Hear us out. The watermelon margarita is the drink of summer. We know, we know, there are tons of tropical rum cocktails and Mexican drinks that transport you to the vacation mindset, but the watermelon marg is a sweet, frozen delight that’s hard to match. It’s not quite tart like a paloma, and it’s just a bit, well, more than a classic margarita with lime. Make a whole pitcher, and enjoy the pretty pink drink while you’re grilling skirt steak tacos and Mexican street corn.
Ingredients for a Watermelon Margarita
- Watermelon: Be sure to buy seedless watermelon for this recipe so you don’t have to spit out the seeds after each sip. You’ll need 8 cups of 1-inch cubes, so half of a large watermelon should be enough. Use any leftovers to cut into wedges for a cocktail garnish!
- Tequila: It wouldn’t be a marg without the tequila. Our watermelon margarita recipe is a fruit-forward cocktail, so opt for blanco tequila over the more golden añejo tequilas. Here are some of the best tequilas for margaritas.
- Triple Sec: You’ll see orange liqueur in most margarita recipes, and this one is no different. We offer some suggestions for swaps below if you don’t have a bottle on your bar cart.
- Lime juice: Still in line with a classic margarita, acidic lime juice balances the sweetness in our watermelon margarita recipe. Keep things fresh by squeezing the lime juice by hand instead of using the bottled store-bought juice.
Directions
Step 1: Rim the glasses
Cut one lime into 12 wedges to reserve for garnishes. Cut the other lime into slices to moisten the rim of the cocktail glasses. Pour sugar into a dish, and dip the lime-moistened rims in the sugar.
Step 2: Blend the ingredients
Place half the watermelon (4 cups) in a blender, and process it until the cubes are pureed. It should yield about 3 cups of pureed watermelon.
Add half of the ice, tequila, Triple Sec and lime juice. If desired, add sugar to taste. Cover and process until blended.
Step 3: Serve
Serve the watermelon margaritas in rimmed glasses, and garnish with lime wedges. Once the blender is emptied, blend the other half of the ingredients, and serve.
Recipe Variations
- Put it on the rocks: Because watermelon can’t be juiced like a citrus, this cocktail will have a bit of texture to it from the blended flesh of the watermelon. If you prefer drinks with a smoother pour, blend the watermelon on its own, then pass it through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Then, pour the strained juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and the rest of the ingredients, and shake until chilled, about 20 seconds.
- Use a salt rim: The sugar rim keeps things sweet, but if you like a sprinkle of salt on your fresh watermelon slices, use a salt rim on watermelon margaritas for the same effect.
- Give it an herbal twist: Watermelon and basil pair so well together. Gently muddle a few fresh basil leaves in the bottom of the glass to release the oils, then pour the watermelon margarita over the leaves. Or make a basil-infused simple syrup to swap for the sugar. Use about 3 ounces, or more or less depending on the level of sweetness you prefer.
Can you store watermelon margaritas?
If you haven’t made the frozen version, yes. An on-the-rocks margarita will last in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days, as long as there are no ice cubes in the glass or pitcher. We don’t recommend storing the frozen version of this drink because it will taste watered down.
Watermelon Margarita Tips
How do you make this a skinny watermelon margarita?
To cut the calories or refined sugars in this margarita, there are a couple changes you can make. Use fresh-squeezed, no-sugar-added orange juice instead of the orange liqueur, and skip the optional added sugar in the drink.
What can I use if I don’t have Triple Sec?
Triple Sec is an orange liqueur that can be replaced with any other brand of orange liqueur. Cointreau and Grand Marnier would be the next best swaps—just note that the different liqueurs vary in flavor, which will make the margarita take on sweeter or warmer tastes.
