Blood Orange Sparkling Lime Mocktail

This blood orange drink is a sparkling mocktail featuring blood orange, lime, and agave. It’s a really refreshing non-alcoholic cocktail that we love to have whenever blood oranges are in season. If you are looking for an alcoholic blood orange drink then you might want to check out our Blood Orange Margaritas.

I have to admit, I had never tried blood oranges before this year. But after seeing them all the time at the store and hearing others always talk about them, I just had to try them and a drink recipe felt like the way to go.

When are blood oranges in season?

From what I read, the best time to find blood oranges is December through May. But there are different varieties of blood oranges so the precise time of year you are buying may determine exactly what variety you end up with. The two most popular varieties appear to be the Moro and the Tarocco with the Moro being available from December to March and the Tarocco being available from January to May.

Besides availability time, there can be flavor differences as well so I plan on experimenting with whatever varieties I can find to see if I notice a difference and have a favorite.

How to pick out a good blood orange?

Picking out quality fruit and produce is always a challenge. Nobody likes to get home and find out they wasted money on items that have gone bad.

According to Cooking Light, the best way to select a blood orange is by looking for ones that are heavy for their size and firm to the touch. But if you are from a smaller town like I am, it’s also a good idea to figure out what days they get in their new produce so that you have a better chance of having good choices.

If you want your blood oranges to last longer you can store them in the refrigerator instead of on the counter, but they are best if eaten fresh so don’t wait too long.

Making a blood orange drink

We plan on trying out blood oranges in a salad or some homemade salsa, but for our first foray into the world of blood oranges, a drink felt like they are the way to go. I really love just about any freshly squeezed citrus juice and it usually works well in a cocktail.  Oranges are also high in vitamin C and rich in antioxidants so they are a great item to have as part of your diet.

I love drink recipes because they are usually very simple to make and this blood orange drink is no different. Aside from the blood orange juice, there are just 3 additional ingredients: lime juice, agave, and sparkling lime water. And you pretty much just mix them together and stir. That’s not too hard, right?!

Of course, drink recipes are made to be tinkered with so you can always adapt and find the mix of ingredients that work for you. 😉

If you try out this blood orange drink or have one of your own that you love, we’d love to hear from you below. What’s your favorite? Do you prefer one blood orange variety over the others?

Cheers!