The Best Homemade Skinny Margarita Recipe.

Making a skinny margarita at home is incredibly quick, simple, and rewarding.  I’ve never been a fan of the pre-made mixes that most restaurants offer; they’re so sweet, sticky, and unsatisfying.  But this skinny margarita recipe is full of fresh citrus juice, light agave nectar, and (of course) tequila!

I created this recipe when Mark and I lived in a small town in North Carolina, and struggled to find super delicious margaritas like we were used to back in Kansas City.  (Note:  we have since moved home and are *blessed* yet again with an abundance of insanely delicious margaritas in KC.  Southwest Boulevard is lined with incredible Mexican restaurants that won’t steer you wrong, to start!  But seriously shoot me an email if you ever plan to visit KC and want a solid list of where to drink margaritas. 🙂 )

Luckily, developing this recipe totally got us through our summers in North Carolina, and now I get to share this super easy recipe with you! 

We’ve also made blueberry cilantro margaritas, grilled pineapple margaritas, and skinny blackberry margaritas!

What is a Skinny Margarita?

What makes a margarita a “skinny” margarita?  Simply put, it doesn’t have all the sugar and crap that comes in pre-made mixes.  This skinny margarita recipe consists of only fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice (rather than orange liqueur that has a ton of sugar and calories), light agave nectar, and tequila blanco. 

I personally like using either tequila blanco, but you can totally use reposado tequila if you prefer.  Tequila blanco is clear, and reposado is briefly aged in barrels to give it a touch of vanilla-ish flavor and color.  This is definitely a matter of preference, so use your favorite!

Ingredients for this Skinny Margarita Recipe:

• Tequila (I highly recommend looking for a tequila that is 100% blue agave! Pure agave tequila has no carbs, is super low in sugar, and actually has some health benefits.  I love to use blanco [or silver] tequila for margaritas, but you could also use reposado. Both have the same calorie counts, which is about 97 calories for 1.5 ounces. Reposado rests in barrels for a few months, so it takes on a touch of vanilla flavor and color.)
• Fresh Lime Juice
• Fresh Orange Juice
• Agave Nectar (also called Agave Syrup)
• Kosher Salt 
• Extra Limes (for garnish)

How to Make this Fresh Skinny Margarita:

I can’t stress enough how easy this is.  Grab a couple of limes, an orange, a couple teaspoons of the agave nectar, some kosher salt, and a shot of your favorite tequila.

1. Pour a small pile of kosher salt onto a plate.  Run a fresh lime wedge over the rims of two margarita glasses, then dip the rims of the glasses into the salt to coat them. 
   • NOTE:  If throwing a party or serving people you don’t typically drink margaritas with, I recommend only coating half of the rim with salt.  This way your guest has the option or salt or no salt, without you asking everyone their preference.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker as full as you can with ice.  Add the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, agave nectar, and a little pinch of kosher salt*.
   • *The pinch of kosher salt is optional, but I recommend if if you aren’t adding any salt to the rims of the glasses.  It helps the citrus flavors pop a little more, so add a tiny pinch and see if you like it!
3. Secure the lid onto the shaker, and shake as hard as you can for about 30 seconds, or until your hands are about to freeze off.
4. Take off the lid, and divide the shaker between your two glasses.  (Ice and all.)
5. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.  

So this recipe is “skinny”, and uses a standard shot of tequila.  A standard shot is 1.5 ounces, and clocks in at about 97 calories.  To be honest, we usually use about two ounces in each of our margaritas.  🙂  It will increase the calories a bit, but feel free to add a touch more tequila if it’s been a rough week.  Or, if you’re like us, you enjoy the balance of booze / citrus / and sweetness. 

I hope you get to make these skinny margaritas as soon as you can … I mean there’s Margarita Monday, Tequila Tuesday, uhh … Wednesday …, then Thirsty Thursday, and the weekend!  It all works.

If you make these skinny margaritas, you should totally tag me on Instagram so I can see!  And if you have any specific questions, feel free to reach out to me directly.  Cheers!

xx Sara

Recipe Card

4.58 from 7 votes

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Skinny Margarita Recipe

Author Sara

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 2 margaritas

A quick and easy skinny margarita recipe for you to make this weekend! Fresh citrus juice, agave nectar, and tequila are the only ingredients you need.

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 5 minutes mins

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Ingredients

 

• ▢ 3 ounces tequila blanco or reposado
• ▢ 3 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• ▢ 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons agave nectar*
• ▢ kosher salt
• ▢ lime wheels for garnish

Instructions

• Pour a small pile of kosher salt onto a plate.  Use a lime wedge to trace the rims of two margarita glasses, then dip the rims into the salt. Set the glasses aside for now.
• Fill a cocktail shaker as full as possible with ice.  Add tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar.** Shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds, then divide the contents of the shaker between your margarita glasses.
• Garnish with a lime wedge (or wheel) and enjoy!

Notes

*Substitute the agave nectar with a no-calorie sweetener packet, if desired!  It will cut a few calories.

**If you don't use salt on the rims of the glasses, I recommend adding a tiny pinch of salt into the cocktail shaker with everything else before shaking it!

This recipe is a great base; but feel free to adjust the citrus juice, agave nectar, and tequila to fit your taste!

Nutrition

Serving: 1margarita | Calories: 141kcal

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