Perfect for entertaining, this festive easy Sangria Recipe with Wild Blueberries, Oranges and Thyme takes just minutes to make and is delicious anytime of year.
Sangria is actually making a big comeback as the new “it” drink too. And for good reason! A large glass jar filled with wine and bobbing fruit always makes a beautiful presentation, its such an easy-to-sip beverage and you can always dilute with club soda if you have guests who want to keep their alcohol consumption down.
I came up with the easy sangria recipe below when I needed a simple but splashy beverage for a luncheon I hosted at our house. The event was a mini DG reunion for my moms sorority sisters from the University of Florida and the sangria was a huge hit with the Gator ladies!
Although it was a casual, outdoor luncheon (see photo to the left), there’s no reason not to serve sangria at an evening dinner too. In fact, its hard to imagine an event where sangria would not be welcome. And it pairs beautifully with a wide assortment of food too, I should add.
Please Do Not Add Sugar to Your Sangria
Whether you are into clean eating or not, modern Sangria is nothing like the sugar-laden recipes popular in suburban America in the 50’s and 60’s. Sticky sweet sangria is just not the way to go these days. Hip Sangria chefs, such as Jose Andres, are relying more on fruit, spices and herbs rather than sugar to make a better, and cleaner sangria. And that’s exactly what I have done with my sangria recipe too.
The Secret to Sangria
Sangria really is incredibly easy to make and the variations are endless. The only thing you need to keep in mind is that it should be made a good 12 hours in advance. A lot of recipes online will suggest making sangria 4 hours in advance, but I’ve found that just isn’t enough time for the flavors to really deepen and develop. Everything needs to hang out for a good 12 hours or more if you want a flavor-rich sangria.
Can Clean Food & Wine Go Hand In Hand?
Anytime I mention I am having wine on social media we always get a number of questions asking if clean eating and wine can in fact go hand in hand. Of course moderation is key, but the research on the health benefits of wine is pretty impressive. Click HERE to read more about our stance on wine.
Clean and Easy Sangria Recipe
PrintEasy Sangria Recipe with Wild Blueberries
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1 bottle dry white wine
- 2 cups frozen wild blueberries
- 1 orange (peeled and chopped)
- 1/2 cup cognac (or brandy)
- Juice from 1 whole lemon
- 2 oranges (sliced into thin rounds)
- 7 fresh thyme sprigs (plus more for garnish)
Instructions
- In a blender, add the wine, frozen blueberries and chopped oranges. Process until smooth. Pour the mixture into a glass beverage dispenser (see photo above) or punch bowl.
- Pour in the cognac (or brandy) and lemon juice. Add the orange slices and thyme. Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving. Serve chilled with a fresh thyme sprig.
Notes
If you are having a party, this sangria recipe can be made up to 2 days in advance.
Minica says
I love this! I’m not a fan of thyme in my drink (I had it recently), but I love the simplicity of this and what a nice alternative to “just” wine 🙂
Ivy Larson says
Awww, thanks Minica =) You can definitely just omit the thyme too!