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Stay hydrated with these easy infused water recipes. If you find plain ol’ H2O to be boring, consider making a pitcher of infused water that scores a hint of flavor from fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs.
The human body is about 60 percent water, and I, for one, tend not to drink enough water to stay well-hydrated! The average female is supposed to aim for around 91 ounces, while males should shoot for 125 ounces. (Yes, tea, coffee, and hydrating foods can count toward that quota.)
I used to have a habit of falling short on my daily hydration goal. Let’s face it: Plain water isn’t exactly exciting. But one trick I’ve found that actually works to motivate me to drink more water: drinking water that’s infused with fresh fruit, vegetables, and herbs.
To make any of the infused water recipes below, simply float your favorite ingredients freely in water or use an infusion pitcher.
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- The Flavor Bible is an encyclopedic listing of ingredients and the flavors that pair best with them as decided by a group of chefs. So it’s one set of opinions, but it’s a good set of opinions (at least in my opinion). If you need culinary inspiration beyond Culinary Hill, it’s a solid place to start. Citrus, berries, melons, fresh ginger, and mint are all good choices.
Do you need a water infuser pitcher?
To make infused water, I recommend using a great infuser pitcher. I tested and researched a bunch of water infuser pitchers available from top retailers and found the best one to be Hiware’s Glass Water Infuser Pitcher. The pitcher is not only stylish, but it’s the perfect size and is safe for boiling water! It’s what I use in my own kitchen, and I can’t recommend it enough. You can buy the Hiware pitcher for $24.98 on Amazon.
If you want more information about the infuser pitchers we recommend, check out our guide to the best water infuser pitchers!
Step-by-step instructions
- In a large pitcher, place the desired combination of fruit or herbs. Add ice and fill container with water.
- Add additional fruit or herbs to garnish, if desired. Remove any fruit, vegetables, or herbs after 24 hours. The infused water can be refrigerated for up to 3 more days (4 days total).
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: Each of these infused water recipes makes four 10-ounce servings of water.
- Storage: You can leave the fruits, vegetables, and fresh herbs in the water for up to 24 hours. After that, remove them and store the infused water in the refrigerator for up to 3 more days (4 days total).
- Make ahead: Infuse water the night before a party so it has plenty of time to flavor and chill the water.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You might be disappointed in the flavor, though. As the fruit infuses the water with flavor, the fruit itself has less flavor and more water, so it might taste watery and less sweet than what you’d expect.
In addition to storing infused water in the refrigerator, consider creating ice cubes using juice, lemonade, or the same (or a different!) flavor of infused water. This will keep the flavor of the infused water nice and strong.
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8 Infused Water Recipes
Equipment
- Water infuser pitcher (I own and recommend the Hiware pitcher on Amazon)
Ingredients
For All Options:
- 5 cups water
- 1 cup ice cubes optional
For Strawberry, Basil and Lemon:
- 1/2 cup strawberries stemmed and sliced, fresh or frozen
- 5 large fresh basil leaves torn
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
For Honeydew, Cucumber, and Mint:
- 1/2 cup honeydew cubes
- 1 cucumber thinly sliced
- 10 fresh mint leaves torn
Blackberries, Orange, and Ginger:
- ½ pint blackberries
- 1 orange thinly sliced
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
Blueberry, Lemon, and Rosemary:
- 1/2 pint blueberries
- 1 lemon thinly sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Pineapple, Coconut, and Lime:
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen
- 1 cup coconut chunks, fresh or frozen
- 1 lime thinly sliced
Watermelon, Kiwi, and Lime:
- 1 cup watermelon cubes
- 1 kiwi diced or cut into circles
- 1 lime sliced into circles
Grapefruit, Pomegranate, and Mint:
- 1 grapefruit thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
- 10 fresh mint leaves torn
Mango, Raspberry, and Ginger:
- 1 mango peeled and cubed
- 1/2 pint raspberries
- 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger peeled and thinly sliced
Instructions
- In a large pitcher, place the desired combination of fruit or herbs.
- Add ice and fill container with water. Add additional fruit or herbs to garnish, if desired.
Recipe Video
Notes
- The Flavor Bible is an encyclopedic listing of ingredients and the flavors that pair best with them as decided by a group of chefs. So it’s one set of opinions, but it’s a good set of opinions (at least in my opinion). If you need culinary inspiration beyond Culinary Hill, it’s a solid place to start. Citrus, berries, melons, fresh ginger, and mint are all good choices.
- Yield: Each of these infused water recipes makes four 10-ounce servings of water.
- Storage: You can leave the fruits, vegetables, and fresh herbs in the water for up to 24 hours. After that, remove them and store the infused water in the refrigerator for up to 3 more days (4 days total).
- Make ahead: Infuse water the night before a party so it has plenty of time to flavor and chill the water.
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
Meggan,
These combinations sound tasty. I checked out the pitcher, and am wondering if you could recommend something similar you tested that is not glass.
Thanks!
Diane
Hi Diane! I can! I like the Primula from Target. Here’s a post we have on several different ones, if you would like to check it out! https://www.culinaryhill.com/best-water-infuser-pitchers/ – Meggan