Blackcurrant and Grape Juice (Easy Antioxidant Drink)
This blackcurrant and grape juice blends tart blackcurrants with sweet grapes into a deep purple, refreshing drink you can make in about 10 minutes. It needs no added sugar, since the grapes balance the sharp currants.
Blackcurrants are tart enough to make you wince on their own, which is exactly why grapes are the perfect partner here – all that natural sweetness balances them without any added sugar. This is a deep, almost wine-dark juice that feels a little special. If you grow blackcurrants, it is the reward for all that picking; if you buy them frozen, it works just as well. Strain it well, unless you like the seeds.
Tart, sweet, and ready in 10 minutes
- Sweet and tart. Grapes balance the sharp blackcurrants.
- Gorgeous color. A deep, jewel-like purple.
- No added sugar. The fruit does all the sweetening.
- Quick. Ready in about 10 minutes.
Choosing your blackcurrants and grapes
Blackcurrants are tart and intensely flavored. Fresh are best in season, but frozen blackcurrants work well too; just thaw them first.
Grapes add natural sweetness and balance. Use seedless grapes, or strain the juice to remove seeds.
Lemon and water brighten and thin the juice. A little honey or maple is optional if your currants are very sharp.
My tips for the smoothest juice
- No juicer? Blend with a little water, then strain through a fine sieve or nut milk bag.
- Strain for smoothness. Currant skins and grape seeds strain out easily.
- Balance to taste. Add more grapes for sweeter, more currants for tarter.
- Make it sparkling. Top with sparkling water for a fizzy version.
Turn it into a blackcurrant cordial
Blackcurrants make a wonderful cordial, and it is an easy switch from the fresh juice. Simmer the blackcurrants with a little water and a spoon of sweetener until they burst, then strain out the skins and seeds to leave a glossy, deep-purple syrup. Bottled in the fridge it keeps for a couple of weeks, and you dilute it to taste — a splash in a glass topped with still or sparkling water, or stirred into lemonade or tea. It is the old-fashioned, no-additives version of shop-bought squash, and it makes the most of a short blackcurrant season. Blackcurrants are prized for their vitamin C and anthocyanins, which is what gives the drink its intense colour. For more, try my grapefruit and strawberry juice.
How long it keeps
- Fridge: store in a sealed jar for up to 24 hours.
- Stir before serving: natural separation is normal.
- Freeze: pour into molds for deep purple fruit popsicles.
For more fresh drinks, try our citrus barley grass juice or iron-rich beet juice, and browse more drink recipes.
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Blackcurrant and Grape Juice
Equipment
- Juicer (or high-speed blender)
- Fine-mesh strainer or nut milk bag
- Glass jar
Ingredients
- 2 cups blackcurrants fresh or thawed
- 2 cups grapes seedless
- ½ cup water
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp maple syrup or agave syrup optional
- Ice to serve
Instructions
- Rinse the blackcurrants and grapes well.
- Juicer method: run the fruit through a juicer, then stir in the lemon juice.
- Blender method: blend the fruit with the water, then strain through a fine sieve or nut milk bag.
- Taste and adjust with more grapes or a little honey if too tart.
- Pour over ice and serve immediately.
- For a blackcurrant cordial, simmer the blackcurrants with the water and a little extra sweetener until they burst, strain out the skins and seeds, then bottle the syrup and dilute to taste with still or sparkling water.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Blackcurrants are exceptionally rich in vitamin C and antioxidants called anthocyanins, which give them their deep color. Enjoyed as a juice with no added sugar, they are a vibrant, refreshing way to add more fruit to your day.
Yes. Frozen blackcurrants work well; thaw them first and include any juices. They are often easier to find than fresh and keep the juice just as flavorful.
No. Blend the fruit with a little water and strain through a fine sieve or nut milk bag for a smooth juice. A juicer is convenient but not essential.
Blackcurrants are quite sharp on their own, which is why grapes are added for natural sweetness. Adjust the balance with more grapes, or add a little honey or maple syrup if needed.
Fresh blackcurrant and grape juice is best the day it is made. Stored in a sealed jar in the fridge, it keeps for up to 24 hours; stir before serving.
Yes. Made from blackcurrants, grapes, lemon, and water, it is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Leave it unsweetened or use maple syrup if you add a sweetener.
