Skinny Margarita
on Apr 28, 2024, Updated Jul 03, 2024
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This skinny margarita is a lighter and fresher take on a classic margarita. It’s made with 4 ingredients and perfect for sipping any day of the week!
If you’re a margarita lover be sure to check out my spicy watermelon margaritas!
Why you’ll love them
Fresh ingredients – You won’t find any mixers or artificial ingredients in these fresh margaritas. They’re made with 4 simple ingredients, including fresh lime and orange juice, tequila, and agave.
Easy to make – This easy margarita recipe can be in your hands and ready to enjoy in a matter of minutes. Just add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker or jar, shake, pour over ice, and enjoy!
Balanced – Unlike some margaritas, this skinny margarita isn’t cloyingly sweet. It has the perfect balance of tart, sweet, boozy, and salty flavors.
Summer cocktail – I’ll sip on a margarita any time of year, but I particularly love them in the summer. There’s something about the fresh citrus and tequila that’s so refreshing!
The ingredients
- Lime and orange – Freshly squeezed lime and orange juice will give you the freshest citrus flavor for a margarita. Fresh squeezed citrus has a superior flavor compared to bottled juice.
- Tequila – Blanco also called silver tequila works best for margaritas. It has the purest agave flavor.
- Agave syrup – agave syrup/agave nectar is an all-natural sweetener. Depending how sweet you like your margarita, you may want to add more or less to the cocktail.
How to make a skinny margarita
This is an overview of the recipe with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
If you enjoy a salted rim on your margarita, start here. Rub a lime wedge along the rim of the glass. Pour kosher salt onto a plate and then twist the rim of the glass into the salt until it’s coated.
To a cocktail shaker or jar with a lid, add 3-4 ice cubes. Pour in the fresh lime and orange juice.
Pour in the tequila and agave syrup. Cover and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Pour into the salt rimmed glass. Garnish with a lime wedge or slice of orange.
What’s the best tequila for margaritas?
Tequila blanco – Also called silver tequila. This tequila is most frequently used for margaritas. It hasn’t been aged long (less than 2 months) and has a strong, straightforward tequila/agave flavor.
Tequila reposado – This “gold” tequila has been aged longer (2-12 months). It has a smoother more nuanced flavor. Flavors such as vanilla and oak can sometimes be detected in it. This is a nice option for margaritas if you don’t like the bold earthy flavor of tequila blanco.
Both blanco and reposado can be used for margaritas it just depends on your preference. Personally, I prefer to use blanco, but I wouldn’t say no to a margarita that used reposado.
Whatever you choose, stick to a mid-range tequila. You don’t need to buy a $100 bottle, but don’t use the cheapest tequila.
Variations
- Make it spicy! Add a few slices of jalapeño to the margarita before shaking it. Shake to release the heat from the jalapeño into the margarita.
- Use mezcal. If you love the smoky flavor of mezcal, use it as a replacement to blanco tequila.
- Make a virgin margarita. Swap the tequila with sparkling water enjoy it as a tasty mocktail!
- Top off the margarita with sparkling water for a bubbly version.
Food to pair with margaritas
The obvious foods to pair with margaritas are tortilla chips and either pico de gallo or green chile guacamole.
Other appetizers and snacky things that pair well with margaritas are shrimp ceviche, green chile chicken enchilada dip, and this black bean and corn salsa salad.
If your serving skinny margaritas with dinner or at your Cinco de Mayo party, they pair well with this beef enchilada skillet, carne asada, grilled fish tacos, or these grilled chicken fajita skewers.
More tequila cocktails
Did you make this skinny margarita? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Skinny Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila blanco
- 1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz fresh orange juice
- 1/2-3/4 oz agave syrup
Instructions
- Take a lime wedge and run it around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of kosher or sea salt.
- Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds, then pour into the glass. Garnish with a lime wedge or sliced of orange.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
