I thought about making a fancy flavored margarita today, but then I remembered that Jose Cuervo was the MAN. You guys, he invented the margarita. So today is an ode to Jose and his genius recipe that we all know and love. Who doesn’t love a margarita? If you don’t, we can’t be friends.

Margaritas are best enjoyed on a hot summer day if you ask me. Preferably with chips and queso, and of course good friends. I like to make my margaritas skinny and fresh. That means, freshly squeezed lime juice, a squeeze of agave nectar (or honey which is what I had on hand) and good quality tequia. There’s a few favorites I like to have on hand for a great margarita.

Best Tequilas For Margaritas

Jose Cuervo Tradicional
Casamigos
Cazadores Anejo or Blanco
Espelon Silver
Herradura Silver

How To Make A Skinny Margarita

A skinny margarita really is just a simplified margarita using really fresh ingredients. It skips the triple sec or Cointreau which adds a ton of sugar. You can either fully omit this or add a litlte squeeze of orange to still get that hint of orange citrus. But typically a good tequila paired with a little squeeze of agave (or honey) and a lot of fresh lime juice is the best way to whip up a skinny margarita. I typically recommend about equal parts tequila to lime for a good mix!

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz good tequila
Juice of 2 limes
.5 oz of agave or honey (a little squeeze is fine, no oneed to measure!)
Ice

METHOD

Add all of your ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake it for at least 30 seconds. Strain over ice and garnish with a lime wedge. Optional, you can add a salt rim. Just rub the rim with a lime half and dunk in chunky salt.

You can rim your glass with coarse salt, Tajin or even sugar if you like. Just run your lime across the rim and dip the the top in a shallow bowl of your favorite rim ingredient. I’m partial to a mix of salt and Tajin for a spicy salty kick!

Different Margaritas To Make

My favorite thing about a margarita is that this recipe can really be the base of several fun margarita flavors. From strawberry margaritas (here’s my recipe for that!) to watermelon and basil. Really any good fresh fruit works perfectly in a margarita from berries to melons and citrus. And you can add in some fresh herbs that complement the flavors. You can also use some vegetables too like cucumbers or add in a jalapeno for a bit of spice! A personal favorite is a watermelon jalapeno margarita.

Lastly, don’t forget about the rim! The options here are also endless. Obviously salt is a classic, but you can always zhush up your salt with spices and herbs too. For a spicy rim try Tajin or chili powder with some salt. Or if you’re doing something sweet, you can always do a sugar rim too.