Horchata
If you've got long-grain white rice, uncooked and blanched almonds, you're most of the way to this vegan: about 65 minutes of cooking across 7 steps. You'll find the full ingredient list (with a scaler to change the servings), 7 steps of method, substitutions, and ideas for what to serve alongside.
You'll mainly reach for blender. At medium difficulty across 7 steps, it's manageable with a little attention. As written, every ingredient resolved to a plant source.
What you'll need
Shopping list (2)
Pantry staples (you likely have these)
Diet: vegan — no meat, fish, dairy, egg or honey, based on every ingredient listed below.
Contains: Tree nuts
Allergen labels are informational and may not cover cross-contact; verify every package and consult a qualified professional for medical dietary needs. Diet labels are derived from the ingredient list on this page — how we verify diet and allergen labels.
Food-safety and allergen information is general, not medical advice. Follow current guidance from your local food-safety authority, verify product labels, and seek qualified advice for allergies or health conditions.
How to make it
- Rinse the rice briefly, then place it in a large bowl with the almonds, cinnamon stick and lime peel, and pour over the hot water.
- Cover the bowl and leave it to soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator, so the rice and almonds soften and release their starch and flavour.
- Discard the cinnamon stick and lime peel, then tip the soaked rice, almonds and their soaking water into a blender and blend on high for 2 to 3 minutes until as smooth as possible.
- Add the cold water and the sugar to the blender and blend again briefly to combine and dissolve the sugar.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or a muslin-lined sieve into a jug or pitcher, pressing well to extract all the liquid, and discard the gritty solids left behind.
- Stir, taste, and adjust the sweetness if needed, then chill the horchata in the refrigerator until very cold.
- Serve poured over plenty of ice and finish each glass with a light dusting of ground cinnamon, stirring before drinking as the mixture naturally settles.
You'll use: Blender
Ingredient substitutions
- Lime
- lemon
Tips & common questions
How long does Horchata take to make?
About 65 minutes from start to finish — an estimate based on the 7 steps and 8 ingredients. Times vary with your kitchen and how much prep you do ahead.
What can I use instead of lime?
Try lemon. See the substitutions section above for more swaps.
Can I scale this recipe up or down?
Yes — use the servings control above the ingredients and every quantity rescales automatically (fractions included). Cooking times stay roughly the same; very large batches may need a little longer.
Is Horchata vegan?
Every ingredient listed on this page resolved to a plant or mineral source in our ingredient ontology — no meat, fish, shellfish, dairy, egg or honey. Labels can still differ by brand, so check packaged items.
Related recipes
Adapted recipe — rewritten in our own wording from an open-licensed community cookbook, not yet independently kitchen-tested by Consomee. How we source, test & correct recipes.
Horchata is adapted by Consomee from the Wikibooks Cookbook, rewritten in our own wording and used under CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo: Horchata, my drink of choice in Mexico - Merida Yucatan 21 March 2021.jpg by Sharon Hahn Darlin, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons. We add the serving scaler, ingredient tools, timing and structure — how we source recipes.