Honeydew Mint Cooler

Aug 2, 2019 · 30 Comments

You just need 4 simple ingredients to make this easy Honeydew Mint Cooler. Juicy melon, zippy herbs and a bit of citrus are blended, iced and topped with bubbles for a refreshing summer drink.

This homemade summer drink is perfect for kids and adults alike.

And with no added sugar, it’s also vegan, Paleo and Whole30-friendly!

a green mocktail in 2 tall glasses topped with mint sprigs

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Why this recipe works

I know, I know: isn’t honeydew what we skip over in the fruit bowl when trying to find the grapes and blueberries? It is!

But fresh honeydew is a whole different story. Subtly sweet, fragrant and juicy, it’s great straight up or in sweet or even savory dishes. It’s the perfect base for this healthy summer drink.

And by not needing any extra sugar, honey or simple syrup, we’re letting the natural sweetness and flavors of the ingredients shine. We’re just using whole, wholesome ingredients.

The mint and lime juice add fresh flavors and the soda water lightens everything up so you don’t feel like you’re just drinking a honeydew smoothie.

What you need

Ingredients:

4 cups / approx. 1¼ pounds fresh honeydew (weight does not include the rind)
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
4 teaspoons lime juice
soda water
water
ice

Equipment:

a blender
measuring cups
measuring spoons
a cutting board
chef’s knife (unless you buy pre-cut honeydew)

Buying and Preparing Honeydew*

Whether at the farmers market or grocery store, you’re looking for honeydew with smooth, unblemished (as much as possible) rind and it should be heavy for its size.

They vary in size – some are surprisingly small, some are large. They might look intimidating to cut into but have no fear! These aren’t hard squashes like butternut or acorn. Honeydew are actually pretty soft so a large, sturdy knife shouldn’t have a problem slicing through.

Once you cut it in half, scoop out and discard the seeds.

Some markets and stores sell melons already halved or quartered and wrapped in plastic. This is fine (and convenient) but it won’t taste as fresh as a newly sliced fruit.

*Oh man, we’re going to say the word “honeydew” so many times it’s going to start sounding weird and meaningless, aren’t we? Did it already happen? Wait, did this footnote just do it? It did, didn’t it? Stupid footnote.

How to make this Honeydew Mint Cooler

Step 1: Add 6 tablespoons water (¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons), the honeydew, mint and lime juice to a blender. Blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the jar if necessary. Once you think it’s smooth, blend another 30 seconds just to make sure.

Step 2: Fill 4 glasses with ice and pour in the honeydew mixture. Top each glass with 1 oz. soda water.

Substitutions and variations

If you don’t see any honeydew but you do see some fresh cantaloupe or watermelon that’s calling your name, go for it. The amounts and directions won’t change.

Basil is almost always a good substitute for mint, which makes sense as basil is actually a kind of mint.

And the lime juice can easily be swapped out for lemon. It’s not a dominating flavor, just a bit of citrus to perk up the flavors and round out the sweetness.

Orange juice would probably also be fine but now we’re getting kinda crazy so let’s calm down, shall we?

And honestly, part of me used lime just to keep the green theme going with the ingredients.

What can I say? Green is my favorite color and I like monochromatic recipes, like my Purple Soup. Ergo: lime it is.

How to serve this Honeydew Mint Cooler

This summer mocktail would be perfect for brunch, a picnic or when relaxing on the patio.

Pour the blended part into a thermos, bring along some chilled soda water, and enjoy at the beach.

If you want a summer party in your mouth, drink it alongside this Strawberry, Cucumber and Arugula Salad with Poppy Seed Yogurt Dressing. Or gulp it down while grilling up this Grilled Italian Platter.

And no one’s going to stop you if you want to add some vodka, gin (ooh, gin would be really good here) or silver tequila. So now you have a great new mixer for your summer cocktail party.

Sip it while nibbling on this Grilled Avocado Hummus or Bacon Pineapple Guacamole.

OK, I backed off saying honeydew for a while there. Is it back to normal? Does it sound like a regular word again? Or did I just screw it up? I did, didn’t I? I’ll just stop. Go make this Honeydew Mint Cooler and try not to think of the word “honeydew.” Doh! Just did it again!

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