Go Back
–+ servings
Agua de Tamarindo With Lime Wheel

Easy Tamarindo Drink (Agua de Tamarindo)

Justine Drosdovech
Made with just tamarind, piloncillo, and water, this agua fresca is tart, sweet, and refreshing all at the same time. You're going to love it!
5 from 37 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Rest time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course Drinks
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Mexican, Vegan
Servings 12 servings
Calories 56 kcal

Equipment

  • Large stockpot
  • Blender
  • Mesh Strainer
  • Pitcher or large mason jar

Ingredients
 

US Customary - Metric
  • 18 dried tamarind pods
  • 12 cups water
  • ¾ cup grated piloncillo

For serving

  • Lime wedges
  • Ice

Instructions
 

  • Remove the outer shell from the tamarind pods and as many fibrous strings as you can manage. Note: It's easiest to pull the fibers from one end downwards along the length of the pod.
  • Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a large pot. Once boiling, add in the peeled tamarind pods. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off, then let the water cool to room temperature for about 1 hour.
  • Once the water has cooled, separate the sticky paste from the seeds in the pot. Discard the hard seeds and any more strings you can see.
  • Transfer the tamarind mixture to a blender with ½ the piloncillo. Blend on high until smooth, then taste and add the rest of the sweetener if it needs.
  • Work the tamarind mixture through a mesh strainer over a pitcher or large jar. Mix in the rest of the water to your liking, then let chill for a few hours or serve immediately over ice with a lime wedge. Happy drinking!

Notes

Lightly sweeten the drink: Tamarindo is quite tart, but don't go overboard with sweetening it. Start with less piloncillo and slowly increase it until it tastes just right.
Simmer, don't boil: Simmer the tamarind pods gently to avoid breaking them down too much, which can make straining more difficult.
Cool before handling: Allow the boiled tamarind mixture to cool to room temperature for easier handling and pulp extraction.
The cooling period softens the tamarind pods, making it easier to remove the seeds.
Gently squeezing the tamarind pods with your fingers helps to extract as much pulp as possible while removing the seeds and remaining fibers.
You can adjust the amount of water depending on how strong or mild you prefer your tamarindo drink. Start with less and increase it gradually.
Nutritional information is a rough estimate and should not be taken as health advice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 56kcal | Carbohydrates: 13.6g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 12.2mg | Potassium: 9.4mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 13.3g | Vitamin A: 0.5IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 12.4mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Don't miss another recipe!Subscribe to our newsletter!