Classic Sangrita With Orange Juice, Pomegranate, and Chile Recipe

Chase your tequila the classic, grown-up way—with this fruity, spicy sangrita made of pomegranate, lime, and orange juice.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Editorial Director
Daniel joined the Serious Eats culinary team in 2014 and writes recipes, equipment reviews, articles on cooking techniques. Prior to that he was a food editor at Food & Wine magazine, and the staff writer for Time Out New York's restaurant and bars section.
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Updated August 05, 2024
20160420-sangrita-vicky-wasik-2.jpg
Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Mixing orange and lime juices approximates the sour orange that flavored the original sangrita.
  • Pomegranate juice gives the sangrita its vibrant color and a touch of sweetness.

Chasing a shot of tequila with lime is routine. But if you have good tequila, the best way to enjoy it is not as a shot, but sipped with sangrita—a bright, tart, spicy fruit drink—on the side.

This one, based on a recipe by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, is closer to the original version, which was made with sour oranges. A combination of lime and orange juices stands in for sour orange here, while pomegranate juice adds sweetness and color. Serve it with a high-quality sipping tequila.

Recipe Details

Classic Sangrita With Orange Juice, Pomegranate, and Chile Recipe

Prep 5 mins
Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce (30ml) fresh juice from 1 orange

  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) fresh juice from 2 limes

  • 1/2 ounce (15ml) fresh or from-concentrate pomegranate juice

  • 1/2 tablespoon (6g) sugar

  • Pinch Pequin chile powder (you can substitute cayenne or another hot red chile powder)

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine orange juice, lime juice, pomegranate juice, sugar, and chile powder and stir until sugar is dissolved. Taste and adjust lime, sugar, chile powder, or other ingredients if desired. Chill in the refrigerator or by stirring with ice briefly and then straining. Serve in a shot glass alongside a good-quality silver tequila.

Notes

The quantities here are for 1 shot of sangrita; multiply the ingredients to make more servings at once. Fresh fruit juices can vary significantly in terms of flavor, sweetness, and tartness, so don't just follow the recipe blindly: Make sure to taste the sangrita and adjust to get the balance just right.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
51Calories
0gFat
13gCarbs
0gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories51
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 2mg0%
Total Carbohydrate 13g5%
Dietary Fiber 0g1%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 22mg110%
Calcium 8mg1%
Iron 0mg1%
Potassium 123mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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