Jugo de Guanábana
A refreshing Puerto Rican-style soursop drink made with guanábana pulp, cold water, and sugar. Naturally creamy without milk, gently sweet-tart, and ready in about 10 minutes using prepared pulp.
Equipment
- Blender
- Kitchen scale
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Pitcher or measuring jug with volume markings and at least 1.5-liter capacity
- Long-handled spoon
- Four serving glasses
- Fine-mesh strainer, optional
- For whole fruit:
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Spoon
- Bowl
Ingredients
GUANÁBANA DRINK
- 400 g unsweetened seedless guanábana (soursop) pulp, chilled and thawed if frozen
- ¼ cup granulated sugar 50 g
- Cold drinking water approximately 2¼ cups (530 ml), or enough to bring the finished drink to 4 cups (approximately 950 ml)
OPTIONAL FOR SERVING
- Ice cubes as desired
Instructions
- Check that the guanábana pulp is unsweetened, completely seedless, and suitable for use without cooking according to its package instructions. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before using.
- Place the pulp, sugar, and 1½ cups cold water in the blender. Reserve the remaining water for adjusting the finished volume.
- Blend for 30–60 seconds, until evenly combined and smooth enough to drink. Stop and scrape down the blender if needed. Do not blend any seeds.
- For a smoother drink, pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring pitcher, pressing gently with a spoon. Discard tough fibers. Skip straining if the pulp is already smooth and you prefer a fuller texture.
- Let any foam settle briefly, then add cold water gradually until the finished drink reaches the 4-cup mark. Stir thoroughly. The exact water quantity will depend on the pulp and whether you strain it.
- Taste the juice. It should be gently sweet-tart with a clear guanábana flavor. If needed, add sugar 1 teaspoon at a time and stir until dissolved.
- Divide among four glasses, approximately 1 cup per serving before ice. Add optional ice to each glass and serve immediately.
- Cover and refrigerate any remaining juice promptly. Stir before pouring because the fruit pulp may settle.
Notes
CHOOSING THE PULP
Use unsweetened guanábana pulp, also sold as soursop pulp. Sweetened nectar, syrup, and concentrated products are not direct substitutes.
Follow the package instructions for thawing, preparation, and storage. Choose pulp intended for ready-to-eat use for this no-cook recipe.
USING WHOLE FRUIT
Choose ripe guanábana that yields gently to pressure. Wash the outside under running water before cutting.
Cut the fruit open and scoop the white flesh into a bowl. Remove the skin, firm central core, and every seed. Check the flesh carefully because seeds can remain hidden inside it.
Weigh 400 g of the cleaned, seedless flesh. Do not weigh the whole fruit as the recipe quantity. Allow additional preparation time.
SEEDS
Remove all seeds before blending. Straining after blending is not a substitute for removing seeds first.
WATER-BASED VERSION
This recipe contains no milk, condensed milk, or coconut milk. Guanábana gives the drink its naturally pale color and lightly creamy texture.
SWEETNESS
The listed ¼ cup sugar produces a moderately sweet drink, but fruit and pulp brands vary.
For a less-sweet version, start with 2 tablespoons sugar and adjust after blending. Changes to sugar affect nutrition.
TEXTURE
The juice should be lightly creamy but easy to pour. Straining is optional and removes some fiber.
If you prefer a thinner drink, add more cold water. This increases the yield beyond four cups.
ICE
Use cold ingredients and add ice to individual glasses. Blending in ice changes the texture and dilutes the drink as it melts.
STORAGE
Best enjoyed freshly made. Keep covered in the refrigerator and use within 1–2 days for best quality, or sooner if the pulp package specifies a shorter period.
NATURAL SEPARATION
Settling is normal. Stir the juice before serving.