Spicy Pineapple-Cucumber Sangrita Recipe

Combine cooling cucumber with tangy pineapple to make this tropical version of sangrita, a traditional accompaniment to good sipping tequila.

By
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Daniel Gritzer
Senior Culinary 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 May. 02, 2019
20160420-sangrita-vicky-wasik-4.jpg
Vicky Wasik

Why It Works

  • Pineapple, a fruit often sold dusted with chili powder by Mexican vendors, pairs well with the spicy Pequin chili powder in the sangrita.
  • The cooling effect of the cucumber juice helps bring the sangrita into balance.

For this sangrita, a refreshing accompaniment to tequila, we combine tropical pineapple juice with just a hint of cooling cucumber, then heat things up with a dash of chili powder. Serve it alongside a high-quality silver tequila.

Recipe Facts

Active: 5 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serves: 1 serving

Rate & Comment

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce (30ml) fresh pineapple juice (see note)
  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) fresh juice from 2 limes
  • 1/4 ounce (7ml) fresh cucumber juice (see note)
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar
  • Pinch Pequin chili powder (you can substitute cayenne or another hot red chili powder)
  • Kosher salt

Directions

  1. In a small bowl, combine pineapple juice, lime juice, cucumber juice, sugar, and chili powder. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Season very lightly with salt. Taste and adjust ingredients as 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.

Special equipment

Juicer, or blender and fine-mesh strainer (see note)

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.

If you don't own a juicer, you can blend peeled pineapple and cucumber separately in a blender, then fine-strain out the pulp to make juice; skim pineapple juice of any foam.

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