Celebrate summer like a Brazilian: with a glass of Pineapple Mint Juice in hand! Just 3 ingredients plus water. No juicer needed!

I confess I just spent a good amount of time debating if I should call this recipe a juice or a smoothie. As you can see, juice won!

This drink is called Suco de Abacaxi com Hortelã, in Portuguese. Suco = Juice. So there’s that!

While juices are often associated with a juice cleanse here in the US, down in Brazil they are enjoyed fresh, daily. It is common to order fresh juice with a meal at a restaurant or to meet friends for an afternoon juice. 

And, if you’re at the beach, there is always fresh juice at the kiosks or vendor carts. There’s really nothing like enjoying a glass of freshly made juice by the ocean!

The most popular options? Orange juice, passion fruit juice, cashew fruit juice, and – yours truly – pineapple mint juice. And now you can make it at home!

What are the ingredients for Pineapple Mint Juice?

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Pineapple – You can even buy it pre-cut, if you prefer! 
• Mint
• Sugar – Optional. It usually depends on how sweet your pineapple is.
• Water
• Ice – Also optional. Adding ice will make your juice thick and frothy. If you want a cold juice but don’t want it thick, you can blend it without the ice and just add it to the glasses when serving.

The quantities will vary, as pineapples come in different sizes. I’m basing the recipe on a pineapple that weighs 1.5 pounds, and that will yield around 3 cups of pineapple chunks.

Buying Fresh Pineapple

We all want to pick the perfect pineapple: plump, juicy, sweet and slightly tangy. But how do you know which is the best?

If you’re anything like me, chances are you’ve stood at the grocery store, looking at that mountain of pineapples, trying to figure out which one is the one!  

I usually pick them and smell their little butts. Why? Because my dad told me that’s how you choose a pineapple. But the truth? They usually all smell the same and I end up choosing the “cuter” one. 

Well, it turns out that all those pineapples are already ripe. Or as ripe as they’ll ever get!

A pineapple will never become any riper than it was when harvested. Also, a fully ripe pineapple is too fragile to be shipped long distances. Ripeness = sweetness. So don’t expect the pineapple you buy in New York City to be as sweet as the ones I used to eat down in Brazil!

So what do you do? Just pick one and hope for the best? 

Pretty much, yes. As long as they look fresh, their leaves are green and healthy, and the bottom doesn’t smell vinegary and funky, you’re good to go! 

How to Make Pineapple Mint Juice

1. Combine the pineapple and the mint in the jar of a powerful blender. Depending on the size of your blender, you might need to divide the recipe in two.
2. Taste a chunk of pineapple and decide if you are adding sugar. If yes, add to taste.
3. Add water and ice.
4. Blend until smooth.
5. OPTIONAL – For a pulp-less juice, run the juice through a fine-mesh strainer.

It really doesn’t get easier than that! And I think this goes without saying, but feel free to customize.

My version is quite mint-y, so if you’re not into that, dial down on the mint leaves. Same goes for sugar: add more or omit altogether. You can even substitute it for sweetener, honey, agave or maple syrup!

Can I store fresh juice in the fridge?

While pineapple mint juice will keep in the fridge for 24-48 hours, drinking immediately after blending is so much better!

If you do choose to make it ahead of time, just give it a good stir before serving, as it can separate a little bit.

More Brazilian drinks:

• Brazilian Lemonade
• Pineapple Mint Caipirinha
• Watermelon Caipiroska
• Red Currant Caipirinha