Food & Cooking Recipes Drink Recipes Punch Recipes Easy Red Sangria Our simple recipe is quick to make, refreshing, and perfect for a crowd. Prep Time: 20 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings: 8 Jump to recipe Our easy sangria recipe comes together in a snap. While some sangria requires hours for the fruit and alcohol to mingle before serving, this one shortens the process to just 15 minutes. Use that time to open up a couple of bottles of dry red wine and juice a few oranges. This easy, party-red drink is built for a crowd. It's perfect for all types of parties, and especially appropriate for Halloween: With its blood-red color and generous yield, it’s guaranteed to spook and delight all night long. We also love it at Thanksgiving and Christmas, is there a holiday party it isn't right for? 27 Big-Batch Cocktails Just Right for a Party Credit: Jacob Fox The Best Wine for This Sangria For our easy red sangria, we recommend a dry, medium-bodied red wine with plenty of dark-fruit flavor, like zinfandel, merlot, rioja, syrah, or tempranillo. Since the wine will make up much of the drink's volume, choose a bottle you wouldn't mind drinking on its own. Since you'll be adding fruit and orange juice, both of which will contribute a bit of sweetness, opting for a drier wine will keep the finished sangria from being too sweet. Other Key Ingredients Brandy: A cup of brandy contributes warmth and complexity to this simple sangria. Since a relatively small amount will be added, there's no need to spring for the finest bottle at the store; instead, choose an inexpensive, basic option. Fresh fruit: You'll need one apple and one orange for this recipe. A crisp red apple like Honeycrisp, Gala, or Pink Lady will hold up well, though you can use any kind you prefer. Choose a naval, Cara Cara, or blood orange and use a sharp knife to slice it nice and thinly—rind included. Orange juice: Fresh orange juice is best for this cocktail (and, really, all others). You'll need about three good-sized oranges to yield 3/4 cup of juice. Club soda: One cup of club soda adds some welcome fizz to this sangria and tones down the booziness. You can also use sparkling water or seltzer water. Where Does the Word Sangria Come From? The word sangria is derived from sangre, which is Spanish for blood. It's a nod to the drink's deep red color, though sangria can also be made with white, rosé, or even sparkling wine. How to Make Sangria Ahead You can make and refrigerate this sangria up to 1 day ahead; just wait to add the club soda until you're ready to serve to keep it from losing its fizziness. Directions Credit: Jacob Fox Mix brandy with sliced fruit: In a large pitcher, stir together brandy, orange and apple slices. Let stand 15 minutes. Credit: Jacob Fox Add remaining ingredients and serve: Add wine, club soda, and orange juice. Serve over ice. Credit: Jacob Fox Credit: Jacob Fox How to Serve Sangria A large pitcher makes pouring sangria extra easy, but you can also serve it out of a punch bowl for a touch more drama. To keep sangria from becoming watery, avoid adding ice to the pitcher itself. Instead, set out an ice bucket and allow guests to fill their own glasses. You can also add frozen grapes to your sangria, which act as both fruit and ice at the same time. What to Serve With Sangria This refreshing red sangria would be delicious with bite-size party snacks that nod to other Spanish flavors like chorizo and Manchego cheese. Martha's crispy and creamy Serrano ham croquettes are a great place to start, as are these chorizo, parsnip, and olive bites. There's no need to stay with Spain. Other appetizers like these feta-stuffed shishitos wrapped in phyllo, our easy and buttery puff pastry straws, and this date-and-olive tart with goat cheese are sure to please as well. If you're serving this sangria for Halloween, consider making our prosciutto-wrapped fig "hearts," this melty black-and-blue cheese dip, and some devilish deviled eggs. 5 More Sangria Recipes to Try Stone-Fruit Sangria Peach Sangria With Prosecco Classic Sangria Rosé Sangria With Nectarines and Strawberries Boozy Red Sangria Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.