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    Home » Recipes » Drinks & Cocktails

    Watermelon Soju Cocktail (Refreshing Subak Soju Recipe)

    joyce from pups with chopsticks
    by Joyce Lee · Updated Jan 27, 2023
    10 Comments

    May contain affiliate links

    This Soju cocktail is the perfect antidote to a hot summer's day, with its refreshing watermelon flavor. The sweetness of the watermelon, the kick of soju, and the subtle hint of maple syrup blend perfectly to deliver a cocktail that is both delicious and satisfying.

    watermelon soju (subak soju) served with ice and a thai basil
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    5 from 8 votes

    What sets this Soju cocktail recipe apart is its unique blend of flavors and the use of fresh, natural ingredients. The watermelon adds a sweet, fruity touch, the soju provides the right amount of kick, and the maple syrup enhances the overall taste and sweetness. 

    The result is a cocktail that is not only delicious but also refreshing and light. So why not give it a try? You might just find your new favorite summer drink!

    What is a Soju Cocktail?

    A Soju cocktail is a delightful and refreshing alcoholic beverage that originates from South Korea. The main ingredient is Soju, a clear, vodka-like drink with a significantly lower alcohol content. 

    When mixed with a variety of other ingredients such as lemons, sprite, tonic water, and even yakult, Soju cocktails offers a wide array of flavors and variations, including the popular strawberry Soju cocktail, Soju mojito, and Soju caipirinha.

    This watermelon soju cocktail that we’ll be making today has the perfect blend of refreshing flavors and is going to become your new favorite summer drink! 

    Why You’ll Love This Soju Cocktail Recipe 

    • Refreshing and Light: The combination of sweet watermelon, smooth soju, and caramelized sweetness from the maple syrup creates a cocktail that's delightfully refreshing and tasty. It is a drink that you'll want to make again and again, all summer long.
    • Easy to Make: This soju cocktail recipe is as simple as it gets. All you need to do is blend the watermelon, strain it, and mix it with soju and maple syrup. There's no need for complex methods or hard-to-find ingredients, making it a breeze to whip up.
    • Versatile: This cocktail is versatile and you can easily adjust the sweetness to your liking with a bit of maple syrup or honey. You can also garnish it with your favorite herbs like mint or basil to add a burst of freshness.

    Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Watermelon Soju Cocktail

    Soju Watermelon Cocktail Ingredients (watermelon, maple syrup, soju)
    • Seedless Watermelon: The star of this soju cocktail recipe, watermelon brings a refreshing and sweet flavor to the mix. The sweetness level of your cocktail will largely depend on how sweet your watermelon is. Check out the tips below to learn how to pick a sweet one. 
    • Soju: This is the alcohol content of the cocktail. It is a popular Korean spirit that pairs wonderfully with watermelon. Soju is light on flavor and is amazing in cocktails but if you can't find soju, you can substitute it for sake or half the amount of vodka.
    • Maple Syrup: This ingredient is a secret weapon to help smooth out the alcohol bite from the soju. If you don't have maple syrup, honey makes a great substitution, but you might need to melt the honey with a bit of warm water before adding it to the watermelon juice, since honey tends to solidify when it is cold.

    How to Make Watermelon Soju Cocktail

    Making this incredible soju cocktail recipe at home is super easy and will give you great results every single time. Here's how to make it step by step:

    Preparing the Watermelon Base

    Remove and Cut: Start by removing the skin from the watermelon. Cut the watermelon into small chunks that will easily fit into your blender.

    Blend: Place the watermelon chunks into the blender and blitz until it reaches a liquid consistency. Don't worry if it becomes frothy; this is normal.

    Strain: Pour the blended watermelon juice through a strainer into a large bowl or pitcher. If the juice is very frothy, you might want to run it through the strainer twice to remove some of the foam.

    These soju watermelon cocktails are refreshing, sweet and super simple to make. Perfect drinks to entertain guests with or when you want that to treat yourself!

    Mixing the Cocktail

    Add Soju and Maple Syrup: To the bowl of watermelon juice, add a bottle of soju and some maple syrup. Mix these ingredients together until well combined and pour it into a pitcher.

    Chill: Place the watermelon soju in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until it is cold.

    Serving the Watermelon Soju Cocktail

    Ice and Garnish: When ready to serve, fill glasses with plenty of ice. Pour the chilled cocktail over the ice, and garnish with sprigs of fresh basil or mint. If you have them, adding some flowers to the garnish can make the presentation even more appealing. Enjoy your refreshing soju cocktail!

    Joyce’s Tips For Making the Best Watermelon Soju Cocktail

    Choose a Ripe and Sweet Seedless Watermelon: The sweetness of your cocktail largely depends on how sweet your watermelon is. To pick a juicy and sweet watermelon, make sure it feels heavy for its size - the heavier the watermelon, the juicier it will be! Try to also find one with a creamy yellow bottom, which is the spot that is sitting on the ground - the yellower the spot, the more ripe and sweet it will be. Make sure you pick a seedless watermelon.

    Use Maple Syrup or Honey: To smooth out the alcohol bite in your soju cocktail, add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey. This brings a caramelized sweetness to your drink without making it overly sweet.

    Double Strain your Cocktail: When blending your watermelon, the mixture may become foamy. To get a smoother cocktail, strain your juice twice to remove most of the foam.

    Soju Substitution: If you can't find soju, you can also substitute it with half the amount of vodka.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Kick off your Korean feast with a refreshing Soju Cocktail! It pairs brilliantly with the spicy and sweet flavors of Easy Tteokbokki (Korean Spicy Rice Cakes). The cool watermelon and mint will help to balance out the heat from the dish.
    • Hosting a BBQ party? Serve your Soju Cocktail alongside Jeyuk Bokkeum (Spicy Korean Pork Bulgogi). The smoky, spicy pork will be complemented by the sweet and fruity cocktail, making for an unforgettable flavor combination.
    • For a fun movie night, pair your Soju Cocktail with Korean Fried Popcorn Turkey Nuggets. The crispy, savory nuggets and the refreshing, fruity cocktail will definitely be a hit!
    • For a unique twist on a afternoon snack, serve your Soju Cocktail with Korean Corn Cheese (Elote Style). The sweet and spicy cocktail will enhance the creamy, cheesy flavors of the corn.
    • Planning a stir fry night? This Soju Subak is a great match for Easy Japchae (Korean Glass Noodles Stir Fry). The light, refreshing cocktail will balance the light, savory flavors of the stir fry springy noodles.
    Two glasses of watermelon soju garnished with Thai basil and served with a jar of ice.

    Recipe Variation Ideas for Watermelon Soju

    This delicious soju cocktail recipe is so flavorful and easy to make, you'll want to try out some of these delicious variations! Here are some great ideas:

    • Make it a Soju Mojito: For mint lovers, this variation is a must-try. Add about ten mint leaves to the blender along with the watermelon. The mint leaves will give your cocktail a refreshing twist, perfect for a hot summer day.
    • Turn it into a Soju Caipirinha: If you love the taste of lemons, this variant is for you. Simply replace the watermelon juice with lemon juice and add a cup of soju. Lemon's tanginess combined with soju's smoothness works great. 
    • Make a Strawberry Soju Cocktail: For a fruity twist, replace the watermelon with strawberries. The strawberries add a lovely color and a sweet-tart flavor to your Soju cocktail, making it even more enjoyable.
    • Lychee or Pomelo Soju: Since soju is a very versatile ingredient, I also like to use other Asian fruits like lychee or pomelo to make cocktails with it!

    Frequently Asked Questions 

    What is a Soju?

    Soju is a Korean alcoholic beverage made from rice, wheat, or barley. It is a versatile drink that can be enjoyed straight, mixed with other ingredients, or used in a variety of cocktails.

    Can I adjust the sweetness of the drink?

    Absolutely! The sweetness of this Soju cocktail primarily depends on how sweet your watermelon is. However, you can easily adjust it by adding a bit of maple syrup or honey.

    How can I remove the alcohol bite from this cocktail?

    To make your cocktail smoother and reduce the initial alcohol bite, add a tablespoon of maple syrup. Its caramelized sweetness won't make the drink overly sweet but will soften the alcohol's sharpness. If you don't have maple syrup, honey makes a good substitute.

    Why is my watermelon mixture foamy?

    The watermelon mixture can become foamy when you blend it. But don't worry; you can easily remove most of the foam by straining the juice twice. This process will give your cocktail a smoother texture.

    How to Store Leftover Soju Cocktail 

    If you have any leftover soju subak, store it in the fridge for up to one day. This delicious cocktail is best enjoyed fresh. Since it’s so easy to make, I recommend making it fresh and chilling it in the refrigerator before enjoying it

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    If you made this watermelon soju cocktail recipe I'd love to see it! Follow Pups with Chopsticks on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag and hashtag it with @pupswithchopsticks and #pupswithchopsticks. I love to know what you are making!

    Please also consider leaving a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and a comment to tell me how it went! I'd love to hear from you if you made this!

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    Recipe Card

    Closeup of watermelon soju

    Soju Watermelon Cocktail

    A refreshing and sweet soju watermelon cocktail (Subak Soju) recipe that's super simple and quick to make. Perfect drinks to entertain guests with or when you want that to treat yourself!
    Print Pin Email Rate
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Asian, Fusion
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    5 from 8 votes
    Made with ♡ by Joyce Lee

    Joyce's Recipe Notes

    • Choose a Ripe and Sweet Seedless Watermelon: The sweetness of your cocktail largely depends on how sweet your watermelon is. To pick a juicy and sweet watermelon, make sure it feels heavy for its size - the heavier the watermelon, the juicier it will be! Try to also find one with a creamy yellow bottom, which is the spot that is sitting on the ground - the yellower the spot, the more ripe and sweet it will be. Make sure you pick a seedless watermelon.
    • If you are substituting maple syrup with honey, melt the honey with 1 tablespoon of hot or warm water before adding it into the juice so that it mixes in smoothly without sugar clumps which can settle on the bottom. Honey tends to solidify when it gets cold.
    • You can omit the alcohol in this cocktail to make it a virgin cocktail
    • If you can't find soju, you can also substitute it with vodka.
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 4 cups seedless watermelon (3 lb)
    • 1 bottle soju (360 ml)
    • 1 tablespoon maple syrup (or honey)

    Instructions
     

    • Remove the skin and cut approximately 4 cups seedless watermelon into small pieces that will fit into a blender
    • In a blender, blitz it until it is liquidy (don't worry if it becomes frothy)
    • Pour the pureed watermelon juice into a large strainer, into a large bowl to strain out the foam. If it is very frothy, you can run it through the strainer twice.
    • Add 1 bottle soju (360 ml) and 1 tablespoon maple syrup to the bowl with the watermelon juice, mixing well until everything is combined.
    • Pour the watermelon soju cocktail into a pitcher, and refrigerate for an hour or until it is cold.
    • Serve with lots of ice and sprigs of basil or mint (with flowers) as a garnish and enjoy!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1Serving | Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 181mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 865IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

    *Nutritional information is calculated using online tools and is an estimate*

    Did you try this recipe?I'd love to hear from you! Let me know how it was and consider giving it a rating! Tag me on Instagram with @pupswithchopsticks to show me!

    Disclaimer: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites, however I provide these links to make items easier to find if you cannot purchase this locally and I would never recommend anything I don’t own myself or highly recommend. I would prefer you buy your items locally if possible to support your local shops (and chances are they are cheaper locally as well!)

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Josie says

      June 28, 2024 at 7:18 am

      5 stars
      I made it. 👍 Very good. The taste is really refreshing . Thanks. Good for summer my friends entertainment.

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        July 12, 2024 at 9:02 am

        Hi Josie!
        I'm so happy you like it! Watermelon is really sweet and tasty this year!

        Reply
    2. Josie says

      June 11, 2024 at 7:56 am

      5 stars

      Reply
    3. Josie says

      August 23, 2021 at 1:54 pm

      5 stars
      When I saw your watermelon drink photo , it reminded me we had bought a big seasonal watermelon yesterday. I can blend it with Soju cocktail refreshing drink.....
      Thanks .

      Reply
      • Joyce Lee says

        September 02, 2021 at 9:59 am

        Hi Josie,
        It's a great way to use a watermelon! I'm happy to share this!

        Reply
    4. heather (delicious not gorgeous) says

      October 20, 2018 at 9:59 pm

      DARN IT i'm sad i'm just seeing this now! this looks so refreshing and i love anything fruity with soju (: there's bars in northern california that have drinks like this served in a emptied out watermelon!

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        October 23, 2018 at 2:28 pm

        You're in SoCal! It's always Summer there! Right? 😀 Lucky you, it's crazy cold here now and very wet here now. Yuck. hrmmm emptied out watermelon is a great idea - but I am such a klutz I'd probably wobble it all over the place and spill it on myself haha! 😀

        Reply
    5. Makos says

      September 17, 2018 at 11:45 am

      5 stars
      I'm going to pretend I didn't read the last sentence of this post and I'll say that this is watermelon cocktail looks totally awesome!

      Reply
      • Joyce says

        September 24, 2018 at 9:34 am

        pahahaha! It's true though!

        Reply
    6. Josie says

      September 06, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      This is really an exquisite SOJU WATERMELON COCKTAIL drink. I like it . Firstly, presentation of this drink looks very colorful. Secondly, no alcohol is added. Easy to buy this seasonal water melon now. I make myself a bigger glass shot. Great !!

      Reply

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    Hi, I’m Joyce Lee! Welcome to Pups with Chopsticks! This cozy corner of the internet is all about my favorite things: cooking delicious Asian dishes, hanging out with my furry sidekicks, and sharing good eats with friends (that’s you!). Grab a seat and let’s have some fun in the kitchen! Here you’ll find everything from comforting traditional recipes to Asian fusion dishes, all made easy with broken-down, simple step-by-step tutorials.

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