This easy lychee drink highlights the delicious yet delicate flavors of lychee without overpowering it – I've included one ingredient that makes the perfect flavor pairing. This drink just may become your go-to sipper or mocktail if you love lychees!
I'll also share the easiest way to peel fresh lychee, so you can add it to any recipe you'd like... including Taiwanese baobing (shaved ice) and tea with aiyu jelly.
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✨ why you'll love this drink
- This recipe is super easy to make!
- Lychee has a delicate, slightly floral, and sweet flavor that makes this drink wonderfully unique.
- It's refreshing to drink and doesn't leave a heavy aftertaste.
- You can easily make it into a delicious cocktail, which means two drinks in one.
This drink was inspired by my annual order of 10 pounds of fresh 'Kaimana' lychees, which I have no problem polishing off all on my own. 😋 This recipe also works with canned lychees though, so don't fret if you can't find fresh ones at the moment.
📋 key ingredients
You'll see how simple this mocktail is – ready with just 4 ingredients (one being water)!
- lychees – fresh 'Kaimana' lychees are preferred since they're sweet, juicy, and have a small pit. Plus, they're super easy to peel due to their thin skin. You can use canned lychees (without the syrup) if you're in a pinch though!
- sparkling water – I tested this recipe with many different sparkling waters and calamansi-flavored (*paid affiliate link) from Sanzo was the winner. You can substitute with lime-flavored sparkling water if needed.
- pineapple – any fresh pineapple will work (the sweeter the better). I use pink pineapple here for a little extra sweetness and a pop of color.
See the recipe card for quantities.
📖 substitutions & variations
- lychee substitute - instead of fresh lychee, you can use canned lychee, though the drink will be sweeter. Leave ou the syrup for a more refreshing, less-sweet drink. Fresh rambutan could work as well if you adjust the amount of sparkling water accordingly (rambutan is slightly more tart and less sweet).
- sparkling water - I use Sanzo® calamansi sparkling water (*affiliate link) in this recipe. You can substitute with your choice of lime- or lemon-flavored sparkling water.
- extra lychee flavor – Sanzo® also has a lychee sparkling water (*affiliate link) you can use for a flavor boost. Not needed if you're using canned lychee instead of fresh.
- deluxe - use pink pineapple as I did in this recipe for that extra pop of color. The pink pineapples also have a mellow sweetness that works really well with this drink!
🔪 instructions
I’ll show you the easiest way to peel fresh lychees below. You can follow the step-by-step photos or watch the short, 14-second video. In a hurry? You can jump straight to the printable recipe.
how to peel fresh lychees
Wash the lychees with cold water, drain, and allow to air dry on a clean kitchen towel.
To peel, hold each lychee upright with both hands.
Pierce the top widthwise with your thumbnail, or carefully with a small pairing knife.
Lightly press each side of the cut with your thumbs to pry the peel open.
Now you can easily pull apart the peel from both sides. Twist the peel at the stem to remove it.
Pull the peel of the lychee down and twist the peel at the stem to remove it.
To remove the seed, cut the top of the lychee to easily split it open and remove the seed from the center.
pro tip
Use a small bamboo skewer to top this drink with one lychee and a few chunks of pineapple to really bring out the flavors. In small amounts, pineapple pairs so well with lychee!
🍲 equipment
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means we do make a small profit from your purchases (your price is not affected by this commission). We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. If you click on an affiliate link, you consent to a cookie being placed on your browser for purposes of tracking commissions.
- convenient blender for easy drinks like this one
- 8.5 oz coupe glasses
- small bamboo skewers
❄️ storage
I recommend enjoying this drink right away. Blended lychee with water can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one day.
Or, you can freeze the lychee water mixture in ice cube trays, then transfer to an airtight container and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
Store pre-cut pineapple in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
💭 top expert tip
Feel free to experiment with using different flavored sparkling water with this recipe. If you'd like to enhance the lychee flavor, use more lychees for the same amount of water or mix in the canned version (without the syrup).
Just try to avoid any additions that have a strong flavor or are extra sweet. For example, I tested this recipe with ginger syrup (which works great for lychee shaved ice), but it ended up overpowering the delicate lychee flavor in a beverage.
🍹 more delicious drinks
Here are more Taiwanese and East Asian drinks and beverage toppings to try.
👨🍳 COOKING WITH KIDS
What can kid chefs help with?
- help with peeling (and taste testing 😋) lychees
- pitting lychees
- adding peeled and pitted lychees to the blender
Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Happy cooking! ~ Cindy 周昀
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easy and refreshing lychee drink (mocktail)
ingredients
- 6 large lychees, peeled and deseeded, about 3 ¼ ounces, divided
- ¼ cup cold water
- ½ cup calamansi-flavored sparkling water, chilled, divided (substitute: lime- or lemon-flavored)
- 1 tablespoon diced pink pineapple, optional (substitute: regular pineapple)
*The Instacart button above is an affiliate link, which means we do make a small profit from your purchases (your price is not affected by this commission).
instructions
- In a blender, add 4 deseeded lychees with the cold water and blend until smooth.
- Pour the lychee water mixture into each stemmed glass (like a coupe glass), divided equally. Add ¼ cup sparkling water to each glass and stir to mix.
- Skewer one lychee with 2-3 diced pineapple per drink as a topper and serve cold.
equipment and highlighted ingredients
notes
- lychee substitute – instead of fresh lychee, you can use canned lychee, though the drink will be sweeter. Leave ou the syrup for a more refreshing, less-sweet drink. Fresh rambutan could work as well if you adjust the amount of sparkling water accordingly (rambutan is slightly more tart and less sweet).
- sparkling water – I use Sanzo® calamansi sparkling water (*affiliate link) in this recipe. You can substitute with your choice of lime- or lemon-flavored sparkling water.
- extra lychee flavor – Sanzo® also has a lychee sparkling water (*affiliate link) you can use for a flavor boost. Not needed if you're using canned lychee instead of fresh.
- deluxe – use pink pineapple as I did in this recipe for that extra pop of color. The pink pineapples also have a mellow sweetness that works really well with this drink!
🌡️ food safety
- Wash hands before handling fruits and ingredients
- Don't leave ingredients sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
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