If you’re searching for refreshing cocktail recipe to recreate at home, then consider to try this Olive Garden watermelon sangria copycat recipe. While it is true that most people think wine is the perfect beverage to enjoy anytime, nothing represents summer better than sangria, with its light, sweet, and fruity flavors to quench the thirst during heated days. This cocktail is perfect to serve on gathering party, on a regular meeting with your friends, or just when you need to wind up by yourself at the end of the day.
Olive Garden is a restaurant chain that’s popular for its salad and breadstick. However, the fruity and tasty watermelon sangria at Olive Garden also deserves its spotlight. If you aren’t familiar with sangria, this punch beverage is made with fruit, wine, and occasionally extra alcohol or spirits. It is rooted in Spain, but has become famous all over the world.
This recipe is most ideal to recreate when fresh watermelon is in season, because while you don’t need to squeeze fresh watermelon syrup, you may want to add fresh slices of watermelon – along with fresh orange and strawberry slices as served at Olive Garden.
Ingredients:
- 750 ml or 3 cups Moscato
- 6 oz. Ginger Ale
- 6 oz. watermelon syrup
- 1 orange, sliced
- 3/4 cups strawberries, sliced
- 4 cups ice cubes
- Watermelon slices, optional
Instructions:
- Clean the fruit slices under running water.
- Put the Moscato in a large-sized pitcher.
- Put the watermelon syrup and Ginger Ale into the pitcher and then gently stir.
- Add ice cubes into the pitcher and then gently stir.
- Put the fruit slices.
- If desired, serve the cocktail with slices of watermelon.
The original Olive Garden watermelon sangria uses Italian brand of Moscato sparkling wine, Castello del Poggio, which has peach, white flower, and musk tasting notes. However, you can use whichever Moscato of your choice, since its tasting notes will be muted by the watermelon syrup and the Ginger Ale anyway. It is also easy to modify the recipe above to be non-alcoholic beverage, if you want to serve it for crowds younger than 21 or during baby showers. Simply don’t use the Moscato.
The cold sangria is the most perfect to drink during very hot days. The best part about this Olive Garden watermelon sangria recipe is you don’t have to step even a foot outside to the restaurant just to enjoy a glass of it.
