When it comes to smoothies, and drinks in general, sweet and creamy is my ultimate go-to, which is probably why I love this guava drink. This tropical mocktail (or tropical cocktail, if you care to make it so) is fresh, fruity, and deliciously sweet. I already love guava juice, so why not introduce this special fruit to new drinks recipes.
What is guava?
This exotic (native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean) green-skinned fruit has a rich pink/red flesh and looks vaguely tomato-ish. However, when it comes to flavor, I find it hard to describe. If Google is anything to go by, then guava is a cross-blend between a strawberry and pear, with slightly floral notes. However, the taste varies depending on exactly which variety that you’re eating (pink, white, yellow, lemon guava, etc). Depending on exactly where you’re based, fresh guava should be available in grocery stores, farmers’ markets, or Mediterranean/foreign food stores. However, even if it’s on the trickier side to find – I find it well worth going out of my way for this juicy, sweet fruit. Once you’ve found them though, next is picking the best ones.
How To Pick and Store Fresh Guava
Before ripening, the guava fruits will be firm, with green skin. What you’re looking for are guava that have a slight ‘give’ when pressed and one without any blemishes on the skin. Ripe guava is not only soft (the softer the guava, the sweeter the flavor), the skin is usually more on the yellow/orange side (than green) and it releases a strong sweet, tropical smell. If you have guavas that are quite firm then it’s best to keep them on the counter for a few days to further ripen and then eat immediately or refrigerate. You can speed up the ripening process by placing them in a bag with an apple or banana.
The step by step instructions
Start by cutting the lime in 4 and muddling together with the Kaffir lime leaves in a bowl, bog glass or pitcher.
Recipe notes
Feel free to use your plant-based milk of choice Use a sweetener of your choice, based on your dietary requirements. Use erythritol as a sugar-free option. If you prefer a smoother drink, then feel free to blend the ingredients (not the kaffir lime leaves or lime skin). To turn this into a guava cocktail, feel free to add some rum, coconut rum, passoã, etc. You can use lemon juice instead of lime juice if that’s all you have. You could garnish this drink with mint leaves, too. Feel free to experiment with adding extra fruits to this guava smoothie and reducing the amount of plant-milk, according to your tastes. Pineapple juice or fruit pieces may work (and shouldn’t curdle the coconut milk) for a truly tropical drink.
More fun summer recipes
Homemade Tiger nut milk (Horchata De Chufa) Watermelon Keg/ Dispenser Delicious Tropical Healthy Green Smoothie Simple Strawberry Mocktail (Strawberry Limeade) Fresh Raspberry Lemonade (Naturally Sweetened) Flavored Water Recipes
If you give this guava smoothie/drink recipe a go, then let me know your thoughts and any questions in the comments. Also, feel free to tag me in your recreations @AlphaFoodie. Optionally, add maple sweetener or another sweetener and then pour in the coconut milk and stir to combine. Remove the lime skin and kaffir leaves, then serve immediately. It is also freezer-safe for up to one month and can be left to thaw in the fridge.
