Classic Margarita Recipe with Fresh Lime
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Whether you are Team Salted Rim or Team No Salt, a classic margarita on the rocks is a delicious addition to Taco Tuesday or any happy hour. Toss the sour mix in favor of fresh limes and quick simple syrup for a simple and refreshing marg.
A margarita cocktail is so easy to make, only takes 4 ingredients, and doesn’t require sour mix. In fact, forget sour mix was ever created.
Make some quick simple syrup, squeeze some fresh limes, and mix your drink. I promise it’ll impress your friends and you’ll never buy sour mix again.
Complete your happy hour with my 5 minute blender salsa and some homemade tortilla chips.
Ingredients
- Silver tequila – Use your favorite brand of quality tequila blanco. I love the fresh taste of silver (non-aged) tequila over reposado tequila, which is aged in oak barrels for a few months and has an amber color. If you prefer Reposado tequila for your margaritas, feel free to swap out the silver tequila for its amber counterpart.
- Simple syrup – Make this quick, two ingredient syrup ahead of time so it can cool before you need to use it. Get the full recipe and information on how to keep it fresh for week on my simple syrup recipe page.
- Fresh limes – Fresh lime juice is a MUST for any margarita. The difference between a good cocktail and a great cocktail is fresh citrus. Squeeze fresh limes for this recipe. You’ll need about 1 lime per drink.
- Triple sec – Choose your favorite orange liqueur for this recipe. Any orange liqueur will work here instead of the triple sec. Grand Marnier and Cointreau are two of the most popular, and widely available orange liqueurs. If you want to keep the ABV low, use orange simple syrup in place of the orange liqueur.
- Coarse salt – Garnish your margarita with a salted rim! You can use whatever salt you have on hand for rimming your glass. Coarse salt is delicious and looks nice on a rim. However, I often use table salt as it adheres nicely to the glassware (and honestly I’m lazy and that’s what’s hanging out in my kitchen).
How to Make Margaritas on the Rocks
Prep Your Glass
Run a slice of lime around the rim of a glass.
Pour some salt into a shallow dish and gently run the rim of your glass through the salt. Fill the glass with ice. Set aside.
Make Your Margarita
Place blanco tequila, simple syrup, lime juice, and triple sec in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes.
Shake well, strain and pour into your prepared glass. Garnish with a wedge of lime or large lime wheel. Enjoy!
Love This Recipe?
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Classic Margarita Recipe with Fresh Lime
Ingredients
- 2 oz silver tequila, or blanco tequila
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1 oz lime juice, fresh squeezed
- 0.5 oz orange liqueur, or triple sec
- Coarse salt, for the rim
Instructions
To prep your glass:
- Run a slice of lime around the rim.
- Pour some salt into a shallow dish and gently run the rim of your glass through the salt.Coarse salt
- Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Set aside.
Make your cocktail:
- Place all remaining ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.2 oz silver tequila, 1 oz simple syrup, 1 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz orange liqueur
- Shake well, strain and pour into your prepared glass.
- Garnish with a wedge of lime.
- Enjoy!
Video
How do I make this into a frozen margarita?
It’s easy! Combine all of the ingredients (except the salt) with ¼ cup of ice in a high speed blender. Blend up and enjoy!
Delicious and Easy Food Pairings
Margaritas go great with homemade Taco Tuesday snacks! Try them with these 3 ingredient homemade tortilla chips or my 15 minute vegetarian mushroom tacos.
Want More Margaritas on the Rocks?
I have a bit of a margarita obsession. There’s so many flavor combinations to try! These watermelon margaritas, blueberry margaritas, and coconut margaritas are refreshing summer cocktails. Or try my elderflower margaritas for an easy twist. Want to try something besides a margarita? Grab some fizzy water and make a ranch water tequila cocktail.
Hoping to make tonight, however I do not have simple syrup (unless the hummingbird food I made counts). Any subs?
Make simple syrup with hot water and sugar! Mix 1/2 cup of sugar into 1/2 cup hot water. Stir until dissolved, then chill it.