. Pour in the wine, orange juice, and Cointreau and stir. Chill overnight (I like to chill mine for 24 hours for optimal fruit-infused flavor).
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Serve in glasses filled with ice.
