Horchata de Chufa (Tiger Nut Drink)
Why this recipe works
- Naturally creamy: Blended tiger nuts give the drink body and a gentle nuttiness without needing dairy.
- Clean, chilled flavour: Lemon zest and cinnamon keep the sweetness aromatic rather than heavy.
- Designed for chilling: The soaking and chilling stages suit advance preparation, and the flavour is best when served very cold.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Plan for soaking: The tiger nuts need a long soak before blending, so start the recipe well ahead of when you want to serve it.
- Serve very cold: Chilling is part of the drink’s character; serve over fresh ice once the horchata is thoroughly cold.
Ingredient notes
- Tiger nuts matter: Tiger nuts are small tubers rather than nuts, and they provide the drink’s distinctive earthy sweetness and creamy texture.
- Rinse well: Rinsing before and after soaking helps remove grit and gives the finished horchata a cleaner flavour.
- Use citrus lightly: Lemon zest perfumes the drink; a small squeeze of juice at the end can brighten it without turning it sharp.
Texture tips
- For a smoother drink: Strain the blended mixture carefully, pressing firmly, then strain again if you prefer a finer texture.
- Avoid graininess: Blend until the tiger nuts are thoroughly broken down before straining; a short blend can leave the drink coarse.
Make-ahead tips
- Make ahead: Prepare the horchata in advance and keep it covered in the fridge until ready to serve.
- Keep chilled: Store in a sealed jug and shake or stir well before pouring, as natural separation is expected.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Rinse the tiger nuts well, then cover with plenty of fresh water in a bowl. Leave to soak for 8 hours at cool room temperature, then drain and rinse again.
- Using a vegetable peeler, remove 2 wide strips of zest from the lemon, avoiding the white pith. Add the soaked tiger nuts to a blender with 750 ml of the water, the lemon zest, caster sugar and ground cinnamon, then blend until very smooth, about 2 minutes.
- Set a sieve over a bowl and strain the mixture, pressing firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in the remaining 250 ml water, then taste and adjust with a little more sugar if you like (this will make it sweeter).
- Chill the horchata for at least 2 hours until very cold. Serve over ice cubes, and if you like, add a tiny squeeze of lemon juice from the zested lemon to brighten the flavour.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the cleanest flavour, rinse the tiger nuts again after soaking to remove any grit before blending.
- If you prefer a smoother drink, strain twice through the sieve, pressing well each time.
- Food safety: this drink is served raw, so use clean equipment and keep it chilled; vulnerable groups should avoid drinks made with ingredients soaked at room temperature for long periods.
Substitutions
- Replace caster sugar with honey for a rounder sweetness (note this makes the drink non-vegan).
- Replace ground cinnamon with a cinnamon stick infused in the strained horchata while chilling, then remove before serving.
- Replace lemon with orange for a softer citrus aroma.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 2 days
- Store in a sealed jug in the fridge and shake or stir well before serving, as it naturally separates. Serve well chilled over fresh ice cubes.
Ratings & reviews
Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.
Tried this recipe?
Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.
Stay inspired
Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.
Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 glasses
- Total time: 8h 20min (20min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: Spanish
-
Allergens:
Tree nuts
Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.
Add to meal plannerEquipment you'll need
Got ingredients left?
Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.
Find recipes with these ingredients →
Salted Lime Soda
Fizzy lime drink with sugar, salt and ice
Lingonberry Spritzer
Lingonberry cordial spritzer with sparkling water, lemon and ice
Pomegranate Molasses Spritzer
Tangy pomegranate molasses spritzer with lime and sparkling water
Pomegranate Mint Spritzer (Moroccan-Style)
Pomegranate spritzer with mint, lime, honey and sparkling water
Horchata de Coco (Coconut Horchata)
Chilled coconut and rice drink with cinnamon and vanilla
Sima (Finnish Lemon May Day Drink)
Finnish lemon sima, lightly fermented and served chilled with raisins
Advocaat (Dutch Egg Liqueur)
Thick Dutch egg liqueur made with brandy and vanilla
Ginger Brown Sugar Tea
Hot ginger tea sweetened with light brown sugar
Vietnamese Avocado Smoothie
Vietnamese avocado smoothie with condensed milk and ice
Peach Yogurt Smoothie
Peach yoghurt smoothie blended with milk and a little honey.
Jal Jeera (Spiced Cumin Drink)
Chilled jal jeera with roasted cumin, tamarind and mint
Weinschorle (White Wine Spritzer with Sparkling Water)
White wine mixed with sparkling water and served chilled
Citron Pressé (Fresh Lemonade with Sugar Syrup)
Fresh lemon juice drink mixed with sugar syrup and cold water
Mazagran (Iced Coffee with Lemon)
Iced coffee with lemon juice, ice and a little sugar
Orange Blossom Lemonade (Moroccan-Style)
Chilled lemonade scented with orange blossom water
Turkish-Style Mint Lemonade
Mint lemonade blended with fresh mint, lemon juice and sugar
Mint Lemonade
Chilled mint lemonade blended, strained smooth and served over ice
Rose Water Lemonade
Chilled lemonade scented with rose water
You might also like
Stoofvlees met Friet (Belgian Beef Stew with Chips)
Belgian beef stew with dark beer, served with chips
Moules Marinières (Mussels in White Wine)
Mussels steamed in white wine with garlic and parsley
Kroketten (Dutch Beef Ragout Croquettes)
Dutch beef ragout croquettes with a crisp breadcrumb coating
Pasta e Fagioli Tradizionale (Italian Pasta and Bean Soup)
Thick pasta and bean soup finished with olive oil and Parmesan
Andouillette with Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce
Pan-fried andouillette with creamy Dijon mustard sauce
Stoemp Bowl with Carrots and Leeks
Mashed potatoes with carrots and leeks, enriched with butter
Make this recipe easier next time
AdvertisementThese tools help you get better results with less effort.
KitchenAid Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Non-slip base
- Stainless steel
- Not microwave safe
Pyrex Glass Mixing Bowls with Lids
- Microwave safe
- BPA-free lids
- Glass is heavier
OXO Good Grips Stainless Mixing Bowl Set
- Non-slip base
- Comfort grip
- Higher price
Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?
Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.
Add JustRecipes to GoogleEvery recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.
