Fresh Strawberry Margarita on the Rocks

A fresh strawberry margarita made with ripe strawberries, tequila of your choice, fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice, triple sec, and agave syrup.

There are a lot of frozen strawberry margarita recipes out there, but we needed a strawberry margarita recipe on the rocks! (“On the rocks” means served over ice.) I tested this recipe quite a few times with a lot of different ingredients … but I really wanted to create a strawberry margarita recipe that didn’t require a bunch of steps, a special syrup, or any obscure ingredients. This is a straight-forward margarita on the rocks with macerated strawberries, and once the strawberries are ready, the margaritas come together in no time.

This recipe makes two margaritas and takes 15 total minutes to make, including a resting period for the strawberries so they are extra juicy before being muddled. These are standard, simple ingredients that make a great classic margarita if you leave out the strawberries, too. 🙂

Ingredients

(makes 2 fresh strawberry margaritas on the rocks)

• 1/2 cup sliced fresh Strawberries
• 2 tsp. Granulated Sugar
• 4 oz. Tequila (silver [blanco] or reposado)
• 2 oz. fresh Lime Juice
• 1 oz. Triple Sec (orange liqueur)
• 1/2 oz. fresh Orange Juice
• 2 tsp. Agave Syrup (also called “agave nectar”)
• small pinch of kosher Salt

Ingredient Notes / FAQs:

Can I use frozen strawberries? No, they won’t thaw in time to create the juices necessary for this margarita. Fresh berries are best!

What’s the difference between tequila blanco and reposado tequila? Reposado tequila is briefly aged in barrels, which makes it a light brown color. Silver tequila is not aged in barrels. Silver tequila will have a cleaner taste, and reposado tequila will have a touch of earthiness and character. The type of tequila matters, and I would stick with silver tequila (blanco tequila) or reposado tequila. I recommend avoiding anejo tequila, as it has a strong flavor that doesn’t work well in this strawberry margarita recipe.

Can I use sour mix or margarita mix instead of lime juice? I’d rather you didn’t. Lime juice is not interchangeable with sour mix if you want the same flavor; fresh lime juice makes this margarita great. Sour mix (store-bought sour mix, specifically), is made of lemon, lime, and sugar. However, the flavor isn’t even comparable to fresh lime juice. If you have a margarita mix that you’ve used before and you LOVE, you can certainly give it a shot!

What is triple sec? Triple sec is an orange liqueur. Most of us buy the cheap stuff that’s found on the bottom shelf at most liquor stores (I go between Juarez and DeKuyper), and it works just fine in margaritas. If you’re looking to keep a good triple sec on your bar cart, I recommend Cointreau (from France) or Naranja (from Mexico). Naranja is less expensive, and it is a great triple sec to use in margaritas! If you’re feeling REALLY fancy, you can certainly purchase Grand Marnier, but just be aware that Grand Mariner is a blend of triple sec and cognac, so it is sweeter and a bit denser than other triple sec options.

Is agave syrup the same as agave nectar? Yes. Honestly, the stuff you’ll find in the States that’s labeled as “syrup” or “nectar” is the same product. If you can’t find agave syrup, simple syrup will work!

How to Make a Fresh Strawberry Margarita on the Rocks

Remove the leafy green tops from the strawberries. Slice the strawberries (about 4-5 slices per berry), and place them in a small bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, and stir the strawberries until all slices are coated in sugar. Let them rest in the bowl for 10-15 minutes, until some juice starts to accumulate in the bottom of the bowl. (Macerating strawberries draws out the juices and makes them easier to muddle, and brings out more of the strawberry flavor!)

After 10-15 minutes, transfer the strawberries and any juice from the bowl to a cocktail shaker.

Muddle the strawberries until they’re completely broken down and most of the juice has been squeezed out of them. This takes about 30 seconds to a minute.

Pour the tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and orange juice into the shaker.

Drizzle in the agave syrup and sprinkle in a tiny pinch of kosher salt (or sea salt).

Fill the shaker halfway with ice, secure the lid, and shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds.

Fill two rocks glasses with ice. Strain the cocktail, dividing it equally between the glasses. Garnish with a slice of lime, lime wheel, or strawberry slice.

For the Rim (Optional)

You can run a lime wedge over the rim of the glass and dip the rim in sugar, salt, or a combination of the two (use equal parts of each)! I usually add a rim to half of the glass if I’m serving guests, because it’s the perfect way to offer a rimmed glass to your guests OR give them the option of drinking their margarita without a rim. Then you don’t have to remember anyone’s preference. 🙂

This is definitely one of those delicious cocktails that is a go-to recipe for us in the summer months. An easy margarita recipe is a great thing to have in your back pocket for happy hour at home, and the addition of strawberries in this one provide the fresh fruit flavor we all need in the summertime.

Pouring the margarita through the strainer that is built into the cap of a cocktail shaker can be difficult, as the strawberries may clog the strainer and block the liquids. In this case, take off the cocktail shaker lid and pour the margaritas through a fine mesh sieve into the glasses. It’s not as easy, but it is certainly less frustrating that dealing with a clogged shaker.

Other Margarita Recipes

If you want to check out a few more fruity margaritas, try my Blueberry Cilantro Margarita or Fresh Spicy Pineapple Margarita (with a sweet and spicy salted rim)! On the spicy note, feel free to throw a couple jalapeño slices into the cocktail shaker with your macerated strawberries in this recipe to give it a kick. 🙂

If you share your strawberry margaritas on social media, be sure to tag me on Instagram! Feel free to send me an email with any questions, too. If you make these margaritas and Iove them, a star rating and comment below would be SO appreciated!

Cheers! xx Sara