Recipe

Cashew Fruit Refresco

Name: Cashew Fruit Refresco
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 400 g of the fleshy part of very ripe cashew fruits; Approximately 700 ml of very cold drinking water; 40 g of white sugar

Refresco made from the fleshy part of ripe cashew fruit, with cold water and sugar. It is blended, strained and served immediately: four non-alcoholic glasses.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

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Preparation15 min
Total time15 min
Servings1 liter of refresco; 4 glasses of about 250 ml
DifficultyEasy

The cashew fruit has a fleshy, juicy and aromatic part that can be used in drinks. This refresco uses that ripe pulp, without the outer nut or the nut shell, and mixes it with cold water and sugar.

The preparation appears in Beber en el trópico cubano, by Madelaine Vázquez Gálvez and Alejandro Montesinos Larrosa, published in Havana in 2011. Here we adjust the quantities to obtain four glasses and explain the clean weight of the fruit. It is a simple drink to prepare and consume immediately.

Ingredients

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400 g of the fleshy part of very ripe cashew fruits
Approximately 700 ml of very cold drinking water
40 g of white sugar

Method

Use cashew apples whose outer nut has already been removed: for this drink only the fleshy part is used. Remove the rest of the stem from the end attached to the branch, wash the fruit well under drinking water and weigh 400 g clean. Cut into pieces; the nuts and their shells are not part of this preparation.
Put the cashew apple pieces in the blender with 600 ml of very cold water and the 40 g of sugar. Blend for 30 to 60 seconds, until the sugar dissolves and the fruit is well crushed.
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Strain the mixture over a measuring jug of at least 1 liter. Press gently with a spoon to extract the liquid and discard the coarse fibers retained.
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Check the volume and add cold water little by little until completing approximately 1 liter. Stir well. The total amount of water usually hovers around 700 ml, but may vary with the fruit juice and the straining.
Distribute the refresco among four glasses of about 250 ml and serve immediately, very cold.
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Tips and variations

Which part is used. Use only the fleshy part of the cashew fruit. The nut hanging from the end and its shell do not go into the blender. The thin, red or yellow skin of the fleshy part can be kept after washing it well.

Ripeness. Choose ripe, aromatic cashew apples without damaged areas. Their astringency varies: do not correct it by adding sugar without measure. If the taste is too intense, serve a smaller portion and dilute it with a little more cold water.

Amount of water. Start with 600 ml and add after straining the necessary water to complete approximately 1 liter of refresco. The final amount varies with the fruit juice and the straining.

Texture. A fine mesh strainer removes coarse fibers. Press gently with a spoon to recover the liquid, without forcing all the fiber through the mesh.

Storage. It is best freshly prepared. If there is any left over, store it immediately in a clean, closed bottle in the refrigerator and consume within 24 hours. Shake before serving, as it may separate.

Bibliographic background: «Refresco de marañón», in Beber en el trópico cubano, by Madelaine Vázquez Gálvez and Alejandro Montesinos Larrosa, Editorial Científico-Técnica, Havana, 2011. The quantities in this sheet are an adaptation for four glasses.