Easy Agua de Fresa con Chia (Strawberry Chia Drink)
I’ve taken my classic agua de fresa and loaded it with chia seeds! Now you can enjoy the benefits of vitamin C and protein, in one delicious drink.
If you’re new to the world of Mexican drinks, aguas frescas are non-alcoholic beverages typically made by blending water and sugar with seasonal fruits and vegetables. Some are also made with dry ingredients such as rice, tamarind pods, and hibiscus, which are Mexican pantry staples.
Strawberries are a favorite family fruit in our home not only because they have a lower glycemic index when compared to other fruits, but also because they’re packed with vitamin C, fiber, and antioxidants. They hold a special place in my heart because where my mom lives in Chino, California, she’s surrounded by strawberry fields, so we’re always excited to use them in recipes.
For this recipe, I’ve taken my classic strawberry agua fresca recipe and loaded it with another one of my favorite ingredients: chia seeds! This is a play on my agua de limón con chía but here, I use strawberries as the base.
INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED
Like most agua fresca recipes, the ingredients you’ll need are minimal. I make this one with fresh strawberries, water, and sugar. See the recipe card below for the full list and quantity of ingredients.
STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1. Prepare and blend strawberries
- Start by rinsing and hulling (removing the green tops) the strawberries. I usually do this with a pairing knife.
- Next, process the strawberries, sugar, and 4 cups of water in a blender on medium setting for 60 seconds.
2. Strain mixture
- Using a fine mesh sieve, strain mixture into a large pitcher.
3. Add water, chia seeds, and enjoy
- Mix in the remaining 2 cups of water and chia seeds. Chill, and enjoy over plenty of ice. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.
- PRO TIP: While this step is not necessary, I like to let my drink sit at room temperature in the pitcher for about 30 minutes before chilling it. This gives the chia seeds time to plump up.
💡GOOD TO KNOW: I typically use fresh strawberries, but frozen will also work. I also like to use pure cane sugar, simple syrup, honey, agave, or dates to sweeten my aguas frescas. Feel free to use your favorite sweetener or skip the sugar altogether. And last, but not least, agua fresca is supposed to be light in texture, like a juice. It’s not a nectar, which is why I use plenty of water to thin it out.
HOW TO STORE
Agua fresca is best served fresh. However, you can store it in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up two days.
RECOMMENDED BY LOLA FOR THIS RECIPE
Vitamix Professional-Grade Blender
I have owned a Vitamix blender for over 25 years and it is well worth the investment, especially for making aguas frescas, smoothies, and jugo verde! VIEW PRODUCT
LOOKING FOR MORE DELICIOUS MEXICAN DRINKS?
Here are a few of my favorite aguas frescas and drinks!
- Agua de Sandia con Limon
- Agua de Chayote
- Agua de Kiwi
- Agua de Sandia (Watermelon Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Tuna Verde (Green Prickly Pear Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Naranja Sanguina (Blood Orange Agua Fresca)
- Agua de Avena
- Agua de Piña (Pineapple Agua Fresca)
- Mexican Limonada (Refreshing Sparkling Limeade)
- Agua de Pepino
- Agua de Melón
- Iskiate (Hydrating Chia Drink from Born to Run Book)
- Agua de Tamarindo (Mexican Tamarind Drink)
- Agua de Fresa (Strawberry Agua Fresa), Packed with Vitamin C!
- Kumquat and Carrot Agua Fresca
- Watermelon Lime Agua Fresca
- Watermelon Agua Fresca
- Té de Limón (Lemongrass Tea)
Agua de Fresa con Chia (Strawberry Seed Chia Drink)
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries about 4 cups rinsed and hulled (frozen strawberries will also work)
- 1/4 cup sugar (or agave syrup), or to taste
- 6 cups water divided
- 4 tablespoons chia seeds
Instructions
- Start by rinsing and hulling (removing the green tops) the strawberries. I usually do this with a pairing knife. Next, process the strawberries, sugar, and 4 cups of water in a blender on medium setting for 60 seconds.
- Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pitcher. You may need to agitate the mixture to let the juice through but avoid pushing the pulp through to keep the juice light in consistency. Compost or discard the pulp.
- Mix in the remaining 2 cups of water and chia seeds. Chill, and enjoy over plenty of ice. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.PRO TIP: While this step is not necessary, I like to let my drink sit at room temperature in the pitcher for about 30 minutes before chilling it. This gives the chia seeds time to plump up.
A Note from Lola
ON SWEETENERS
- I prefer my aguas frescas to be only slightly sweetened, so feel free to adjust the level of sweetness to your liking or skip the sugar altogether.
- My preferred natural sweeteners include pure cane sugar, simple syrup, honey, agave, or dates.
ON TEXTURE
- Agua fresca is supposed to be light in texture, like a juice. It’s not a nectar, which is why I use plenty of water to thin it out.
Nutrition
Lola’s Cocina is a small business that earns various revenue streams. This includes sponsored posts and affiliate commissions from linked products, which I use and love, with no extra cost to readers. This income helps sustain the site.
Lola Wiarco Dweck
Lola is a Mexican-American recipe developer, writer, and cooking instructor who loves sharing her culture with the world. Growing up in California and spending summers in Mexico, Lola celebrates her family’s Mexican recipes and vibrant culture through Lola’s Cocina.
