Our greatest margarita recipe is straightforward and traditional, bursting with recent lime balanced by crisp tequila and citrusy orange liqueur. Right here’s methods to make it—in 5 minutes with 3 components! A real fan favourite.
There’s a motive the margarita is world’s hottest tequila cocktail! This traditional drink hits simply the correct stability of boozy tequila, zingy lime, and candy orange liqueur. Alex and I are cocktail specialists and authorized mixologists with over 300 cocktail recipes in our library, however guess what? We hold coming again to this traditional system as one in all our prime cocktails of all time.
Why we love this margarita recipe: It takes simply 3 components for the perfect margarita recipe you’ll make over and over. The drink is refreshing and completely balanced: boozy, zingy, salty, and candy. We have now made it numerous instances, and even featured it in our newest cookbook! You’ll adore it, we promise.
“It was good. So many recipes on the market are too candy. It is a homerun!” -Rachel
Components on this margarita recipe
The margarita is likely one of the hottest traditional cocktails of all time, doubtless invented in Mexico within the late 1930’s. Margarita means “daisy” in Spanish, so it was in all probability a spin on the Brandy Daisy. The Daisy is a historic household of drinks with base liquor, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and soda water. Swap in tequila and lime, and also you’ve bought a margarita!
The margarita grew to become standard through the Prohibition period, when Individuals would journey to Mexico to get alcohol. In fact, it’s achieved iconic standing right now! You’ll be able to serve the traditional straight up, or on the rocks in a lowball glass. The components in a traditional margarita recipe are:
- Tequila: A mid-price vary tequila blanco is right, however you too can make the drink with tequila reposado for extra nuanced, clean taste notes.
- Triple Sec or Cointreau: We like a margarita with Cointreau orange liqueur, which provides extra subtle notes. You too can use Triple Sec, a extra cheap orange liqueur with extra easy taste.
- Lime juice: All the time use the juice of recent limes: bottled simply can’t examine to recent citrus.
Finest tequila for margaritas
Most specialists say tequila blanco is greatest for margaritas. Tequila blanco (or “new” tequila) is unaged and has that traditional tequila burn. However tequila reposado provides an intriguing depth of taste. Do this margarita recipe with each and benefit from the taste variations (we prefer it each methods). Listed here are a number of suggestions for choosing the greatest tequila for margaritas:
- Any mid-priced tequila tastes nice in a margarita. Search for 750 ml bottles within the vary of $22 to $35.
- Tequila blanco is right for margaritas. It has a simple agave-centric taste and spicy end. Some manufacturers we like are Espolon Blanco, El Tesoro Blanco, Patrón Silver, and Casamigos.
- Tequila reposado (aged) makes a clean, subtle margarita. Tequila reposado is aged 2 to 12 months in oak barrels. It has a clean taste and notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel. Some manufacturers we like embrace Casamigos, Milagro Reposado, and Suerte Reposado.
The way to make a margarita: step-by-step
The straightforward margarita recipe is fast and straightforward: combine it up as a single drink, 2 drinks without delay, or make a margarita pitcher. Make certain to arrange the glass rim and garnishes earlier than making the drink. Right here’s methods to make a single drink (or go to the total recipe):
- Step 1: Rim the glass with salt. A margarita salt rim enhances the drink’s candy and bitter flavors. Add the salt to a plate in a fair layer, then take a lime wedge and slide it across the rim of the glass. Dip the surface fringe of the glass into the salt, rotating till it’s coated.
- Step 2: Shake the drink in a cocktail shaker. Place the 1 ½ oz tequila, 1 oz Cointreau and ¾ oz lime juice in a cocktail shaker and add 4 ice cubes. Shake it till the drink is chilly.
- Step 3: Pressure into the glass. If serving the margarita on the rocks in a lowball or Outdated Original glass, add clear ice. Serving straight up in a stemmed margarita glass works too. (Our private choice is in a lowball!)
Margarita rim concepts: salt, Tajín, and extra!
You need to use easy kosher salt for the rim or step it up with colourful margarita salt with lime and orange zest. Or, attempt a Tajín rim: it’s a Mexican seasoning mix of chili peppers, lime, and salt that provides a burst of tangy, spicy taste.
A fast historical past of the margarita
🍹 A preferred story means that the margarita cocktail was invented in 1938 by Carlos “Danny” Herrera, a Tijuana-based bartender and head of the restaurant Rancho La Gloria. He claimed he invented the recipe for a buyer who wished a cocktail however was allergic to all alcohols besides tequila.
However in line with VinePair, a extra doubtless origin could possibly be a story in a 1939 Albuquerque Journal, which means that an Irish bartender named Madden in Tijuana could have invented the drink as a riff on the brandy Daisy. He by accident used tequila and in doing so creating a completely totally different drink.
Strive our Casamigos Margarita or Patron Margarita recipes, every with several types of tequila!
Variation: make a margarita pitcher
Need to serve this margarita recipe for a crowd? One of the simplest ways to make a number of margaritas without delay is to make a pitcher. The margarita pitcher makes for 8 servings and also you don’t have to shake up every drink individually, which is time consuming. Stir ice proper into the pitcher to relax and dilute the drink. Right here’s what to do:
- Place 1 ½ cups tequila, 1 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec, and ¾ cup recent lime juice in a pitcher.
- Add 3 handfuls ice and stir till chilly.
- Pour into the ready glasses.
Use clear ice for margarita on the rocks
❄️ One of the simplest ways to make a margarita on the rocks? Use clear ice, artisanal ice that’s crystal clear and will be minimize into lovely natural shapes. It’s an effective way to take a cocktail from good to glamorous! You can also make your personal clear ice at house utilizing a small cooler or clear ice tray. Go to The way to Make Clear Ice.
A number of margarita recipe variations
There are numerous variations on the traditional margarita! Whereas the traditional easy margarita stays our favourite, there are many nice methods to combine up the system. Listed here are a few of our prime margarita recipes:
Steadily requested questions
For probably the most genuine taste, use a 100% agave tequila. Blanco (silver) tequila is the traditional alternative, however reposado (aged) tequila can add a smoother taste profile.
Whereas handy, pre-made bitter combine typically incorporates synthetic components and added sugar. Contemporary lime juice offers the perfect taste for a traditional margarita.
Style your margarita as you go! Alter the sweetness with agave nectar or easy syrup, and the tartness with recent lime juice. Begin with a small quantity of sweetener and add extra to style.
Run a lime wedge across the rim of your glass to moisten it. Dip the rim the other way up right into a plate full of coarse kosher salt or one other flavored salt of your alternative.
Description
Right here’s methods to make the traditional margarita recipe! It’s straightforward with simply 3 components: tequila, lime, and orange liqueur.
- 1 ½ ounces tequila blanco or reposado*
- 1 ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
- ¾ ounce recent lime juice
- Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim
- Lime wedge, for the garnish
- Minimize a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime across the rim of a glass. Dip the sting of the rim right into a plate of salt.
- Place all components in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes and shake till chilly.
- Pressure the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and serve.
- For a margarita pitcher (8 servings): Place 1 ½ cups tequila, 1 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec, and ¾ cup lime juice in a pitcher. Add 3 handfuls ice and stir till chilly. Pour into the ready glasses.
Notes
- For a spicy variation, add 3 to 4 jalapeno pepper slices to the cocktail shaker, or go to Jalapeno Margarita.
- For a smoky variation, exchange half the tequila with Mezcal, or go to Mezcal Margarita.
- For a frozen variation, go to Frozen Margarita.
- For a virgin variation, go to Virgin Margarita.
- For fruity variations, go to Pineapple Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, Mango Margarita, or these 25 Margarita Recipes.
- Class: Cocktail
- Technique: Shaken
- Delicacies: Cocktail
- Weight loss plan: Vegan
Key phrases: Margarita, margarita recipe, margarita components, methods to make a margarita
