Margarita recipe
The world's most popular cocktail — tequila, lime, and a salted rim.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Rocks glass or coupe, half salt rim ·
Time: 4 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Sidecar Family
Ingredients
- 2 oz Blanco Tequila (100% agave — Espolón, Olmeca Altos, or Fortaleza)
- 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.75 oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 0.25 oz Agave Syrup (optional, to taste)
How to make a Margarita
- Run a lime wedge around half the rim of your glass, then dip in flaky salt.
- Add tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, and agave syrup to a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10-12 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice (rocks) or into a chilled coupe.
Garnish
Half salt rim and lime wheel.
Pro tip
Always use 100% agave tequila — mixto tequila (the cheap stuff) is why people think they don't like tequila. And only salt HALF the rim so the drinker can choose salt or no salt with each sip.
History of the Margarita
The Margarita's origin story has at least a dozen claimants. The most popular credits Carlos 'Danny' Herrera, who created it in 1938 at his Tijuana restaurant for a customer who was allergic to all spirits except tequila but didn't like drinking it straight. He combined it with lime and Cointreau, and the rest is history.
Flavour profile
Tart, Citrus, Agave, Salt
Variations
- Spicy Margarita — Muddle 2-3 jalapeño slices or add chili-infused tequila
- Tommy's Margarita — Replace Cointreau with agave syrup for a cleaner, tequila-forward version
- Mezcal Margarita — Replace tequila with mezcal for a smoky twist
Practise making the Margarita in the free Virtual Bar game.