Fresh Dragon Fruit Mojito
This Fresh Dragon Fruit Mojito is an exotic twist on the traditional mojito. Sweet yellow dragon fruit, lime, mint, and sugar are muddled in a glass, then mixed with white rum and a splash of club soda. This refreshing and unique cocktail recipe is quick to make and very easy to enjoy. Garnish at will to make this refreshing and tropical drink even more impressive!
Remember this recipe, as you will want to make this exotic cocktail again and again. Fresh dragon fruit has a subtle, sweet flavor and has many health benefits. To learn how to make this yummy tropical recipe, see the printable recipe card below. Take a look at the recipe video, or get Step by Step Instructions for a more detailed explanation of this recipe. For tons of information about the different varieties of dragon fruit and its health benefits, please visit my Blog Comments & Tips below.
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RECIPE
(Check out our Step by Step Instructions below the recipe card.)
FRESH DRAGON FRUIT MOJITO
Ingredients
Instructions
- Juice lime (about 1-2 large limes), and set aside. Using a soup spoon, scoop the flesh from half of the dragon fruit, and add to a small measuring cup (1 cup). Muddle well to create a purée (liquidy pulp).
- To a 12 ounce rocks glass, add fresh lime juice, superfine sugar, fresh mint, and dragon fruit purée (pulp). Gently muddle to dissolve the sugar and release the oils from the mint leaves (see Note #3 below). Add white rum, and stir.
- Add ice cubes, and top with club soda, then give it a final stir to combine the ingredients. Garnish, and enjoy!
- To create the garnishes, cut a slice of lime (wheel), then cut a slit to fit on the edge of your cocktail glass. Do the same with the dragon fruit, but cut the wheel into an “+” shape, creating 4 small wedges. Cut a small slit into one of the wedges, and set aside.
- For detailed instructions on how to create garnishes, visit the Step by Step Instructions for this recipe on the website.
Notes
- For the best flavor, make sure your yellow dragon fruit is ripe. 1 medium yellow dragon fruit usually yields enough pulp to make 3 cocktails + garnishes. 1 large will make about 4 cocktails + garnishes.
- Select a good quality white rum for this cocktail. It will make a huge difference in the flavor of this cocktail.
- When muddling, you want to gently press and twist to combine the ingredients and release the oils from the fresh mint leaves. If you muddle too hard, it will break up the leaves and add a mild bitterness to the cocktail. It’s best to keep them intact.
- Get creative and use any combination of garnishes!
- Makes 1 serving (12 ounce glass with ice).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
203.7Fat (grams)
0.54 gSat. Fat (grams)
0.01 gCarbs (grams)
17.18 gFiber (grams)
0.85 gNet carbs
16.34 gSugar (grams)
14.61 gProtein (grams)
1 gSodium (milligrams)
31.9 mgCholesterol (grams)
0 mgNutritional information provided is strictly an estimate and will vary based on ingredient brands and cooking methods. Optional garnishes are not included in the nutritional calculations.
Step by Step Instructions
PREPARATION
Organize all your tools and ingredients before you begin. Getting all your ingredients in one place at the beginning will shorten your prep time.
Optional Garnishes
STEP 1
Halve 1 large lime crosswise, then cut a thin slice from the middle to create a wheel. Cut a slit on the lime wheel (from the center to the edge) so it will fit on the edge of your cocktail glass, and set aside.
STEP 2
Halve 1 fresh ripe yellow dragon fruit crosswise (see Note below), then cut a slice from the middle to create a wheel. Cut the wheel into a “+” shape, creating 4 small wedges. Cut a small slit into one of the wedges (from the center to the tip), and set aside.
Note: For details on why I prefer using the yellow dragon fruit over other varieties for this cocktail, visit my Blog Comments & Tips below.
Cocktail
STEP 1
Juice the remaining lime halves (about 1-2 large limes), and set aside. Using a soup spoon, scoop the flesh from half of the dragon fruit, and add to a small measuring cup (1 cup). Muddle well to create a purée (liquidy pulp - see Note below).
Note: I also love using this extra large hand press juicer to juice limes! For the best flavor, make sure your yellow dragon fruit is ripe.
STEP 2
To a 12 ounce rocks glass, add ¾ ounce fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon superfine sugar, 6 fresh mint leaves, and 1 ounce fresh ripe yellow dragon fruit purée (pulp). Gently muddle to dissolve the sugar, and express the oils from the mint leaves (see Note A below). Add 2 ounces white rum (see Note B below), and stir. Add ice cubes, and top with 2 ounces club soda, then give it a final stir.
Note A: When muddling, you want to gently press and twist to combine the ingredients and express the oils from the fresh mint leaves. If you muddle too hard, it will break up the leaves and will add a mild bitterness to the cocktail. It’s best to keep them whole.
Note B: Select a good quality white rum for this cocktail. It will make a huge difference in the end results.
STEP 3
Add ice cubes, and top with 2 ounces club soda, then give it a final stir to combine the ingredients.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS
Garnish with 1 lime wheel, 1 dragon fruit wedge, and/or fresh sprig of mint leaves (garnishes are optional).
Note: Get creative and use any combination of garnishes!
Notes:
For the best flavor, make sure your yellow dragon fruit is ripe. 1 medium yellow dragon fruit usually yields enough pulp to make 3 cocktails + garnishes. 1 large will make about 4 cocktails + garnishes.
Makes 1 serving (12 ounce glass with ice).
VIDEO
How to Make this Fresh Dragon Fruit Mojito!
Blog Comments & Tips
A unique twist on the traditional mojito!
My Fresh Dragon Fruit Mojito uses the main ingredients in a regular mojito cocktail, but adds this exotic fruit to take it to the next level. Made in about 5 minutes, this tropical cocktail is super refreshing and easy to make. Add some flare with your choice of garnish, and this cocktail is sure to impress! Another reason to try this dragon fruit cocktail is because of the additional health benefits derived from this tropical fruit.
Packed with plenty of fiber and antioxidants, dragon fruit may help counteract some of the effects from alcohol in this cocktail (that is, if you generally eat a healthy diet, drink responsibly, and hydrate well)!
Basing this information on a healthy lifestyle, Healthline.com reported that antioxidant-rich foods “may protect your cells against alcohol-induced damage.”
Although blueberries have one of the highest levels of antioxidants, dragon fruit has surprising health benefits. Dragon fruit contains iron, magnesium, fiber, and several types of antioxidants, including betalains, hydroxycinnamates, and flavonoids.
Healthline.com reported that the combination of antioxidants found in dragon fruit are the “best at protecting certain fatty acids from free radical damage.” Yet another reason to enjoy dragon fruit as often as possible!
Let’s talk about flavor! If you have never tasted dragon fruit, it tastes a bit like a very mild kiwi. The flavor is fairly neutral, and the texture is more like a very ripe pear. Dragon fruit has tons of beautiful black seeds that are edible and a bit crunchy (their texture is almost like roasted pepitas!). Its characteristically bumpy skin is easy to slice through, similar to the peel of an avocado, but like the peel of an avocado, you don’t want to eat it.
There are a few different varieties of dragon fruit. Because of its vibrant pink color, I tend to use pink dragon fruit (aka: pink pitaya or Hylocerus Guatemalensis) more often in my food and drink recipes. However, for this Fresh Dragon Fruit Mojito cocktail recipe, I chose the yellow dragon fruit (aka: Pitaya Amarilla, Hylocerus Megalanthus, or Selenicereus Megalanthus), which has white flesh and bright yellow bumpy skin. In my opinion, the yellow dragon fruit has the most flavor out of all the varieties, and tastes slightly sweeter. Both its neutral color and flavor allow the lime juice and fresh mint to shine through in this cocktail.
How do you ensure the best results from this recipe?
My 4 tips to making this unique Fresh Dragon Fruit Mojito:
Use fresh produce. A fresh, ripe yellow dragon fruit, fresh squeezed lime juice, and fresh mint leaves are all essential in making this cocktail taste amazing.
Use a high quality white rum and don’t skimp on this ingredient. Since the flavors in this cocktail are fairly neutral, it’s important to use a good quality rum that will enhance the flavor. I used this Selvarey white rum, which is reasonably priced and has an average 8.0/10 by the experts.
Although you could use a cocktail shaker for this recipe (as it does contain citrus juice), I prefer making this mojito the traditional way. Place the ingredients directly in your drinking glass, and use a muddler to express the oils from the fresh mint leaves and combine the ingredients. For this recipe, I used this stainless steel muddler with a rubber end (which also combines with a nifty bar spoon). However, this plastic muddler also works great (and they have a wooden version, too!).
Don’t over muddle your ingredients. It’s important to gently muddle the mint leaves to release the oils. If you muddle too hard, you will break them up and release their unwanted bitterness.
Enjoy and let me know what you think by commenting below, rating my recipes, subscribing, following, and liking Prep My Recipe on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! Don’t forget to subscribe to get updates on new recipes and tips & tricks.
Santé!
Mich
Footnote: Remember to gently muddle your ingredients, so as not to break up the fresh mint or release any bitterness.
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