This Sangria Recipe is made with only 6 ingredients including diced apples, oranges and Spanish red wine and is the easiest red sangria ever! It’s perfect for entertaining and easily customizable with your favorite fruits and wine.
‘Tis the season for making big pitchers of delicious and refreshing sangria! Whether you’re looking to enjoy a glass on a relaxing warm weathered weekend or at a fun party or get together, this red sangria recipe is a crowd pleaser.
I’ve always had a special love of drinks with chunks of fruit it them (like my family’s Mexican Ponche). I love going in with a spoon, scooping out a chunk of fruit and biting into it so that it releases all the juices it’s soaked up. It’s like a drink and a snack in one! And this sangria is no different. There’s plenty of fruit to serve with each glass and the longer you let it sit in the liquid, the more it absorbs all the great flavors.
What is sangria?
Sangria is an alcoholic wine drink originating from Spain and traditionally made with red wine, chopped fruits and brandy or orange juice. More modern versions of the drink are made with white wine as well as sparkling water and sweeteners.
Customize it with different fruits
For this recipe, I used the fruits used in traditional sangria – apples and oranges – but you could use other fruits that are in season. Here are a few that would go really well with the recipe:
- strawberries
- limes
- pears
- plums
The sky’s the limit! I’ve even seen a few recipes that have a cinnamon stick thrown in there, and that sounds absolutely delicious to me. My recommendation is to follow the recipe instructions as written and then tweak it from there to fit your personal preferences.
Once you’ve got your fruits, the next question you’re probably wondering is…
What wine is best for red sangria?
A medium bodied Spanish red wine like a Tempranillo or Garancha makes for a delicious red sangria. You want a fruity red wine that’s lower in tannins and fairly inexpensive. Of course you want to make sure the wine you use for sangria is actually something you’d drink by itself, but there’s no need to spend $30 on a bottle. Something in the $10 to $15 price range will work just fine.
How to make sangria
- Add diced apples, oranges and lemon juice to a large pitcher. Stir to combine.
- Add red wine, brandy and orange juice and stir all the ingredients together.
- Refrigerate sangria for 3 to 4 hours, up to overnight, before serving.
- Serve sangria over a glass of ice. Top with sparkling water, if desired.
As with most good things in life, patience is key. I find that the longer the sangria can rest in the fridge (up to overnight), the better the flavor. It really allows the juices from the fruit to meld with the wine and brandy, resulting in a smooth and balanced sangria. The least amount of time I recommend letting it rest is 3 to 4 hours.
I hope you like this red sangria recipe as much as I do! If you’re looking for more refreshing drink recipes, here’s a few you may like:
Ingredients
- 2 apples, diced into chunks
- 1 orange, rind removed and diced into chunks
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1 lemon, juiced)
- 1 750ml standard bottle medium-bodied red Spanish wine, like Garnacha or Tempranillo
- 1/4 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- sparkling water, to serve *optional*
Instructions
- Place all the ingredients, except the sparkling water, in a large pitcher and stir to combine.
- Refrigerate sangria for 3 to 4 hours, up to overnight, before serving.
- When ready to serve, give the sangria one last stir and pour over a glass of ice. Top with sparkling water for some bubbles if desired.
Isabel’s Tips:
Nutrition Information
I don’t drink any alcoholic. It sound good and wonder if i can use grape or any juice instead of wine?
Hi Jolynn! Yes, you can!
Awesome site love the layout.
Do you have a newsletter we cen subscribe to
Hi Vincent! Yes on the website there is a place for you to drop your name and email to subscribe to our newsletter.
Super easy and yummy sangria! We enjoy making this version in my house. Thank you!
We used a reserva rioja and added cherry brandy instead (all we had) it was delicious ! Thank you for the recipe!
What kind of apples would you recommend??
Hi AJ! You can really use any apples, just depends on your preference! If you have a sweeter wine, you can balance it with tangier apples like Granny Smith, or if you want it to be sweeter you can use honey crisp.
thank you, I haven’t had sangria in a long time but love all of the flavors, so thank you for this reminder and recipe!
I tried your recipe and it is really easy to make. Thank you it was awesome.
Thanks, Ema! I’m so happy you liked it.
Easy to make, great taste. Thank You Isabel.