Horchata Recipe – Two Ways (2024)

FAQs

What are the two types of horchata? ›

Yes, there are various types of horchata based on regional preferences and available ingredients. For instance, horchata de chufa (made with tiger nuts) is popular in Spain, while horchata de arroz (made with rice) is more common in Latin America.

The texture of horchata is slightly grainy, but otherwise smooth and refreshing. To achieve this texture, be sure to fully pulverize the rice and cinnamon in a grinder.

The ingredients in horchata are really simple. Authentic horchata is made with water, rice, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. This easy horchata recipe has a great balance of creamy rice and cinnamon flavor, with just enough vanilla to round things out.

Horchata will make your skin look healthier because of the high levels of antioxidants in this tasty drink. Drinking horchata every day may help reduce inflammation in the body which could lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes or heart disease.

Horchata (/ɔːrˈtʃɑːtə/; Spanish: [oɾˈtʃata]), or orxata ( Valencian: [oɾˈtʃata]), is a name given to various beverages, which are generally plant based, but sometimes contain animal milk. In Spain, it is made with soaked, ground, and sweetened tiger nuts.

Popular in Latin America, Spain and Spanish-speaking communities worldwide, horchata is a creamy drink that can be made from nuts, seeds or grains, and flavored with all sorts of herbs and spices. But beyond this broad definition, horchata can take on countless flavor profiles and identities.

The hydrating properties of the drink, along with the natural sugar, can help rehydrate the body and replenish electrolytes lost during alcohol consumption. Horchata made from Tiger nuts are rich in fibers which are known to help regulate blood sugar levels.

The rice adds a starchy or chalky quality, and perhaps to compensate, most taquerias use a very heavy hand with the sugar. But the rice flavor is also part of horchata's charm, and this version inspired by GCM vendors reduces the sweetness—a bit.

Why is my horchata slimy? If hot water is used instead of cool water to blend the rice mixture, the rice grains will start to swell and cook. As the mixture sits, the starches in the rice will gel up, giving it a slimy texture. Use room temperature or cold water when making horchata.

The original horchata from Valencia, Spain is made from chufa, or tiger nuts, water, sugar and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon. Tiger nuts didn't grow in the Americas when the Spanish arrived, so the Spanish used different nuts, seeds and grains to recreate horchata in their colonies.

What's the best rice for horchata? ›

Long-Grain Jasmine Rice Makes A Great Horchata Base

Basmati and jasmine rice are both types of long-grain white rice, but jasmine rice is a slightly better fit due to its plump, pliant texture and slightly sweet taste.

Starches are the main agent in Oaxacan, Valencian and other grain- and tuber-based horchatas. Free starch molecules will mix with and thicken water, but inside the plant parts that make starches, like grains of rice, the molecules are glued and laminated together into aggregates called starch granules.

Boost the cinnamon in your horchata - a Mexican drink traditionally made with rice - with fresh turmeric that has been shown to reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

should not substitute breast milk and/or formula in the first year. Sugary drinks. Juice (yes, even 100% juice), soda, tea/coffee, horchata, etc. should be avoided in the first year.

Horchata is also known to promote a healthy liver and is a kidney cleanser. Additionally, horchata can help reduce inflammation and even pain. Some studies even suggest horchata can help provide a moisturizing tonic for the brain.

While Mexican horchata is made using rice that has been soaked overnight in water, sugar, and cinnamon, the ancient Spanish recipe that is still used today in places like Valencia used tiger nuts instead of rice to create their refreshing beverage.

Another yummy alternative milk option is horchata. It's one of the more well-known non-dairy options around! It's basically rice milk so it's something easily done at home. Paired with coffee, and you get what is called a Dirty Horchata (it's called 'dirty' because of the coffee color!)

There are non-alcoholic coconut, coffee, fruit, tea-flavored and energy drink hortchata beverages.

While Mexican horchata is traditionally made with rice, cinnamon, and sugar, some variations feature dried cantaloupe seeds, coconut, and even oatmeal. In northern Mexico, there's a version still made with barley called horchata de cebada: literally “a drink made with barley of barley.”