I don’t know about you, but I definitely miss the days of being able to go out to dinner. I’m not a big drinker, but I do always like to order a cocktail or glass of wine when I do go out. One of my favorite drinks to order is a glass of red sangria. I’ve loved sangria ever since college when I traveled to Madrid. I fell in love with the Spanish wine, and all of the food. Since I can’t go out to dinner, I figured it was about time I try a classic red sangria recipe so I could enjoy a glass right at home. I’m so glad I did. This traditional red sangria recipe is so simple and so yummy.

If you’ve never made a traditional red sangria recipe before, I’m telling you it can’t get any easier. The only possible challenge in this recipe is that you will need to find some brandy. Brandy is not a liquor I normally have on hand, so I did have to run out to get some.

I actually decided to try this recipe because I already had oranges, apples, orange juice, brown sugar and red wine on hand. The only thing I was missing was the brandy.  Once you have all of the ingredients, you simply cut up your fruit into small pieces, add the brown sugar, add the rest of the ingredients, and you’re all set.

As for cutting up the fruit, you do want to core the apple and make sure you remove all large seeds from the oranges. The great thing about this traditional red sangria recipe is that you do leave the rind on the oranges and the skin on the apples. I suppose you could peel the oranges or the apple, if you really dislike the thought of the skins being left on. But, you definitely don’t have to. It’s a huge time-saver, and you can still eat the fruit pieces, if you choose.

I love this traditional red sangria recipe because it’s super easy to make and not too sweet. I also love that you can customize it to work for you. If you like it sweet, you can add more brown sugar and oj. In case you like it stronger, you can add more brandy. If you want it tarter, leave out the brown sugar.

If you’ve never tried making classic red sangria at home, you should give this one a try. It is so simple, and it’s a nice change from your standard glass of wine to end the day.

Looking for other drink recipes? Check out my sangria margarita recipe.

Easy Traditional Red Sangria Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 medium apple, cored and chopped into small pieces
1/2 medium orange, chopped into small pieces, plus more for garnish
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup brandy
Bottle of Dry Red Wine
~1 cup Ice to chill

Directions:

Add apples, oranges, and sugar to a large pitcher and muddle with a wooden spoon for a minute to break up the fruit and incorporate the sugar. Next, add orange juice and brandy and muddle again to combine. Add the red wine and stir to incorporate, then taste and adjust flavor as needed. You can add a bit more brandy, orange juice and brown sugar, depending on your taste preferences. Stir to combine. Add ice and stir once more to chill. Serve as is, or with a bit more ice. Garnish with orange segments.