Non-Alcoholic Sangria (Virgin Sangria)

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Lightly effervescent and loaded up with fruit, this recipe for virgin sangria is extra refreshing and tastes much fancier than just a blend of juices. It's an easy prep-ahead party recipe that everyone can enjoy.

Two glasses of virgin sangria in front of the pitcher.

If I'm being honest, red sangria wouldn't be my first choice of beverage at a party. I worry that it'll be too heavy and sweet for my taste, and will take 2+ hours for me to make my way through a glass.

No longer! Would you believe that I actually prefer this virgin sangria over traditional, alcoholic red varieties? It's lighter, more refreshing, and is a fun drink suitable for everyone at the party to enjoy.

(Psst - if you're looking for a singular mocktail, a mojito mocktail or margarita mocktail are two of my very favorites).

Reasons to Love This Recipe

A few intentional ingredients provide this sangria mocktail with a wonderfully spiced-up flavor that makes this drink taste a lot fancier than it is.
Requiring several hours to chill to let the flavors meld, this is a perfect prep-ahead drink for a party. Plus it's easy to then just pour out glasses to serve a crowd.
Mocktails are an excellent option to have available at a get-together. There are so many reasons someone may choose not to drink alcohol on a particular day.

Non-Alcoholic Sangria Ingredients

Grape juice: Combining purple and white grape juices produces a reddish tint to this non-alcoholic sangria base and makes the grape juice flavor a bit more complex, which is welcome as it's replacing wine. While you can use red grape juice, in my experience this is hard to find in stores, so I just use the more readily available purple and white.
Pomegranate juice: This provides a tart burst that adds to the "I'm drinking a fancy mocktail" vibe vs. "I'm drinking fruit juice". Look for a variety that's 100% juice with no added sugar.
Orange juice: Freshly-squeezed is best. Six ounces will come from about three smaller/medium oranges or two larger ones.
Lemon juice: A duo of citrus juices further adds to the fancier flavor here. Two ounces will come from one large lemon or two smaller ones.
Fruit: One lemon, orange, and green apple soak in the flavors while chilling for a classic sangria accompaniment.
Cinnamon stick: An ingredient in traditional sangria recipes, this brings a subtle background spice that ties all of the flavors together.
Sparkling water: Providing bubbles, this lightens up the juices and makes this virgin sangria even more refreshing. Both sparkling water and club soda work.
Ginger beer: The other half of the carbonation equation, I *love* the flavor one can of this brings to this drink as it balances the sweetness well. Ginger beer is non-alcoholic. You can replace this with more sparkling water if you prefer not to use.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First prepare your fruit. Slice a lemon and an orange into rounds, then slice each round into quarters to form thin wedges. Remove the core and seeds from the apple and chop it into small pieces.

Sliced green apples and lemon and orange rounds in a shallow bowl.

Add the cut fruit to a large pitcher along with a cinnamon stick (pictured is a large cinnamon stick cut in half). With a wooden spoon, lightly press on the fruit to release some juice.

Fruit and two cinnamon sticks in the bottom of a glass pitcher.

Pour the grape juices, pomegranate juice, orange juice, and lemon juice into the pitcher and give everything a big stir. Don't add the carbonated ingredients yet as they'll start to go flat in the time this non-alcoholic sangria takes to chill. Cover the pitcher with plastic wrap and refrigerate for around two hours (or longer) so the flavors meld.

All but the carbonated ingredients added to the pitcher with fruit and cinnamon sticks.

Once ready to serve, stir in the sparkling water and ginger beer. Pour into glasses over ice.

Finished mocktail sangria in a large glass pitcher ready to serve.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

If you don't have a large enough pitcher for soaking the fruit in the juice, you can use a large bowl. Just cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Once the carbonated ingredients have been added, divide it out (including the fruit) into smaller pitchers for serving.
I recommend not adding ice to the pitcher as it will dilute the flavor once it melts. Instead add ice to the individual glasses and pour the sangria and fruit over top.
Have extra pomegranate juice? Consider making pomegranate vinaigrette. This easy dressing tastes so cozy!

Recipe FAQs

What can you do with leftover sangria?

Strain leftover virgin sangria into ice cube trays and freeze. I don't freeze the fruit as the texture would change. Simply let these sangria cubes thaw in a glass in the refrigerator to enjoy at a later date.

How can I change up this recipe?

As with many drink recipes, there's a good amount of wiggle room here. You can use red grape juice, if you can find it, in place of the purple and white juices. 100% juice cranberry juice (not cocktail) can replace the pomegranate juice. If you're not sure you'll like the ginger flavor, add a little, then take a taste. You can add more sparkling water in its place.

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