Recipe

Ditch the Sour Mix — Here's the Best Authentic Margarita Recipe

By Maria Daniela Toporek at University of North Florida

Has tequila ever made a fool out of you? It might have just been getting vengeance for drinking it with sweet-and-sour mix. With National Margarita day around the corner, February 22nd to be exact, here's the best and most authentic margarita recipe I know. Trust me — I'm Mexican.  

Whenever I fly to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, to visit family, my aunt and uncle treat me to the most refreshing and effective authentic margaritas. They're made with freshly squeezed lime juice and smooth silver tequila.

My uncle passed the recipe to me, which is not only tastier than using cheap mix, but healthier.

According to Live Strong, four ounces of margarita mix contains about 100 calories while the same amount of lime juice only has 25 calories. Mixes also contain massive amounts of sugar, which according to health blog, Get Your Fit Together, is what you want to avoid unless you enjoy that pounding headache the morning.

The choice of tequila is just as important as the choice to ditch the mix. When making authentic margaritas, use tequila blanco (tequila silver) for a smooth taste. The best option is to find a tequila that says "100% Blue Weber Agave" on the bottle, but if you're on a budget, Jose Cuervo's blue agave silver tequila will do just fine. 

Fun Fact: In Mexico, it's only considered real tequila if it's made with 100% Blue Weber Agave, which will be labeled on the bottle. Anything under 100% is considered a tequila "mixto." The only place where the blue agave plant is grown and harvested is in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. (If you're looking for an authentic margarita experience, try and find some authentic tequila.) 

So here you go amigos, an authentic margarita recipe to freshen up your holiday and add some authentic Mexican culture, and flavor, to your life. 

The Authentic Margarita

  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 5 mins
  • Total Time: 20 mins
  • Servings: 2
Ingredients
  • 3 oz. tequila blanco
  • 1.5 oz. Cointreau
  • 7-10 Limes
  • 4 oz. natural lime juice freshly squeezed
  • Salt
  • 2 cups ice

Maria Daniela Toporek

Step 1

Use a citrus squeezer to squeeze 4 oz. of lime juice into a cup and set it aside.

Maria Daniela Toporek

Step 2

Add 3 oz. of tequila and 1.5 oz of Cointreau into a blender. Follow that up with the lime juice from the previous step, 2 cups of ice and blend it!

Maria Daniela Toporek

Step 3

(Optional) Add Salt Around the Rim:

Now to set up your glasses, cut a lime into small wedges and use one of them to rub a small amount of lime juice around the rim of your class. The lime juice will help the salt stick around the edges.

Maria Daniela Toporek

Step 4

Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of salt into a small plate. Grab the glass you just rubbed lime juice on and hold angle it so you can rotate the rim and make sure you've added salt around it evenly.

Maria Daniela Toporek

Step 5

After salting the glasses, finally pour the margarita into your glass. Add a lime wedge to your glass as the final garnish, invite friends, and say cheers.

Maria Daniela Toporek

Show off your mixology skills this National Margarita Day, and please remember to drink responsibly!