Cold sangria is a perfect drink for warm summer evenings, while hot sangria helps warm up cold winter evenings. With its rich and complex combination of fruit, wine and liqueur, it is delicious any time of the year! It goes well with seafood, spicy dishes, fruit, cheese platters and even desserts.
Steps
Part 1 of 5: Serve the Sangria Cold
Step 1. Serve the sangria from a pitcher or punch bowl
Choose a clear container to create an aesthetically pleasing effect. It should also be large enough to hold an entire bottle of wine and allow 8 drinks to be served. Pour the drink into glasses directly from the pitcher, or take it out with a ladle if you are using a punch bowl.
Since fruit can clog the spout, it is preferable to avoid drink dispensers
Step 2. Let it rest for a few hours before serving
Once the sangria is made, do not serve it immediately. Let it sit for 4 hours or overnight so that the fruit can fully absorb the flavor.
Step 3. Serve the sangria cold or with ice
Sangria should be tasted cold, so let it rest in the fridge in the container you will use to serve it. You can also put ice in the glasses and then pour the drink over them.
Step 4. Decorate the rim of the glass with sugar or spices
Dip the rim of a glass into a shallow bowl filled with water. Then, while it's wet, dip it into a shallow bowl filled with sugar or spices that go well with the flavors of the sangria. Fill the glass with sangria and serve it.
Here are some spices you could use to decorate glasses: cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cocoa powder, or a mixture
Step 5. Garnish the sangria with a fruit or herb
Skewer cherries, cranberries or raspberries with a decorated toothpick and place it on top of each glass. You could also garnish the glasses with citrus slices, frozen blueberries, or a sprig of mint.
Part 2 of 5: Serve the Sangria Hot
Step 1. Serve the sangria hot from a regular or slow cooker
The best way to keep it warm all evening is to let it simmer in a slow cooker. You could also simmer it in a large pot on the stove if you don't have a slow cooker.
Step 2. Serve the hot sangria in heat-resistant glass mugs
Instead of wine glasses, use cups to serve hot sangria. Not only do they keep it warm more efficiently than thin glass tumblers, they also have a handle that is comfortable to grab without risking burns.
Boiling sangria may cause thin glass glasses to crack, so avoid them for serving
Step 3. Let the hot sangria simmer for 20-30 minutes before serving
It is an important step, as all the spices and aromas must blend in the best possible way. Although it can be heated quickly and served, letting it simmer for longer helps to achieve a more complex and nuanced flavor. Just be sure to turn the heat or pressure cooker to low.
Step 4. Garnish the drink with fruit and a cinnamon stick
Cinnamon sticks are perfect for garnishing a hot and spicy sangria, not to mention they are very handy for stirring it up. Insert a stick into each cup before serving. Place a slice of apple or orange on the rim of the cup, or sprinkle a handful of fresh cranberries on the surface of the liquid.
Part 3 of 5: Making the Cold Sangria
Step 1. First buy a bottle of wine
Sangria can be made with a red, rosé or white wine, but you don't need an expensive product to get a good result. A complex and expensive wine can even dull the taste of fruit and spices, so choose a simple and relatively inexpensive one.
This recipe allows you to prepare 8 servings
Step 2. Choose a liqueur and add 120ml
You can choose a brandy or a fruity liqueur. You can also use 60 ml of brandy and 60 ml of a fruity liqueur, for example based on orange, pear or cherry. Choose an aroma that you believe will go well with the wine you have decided to use.
For example, if you have chosen a wine with cherry notes, choose a cherry liqueur. Instead, choose an orange liqueur if the wine has citrus notes
Step 3. Cut 350-530g of fruit
Choose at least one citrus and one fruit that goes well with the notes of the wine and liqueur you have decided to use. As for citrus, oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit are good options. Cherries, plums, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries are instead perfect in the choice of the second fruit, especially with red wines. Use peaches, apples, or pears if you made the sangria with white wine.
Mix the fruit as you wish. You can also choose different types of fruit. If desired, you can use more than 350-530g or less
Step 4. Mix the wine, liqueur and fruit, then move the sangria to the refrigerator
Put the chopped fruit, wine, and liqueur in a pitcher or bowl. Stir well to mix the ingredients, then move them to the refrigerator. Let it sit for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Step 5. Add some fruit juice or syrup if you prefer
Once the sangria is cold, try it. Add some fruit juice or a simple sugar syrup if you prefer it sweeter. Start by adding a small amount of syrup or fruit juice and mix well. Taste the drink again and incorporate more if you want.
The sweetener and sparkling water can be replaced with a carbonated drink such as Sprite
Step 6. Add some soda water
Sparkling water should be the last ingredient to incorporate, as refrigeration removes the gas. Just before serving the sangria, pour 1 cup (250 ml) of carbonated water into the pitcher. Alternatively, pour the sangria into glasses and then add the water separately.
You can use natural or flavored carbonated water
Part 4 of 5: Making the Hot Sangria
Step 1. Pour a bottle of red wine into a slow cooker
Red wine is best for making hot sangria, so avoid using a white one for this recipe. Choose a wine with fruity notes so that it goes well with fruit. Pour the entire bottle into a large pot or slow cooker.
This recipe makes for 8 servings
Step 2. Add 3 cups (700ml) of cider or juice and 120ml of liqueur
You can use apple cider and rum, or cranberry or orange juice and brandy. Adjust the doses of cider (or juice) and liqueur according to the alcohol content you want to achieve. Pour the cider (or juice) and liqueur into the pot to mix with the wine.
Step 3. Sweeten the sangria with honey or sugar if desired
Pour 60ml of honey into the pot in case you want to make it sweeter. Alternatively, you can use 3 tablespoons (45 g) of sugar.
Step 4. Add some spices to intensify the flavor
You can use 2 or 3 cinnamon sticks, 4-6 whole cloves, 1-2 teaspoons (6-12 g) of nutmeg and a pinch of star anise. Mix the spices as you like or alternatively add 2-3 tablespoons (1-1.5 g) of mulled wine spices. Pour the spices into the pot, mix everything well.
Step 5. Place the sliced fruit in the pot
Choose at least one citrus fruit (like orange or lemon) and a different fruit (like cranberries or apples). Add 1 cup (130 g) of chopped fruit.
Step 6. Cook the mixture for at least 20-30 minutes
Turn on the gas or slow cooker, set the temperature to low and let the mixture simmer. Stir it from time to time to better blend the various flavors. Let it simmer to a minimum, stirring it occasionally to keep it warm throughout the evening.
Try not to boil it, or the sangria will become sticky
Part 5 of 5: Pairing Sangria with Food
Step 1. Serve the red wine sangria with a spicy dish
The rich and fruity notes of red wine sangria create a perfect balance with spicy dishes. Serve it with chorizo, albóndigas or chilaquiless. The sweet taste of sangria will balance with the spicy notes of these dishes.
Step 2. Serve the white wine sangria with seafood
Seafood goes well with the sweet and refreshing notes of white wine sangria. Serve it with squid, scallops or mussels.
Step 3. Serve the rosé wine sangria with fruit and a cheese platter
Choose fruit that goes well with the one you used for the sangria, such as pears, figs, apples or strawberries. As for cheeses, opt for brie, roquefort, gorgonzola or goat cheese. Don't forget to bring some crackers to the table as well.
Step 4. Try hot sangria with mole sauce
The spices and intense notes of hot sangria go well with rich and spicy foods such as mole sauce. The pepper and chocolate mole is excellent to accompany a hot sangria prepared with red wine and oranges.
Step 5. Serve the sangria with a dessert
Having sweet notes, sangria is excellent to accompany a dessert. Fruity desserts, such as berry tarts, baked apples or pears in Burgundy wine, are perfect.
