How To Make An Agave Margarita
Step One:Run a slice of lime around the edges of rocks glasses.
Step Two: Pour margarita salt or kosher salt onto a small dish. Press the rim of the glasses into the salt to coat the edges.
Step Three:Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Step Four:Add tequila, fresh lime juice and agave nectar to the shaker. Cover and shake for at least 30 seconds until ingredients are mixed and chilled.
Step Five: Fill prepared rocks glasses with lots of ice and pour margarita over the top.
Dont Salt The Entire Rim
Like your Margaritas with salt? Season away, but take care when rimming the glass. Excess flakes will inevitably fall into your cocktail, throwing off its flavors and balance.
Cocktailers like industry legend Dale DeGroff advise salting a segment of the glass rim instead of its entirety. It prevents your drink from ever getting too saline, and gives you the option of taking a sip with or without a mouthful of salt.
Generally speaking, if we do a rim we do half a rim, Don Lee, partner, Existing Conditions in NYC, says. That way everyone has the option. Make sure you are only salting the outside of the rim of the glass, too, Lee says.
Tips For Making Margaritas
- It’s best to use lime juice that has been freshly squeezed the day you make the skinny margs. Lime juice loses its flavor when it isnt fresh, so don’t prepare your margarita mix too far in advance.
- With cocktails this simple, quality ingredients are important. Use a top-shelf tequila and triple sec.
- Adjust the amount of tequila and sweetener to fit your taste. I prefer tart margaritas, so I use half of the agave nectar. If you prefer a sweeter drink, you might increase it. If the amount of tequila is too strong for you, decrease it a little bit. Or dilute it with a splash of soda on the top.
- These margaritas are strong. And they taste very good. So pace yourself. And alternate with water. They will knock you on your ass if you drink too many.
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Why Make This Skinny Margarita
Why not make these margs?! Theres nothing better than a perfectly sweetened citrussy margarita with a salty rim.
- Single-serve and pitcher option were providing both a single-serve option and a pitcher margarita option to serve a crowd!
- Refined sugar-free our skinny margarita recipe is made without refined sugars OR artificial sweeteners.
- Naturally gluten-free the ingredients in a margarita are naturally gluten-free. Were also sharing a vegan option!
- Citrussy and refreshing if you love citrus, you will fall head over heels for this drink.
Agave Margarita Frequently Asked Questions
You definitely can. Feel free to opt for any other strong citrus or swap the lime juice for pomegranate, mango, or pineapple juice, keeping in mind that most of these fruit juices will add a considerable amount of sugar to the finished cocktail.
This is such a great question, and one that we find ourselves Googling over and over again. There are 3 tablespoons in a shot, so feel free to measure the tequila that way if you dont have a jigger to measure with.
We think that the *best* margarita is one that tastes good, contains natural forms of sugars , and includes only the simplest of ingredients. You know which margarita checks *all* of those boxes? THIS ONE! It really is the tastiest, most delicious refined sugar-free marg youll find.
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Make An Agave Margarita Pitcher
You can make the agave margarita as a single drink , or you can also make it as a pitcher! A pitcher makes 8 drinks, and makes it much easier for entertaining so you dont have to shake up new drinks. Heres what to add to a pitcher:
- 1 ½ cups lime juice
- ½ cup Triple Sec or Cointreau
- ½ cup agave nectar
Add them together and stir. Then pour into glasses and serve! Head to the recipe below for how to make the agave margarita: and let us know what you think of this special drink. We love it as a fun spin on our classic margarita.
How Do You Make A Margarita From Scratch
The process is super easy, making this the perfect cocktail to whip up for Taco Tuesday, a date night in, or just any night that you want a little extra something special. Weve listed our favorite way to make this below, but know that if you dont have a lidded jar, you can absolutely add the ingredients to a cocktail pitcher and use a spoon to stir everything together.
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Use The Best Tequila You Can Afford
You might have a cheap bottle of tequila lying around, or see one on triple-markdown at your local package store. Its tempting to throw that into a cocktail and hope that the other ingredients will hide its flaws.
Resist this urge. Because there are so few components in a Margarita, each one matters. If you use low-quality tequila with off flavors or a boozy aftertaste, your cocktail will have those exact same flaws.
Only 100 percent Weber blue agave tequila should be used, ever, for anything, Kearns says. His favorite tequilas for making Margaritas include Siete Leguas, Siembra Azul, Cabeza, and Pueblo Viejo Blanco. We also like Casa Noble Crystal and these six others.
What Ingredients Are In An Agave Margarita
Pantry Ingredients
- tequila the favorite for this recipe is Patron Silver. This is premium tequila made from 100% agave and produced in a small batch system. Its also very easy to find. Casamigos tequila also works perfectly.
- light agave nectar make sure youre using light agave vs. amber, which has a more intense taste
- kosher salt the perfect crystalline structure for a salted rim
Fresh Ingredients
- fresh lime juice make sure its fresh and not the bottled stuff
If youve noticedtriple sec has been purposefully left out of this recipe. You can add it if you like, but I do not prefer it in any of my cocktails.
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Popularity Of Margarita With Tequila
The margarita is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. Its thought to have originated in 1938 when a bartender named Margarita Henkel mixed tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice together and served it at her bar in Mexico City.
In the 1940s, tequila was initially added to the margarita recipe. Tequila has become a vital component of margarita culture since then and is frequently combined with tequila lime juice or tequila orange liqueur to make a pleasant and tasty margarita.
It wasnt until 1958 that tequila was introduced in America when it became popular at bars in Austin, Texas. Today, tequila is the most popular liquor in America and margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails. In fact, Americans drink more than three million gallons of margaritas every year!
How Much Alcohol Is In A Margarita
There is, therefore, 1.2 ounces of alcohol in a classic margarita with a total volume of 3.75 ounces, equating to an alcohol content of 32% ABV. The ices dilution rate in the drink will reduce the alcohols strength to approximately 27% ABV.
When comparing this with beer and wine, we will see that margaritas are far more potent.
- Beer 5 12-ounce bottles at 5% ABV = 3 ounces of alcohol consumed.
- Wine A bottle at 14%ABV = 3.55 ounces of alcohol
- 5 glasses with each glass containing 1.2 ounces = 6 ounces of alcohol
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Notes On Some Ingredients:
- Tequila silver or reposado are traditionally used in margaritas. However, you can use any type of tequila that you enjoy.
- Orange Liquor- either Triple Sec or Cointreau are good options.
- Lime juice fresh squeezed is the best way to go!
- Simple syrup or Agave this creates a sweeter margarita. It is optional, you can enjoy a margarita without it, but I much prefer my cocktails to have a bit of sweetness to balance the tart punch of the lime juice.
- Kosher Salt or Sugar another optional ingredient. Use either to rim your glass.
What Is Agave Nectar Whats The Difference Vs Agave Syrup
Agave nectar is a sweetener made from the agave plant. It tastes like a combination between maple syrup and honey. Its made from several types of agave, including the same type thats used to make tequila .
Whats the difference between agave nectar vs agave syrup? Agave nectar is produced similar to how maple syrup is made: the sap from the center of the plant is extracted and boiled down. In contrast, agave syrup is technically modified similar to the way high fructose corn syrup is made. However, many people use the terms as synonyms so they are often used interchangeably, even on product labeling.
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What Makes A Skinny Margarita
Admittedly, these are not ‘skinny’ in the sense they are low calorie or any of that nonsense. I’ve found that at most Mexican restaurants, ‘skinny margarita’ refers to the way this one is made – with fresh lime juice and agave nectar – rather than with a mix.
Although sometimes skinny can mean that it’s made with artificial sweeteners to lower the sugar content. That is not this recipe.
Skinny Margaritas With Agave And Fresh Orange Juice
Lighten up a classic with this recipe for skinny margaritas an easy, at-home cocktail with fresh orange and lime juice, a little agave syrup, and no liquor other than the tequila.
A confession: although Im a reasonably confident home cook, I can struggle when it comes to home bartending. I suspect it comes simply from a lack of practice and familiarity, but I dont feel always feel so sure of myself mixing flavors, trying new techniques, or experimenting in general. For that reason, when its time to mix drinks, I rely mostly on classics.
And there is no drink more classic than the margarita!
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Skip The Lime Garnish
You probably have one or two extra limes lying around after making all that lovely fresh juice. Dont slice them into wedges to use as garnishes, no matter how natural that seems.
Why? Because your drink is perfectly balanced at this point. By adding a lime wedge, you are inviting someone to squeeze it into their drink. That will throw off the citric balance of the cocktail, Mor says. Instead, he suggests expressing an orange peel on top, giving the drink a citrusy aroma without the threat of more acid. Margaritas, like most things in life, are all about balance.
A Real Agave Margarita
You might think that on Kentucky Derby Day, the day where bourbon reigns supreme, I should be celebrating all things bourbon and not pining away for a real agave margarita. I should be teaching you all how to make authentic mint juleps while I regale you with some madcap horse racing story from youth, no? The truth be told, I know precious little about horse racing and even less about The Derby itself other than it is over in 2 minutes and the expectation is that its spectators are to get very drunk.
I will have to admit to giving thought to posting a Mint Julep recipe anyway lying to you about how I came to know the drink. Any honest food blogger would tell you how easy it is to pretend to know everything about anything. A julep is indeed a fine drink and certainly has earned its place on the racetrack menu but isnt a very practical drink to know how to make for yourself when you think about it. Who would drink a mint julep anywhere other than at Derby party anyway?
Hey! Look! Tom and Helen are here! Come in! Put your coats right here. Can I get the two of you something to drink?
Oh, Ill have a have a dry martini Bill, and you know Helen, shed just love a mint julep!
Nobody does that do they? I think it would be more useful for me to teach you something more practical. Something I actually know something about. A mint julep may be for Derby Day, but a margarita is for every day.
I celebrate it with a real agave margarita. Always.
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About This Skinny Margarita
Ive witnessed my mom order a skinny margarita at numerous restaurants on numerous occasions, and unless its a drink the restaurant already has on its menu, the server usually doesnt know what she means .
For her benefit, our servers benefit, and the benefit of margarita drinkers the world over, I did a bit of digging to determine what exactly makes a margarita recipe a skinny margarita recipe.
The results of my salt-rimmed research: a skinny margarita is comprised of fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice , tequila, and agave nectar. The exact ratio of these four ingredients is at your discretion, though most suggested more lime juice than orange juice, equal parts tequila and lime juice, and 2 teaspoons of agave.
I like my margarita to bite me back a bit, so I lean heavier on the lime juice and lighter on the agave, which this skinny margarita recipe reflects. Please feel free to adjust the recipe to suit your own margarita needs and preferences.
How To Make A Healthier Margarita
Theres no need to worry about occasionally indulging in a margarita. But there are ways to make a healthier version if you wish.
First, try making a margarita from scratch at home. It will likely have fewer calories and less sugar versus a premade mix.
Homemade margaritas are also healthier than restaurant margaritas, since restaurant portions tend to be much larger. And depending on the restaurant, they may use a premade mix high in added sugars.
Reducing the amount of sugar in your margarita is another way to make a healthier version. Try swapping an ounce of orange liqueur for a teaspoon of light agave nectar and an ounce of orange juice. That nixes about 5 grams of sugar.
Another option is to only use light agave nectar or honey in place of orange liqueur and skip the orange juice, saving another three grams of sugar.
Keep in mind that agave nectar and honey have about the same number of calories and grams of sugar. If you want to skip sugar all together, replace the orange liqueur or agave with another sweetener like stevia or monk fruit.
You can learn about other sweetener options here.
Or make a fruit-flavored drink, like a strawberry margarita, using real strawberries to sweeten the drink. Fruit is naturally sweet, and it provides vitamins, minerals, and a some fiber. Consider using fresh or frozen fruit, skipping the agave and honey.
Finally, using less tequila than the standard two ounces will reduce the number of calories from alcohol and your alcohol intake.
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How To Make :
- Step 1: Add some ice to your cocktail shaker. This will make your drink nice and cold. Thencombine the ingredients into the cocktail shaker. Pour in the tequila, triple sec, and fresh lime juice. Give it a shake!
- Step 2:Taste and add sweetener as desired. Instructions for a simple syrup or agave follow.
- Step 3: Add some ice to your prepared glass and pour! Keep the strainer on your cocktail shaker so that the drink is strained while you pour it in. Then garnish with a lime wedge.
How To Make The Best Margarita
Making an awesome margarita at home is easy! Heres what you need to do:
- First, salt the rim of a margarita glass. Rub it with a wedge of lime and dip the top of the glass in a small plate of salt. Big tip: Your glass needs to be empty in order to do this step, so always remember to salt the rim of the glass before you pour your cocktail! After you salt the rim of the glass, fill it with ice.
- Next, shake up your drink! Add the tequila, orange liqueur, freshly squeezed lime juice, and agave to a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake to combine. Then, strain the mixture into the glass with the salted rim.
- Finally, taste and adjust. In order to make a cocktail you really love, youre going to have to taste and adjust. If you prefer a sweeter drink, stir in more agave, simple syrup, or even a splash of orange juice. If you like a stiffer drink, mix in more tequila and Cointreau. I like mine really tangy, just as the recipe is written. Garnish your glass with a lime slice, and enjoy!
Oh, and if you dont have a cocktail shaker, dont worry about it! You can just as easily stir together this margarita recipe in a glass.
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