Skinny Margarita
It’s a Monday holiday, and that calls for a Skinny Margarita! In addition to being one of my favorite drink recipes, this simple, four-ingredient cocktail has become one of yours too. I added a fun video for a single serving, but you can easily scale this recipe for a crowd. A few of you (hi Jordan and Jamie!) have even told me that, after you made these Skinny Margaritas once for ladies’ night, your friends started requesting you bring it to every gathering. Cheers. Also, if you have room for one more lady, you know who to call.
If I could only have one cocktail for the rest of my days (a semi-alarming prospect indeed), it would be a fresh margarita. No mixes, bottled juices, or frozen mumbo jumbo here. Give me my rim salted, my ice cubes large and in charge, and an extra splash of tequila for good luck.
When made properly—meaning the recipe ingredients include only fresh juices, liquor, and agave or simple syrup—a margarita is one of the most refreshing, satisfying drinks you’ll taste.
Margaritas make me think of sunny, relaxed afternoons outside, long vacations, and nights out with my sisters. They remind me of Taco Tuesdays (and Taco Thursdays) at our favorite Mexican joint in Milwaukee and beaches where I’d like to dig my toes into the sand. I never tire of those feelings, and I certainly never tire of a well-made margarita.
Skinny Margarita – What is It and How to Make It
Margarita romance runs in our family. They are one of my mom’s favorite drinks, so when she visited Milwaukee last year, I took her out for Taco Thursday, where she requested a “skinny margarita.”
I’ve witnessed my mom order a skinny margarita at numerous restaurants on numerous occasions, and unless it’s a drink the restaurant already has on its menu, the server usually doesn’t know what she means (and when asked, she isn’t quite sure herself).
For her benefit, our servers’ benefit, and the benefit of margarita drinkers the world over, I did a bit of digging to determine what exactly makes a margarita recipe a skinny margarita recipe.
The results of my salt-rimmed research: a skinny margarita is comprised of fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice (in place of the more calorie-laden triple sec), tequila, and agave nectar. The exact ratio of these four ingredients is at your discretion, though most suggested more lime juice than orange juice, equal parts tequila and lime juice, and 2 teaspoons of agave.
I like my margarita to bite me back a bit, so I lean heavier on the lime juice and lighter on the agave, which this skinny margarita recipe reflects. Please feel free to adjust the recipe to suit your own margarita needs and preferences.
This Skinny Margarita recipe is also an excellent base for all sorts of adaptations. This skinny Jalapeno Margarita recipe and this skinny Blackberry Margarita are two of my recent favorites. For something a little different, give this floral, refreshing St. Germain Margarita a try.
Recommended Tools to Make this Skinny Margarita Recipe
- I used a simple citrus juicer like this one for the original recipe photos, but after upgrading to this one, I’m never going back.
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger
Skinny Margarita
Ingredients
For One, Classic Skinny Margarita:
- Kosher salt — & lime wedge, to rim the glass
- 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila — about 3 tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice — about 1 large or 1 1/2 small limes
- 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice — about 1/2 medium orange
- 1 teaspoon light agave nectar — add 2 if you prefer a sweeter margarita
- Ice
For a Pitcher of Skinny Margaritas (5 Drinks):
- 8 ounces silver tequila — (1 cup)
- 8 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice — (1 cup, from about 5 medium/large limes)
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice — (1/2 cup, from about 4 medium oranges)
- 2 tablespoons light agave nectar — or simple syrup, more if you prefer a sweeter margarita
Instructions
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Rim the glass: Pour a thin layer of salt onto a small plate. Rub a lime wedge around the top edge of your glass to moisten it, then dip the glass into the salt so that it sticks, tapping all the way around. Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
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For one (or two) drinks: fill a small cocktail shaker with additional ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave. Tightly close and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds (it's longer than you think). Strain into the rimmed glass over the ice. Enjoy immediately.
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For a pitcher: In the bottom of a pitcher, stir together the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave (do not add ice to the pitcher). Serve immediately (prepare the glasses as in Step 1) or place a sheet of plastic wrap over the top of the pitcher and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Nutrition Information
Amount per serving (1 margarita) — Calories: 145, Cholesterol: 1mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 12g, Sugar: 8gDid you try this recipe? I want to see! Follow Well Plated on Instagram, snap a photo, and tag it #wellplated. I love to know what you are making!
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About Erin Clarke
I’m fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food taste incredible. Wearer of plaid, travel enthusiast, and firmly convinced that sweets and veggies both deserve a place at the table. MORE ABOUT ERIN…
I don’t have a favourite cocktail I would drink for the rest of my life, but this sounds quite nice! I love the variations you added, perfect for all types of occasions.
Thank you so much Vivian!
Mhm, huge fan. You’re making me want cinco de Mayo all the time-o
My 21st birthday is Cinco de Mayo….ALL OF THE MARGARITAS. Definitely need to make this skinny version!
MEAN TO BE Marina. I hope you love this recipe!
It surprises me that restaurants don’t know what a skinny margarita is. Actually, it surprises me that they haven’t caught on more with health trends in general.
On the list for the weekend, thank you!
I do highly recommend this juicer- total game changer for me. To use for oranges, I just quarter them first and it works great.
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/chefn-citrus-juicer-press/?cm_src=AutoRel
Thanks for passing the recommendation along Mayre! I am definitely in need of a new juicer, and this one looks perfect.
This is EXACTLY how I like my margaritas!!! I love adding fresh squeezed oranges to it too!
That sounds d-lish Aggie. Cheers!
love these skinny margs WITHOUT all the preservatives!!!! great recipe for the weekend Erin
how can i make this in a pitcher for about 20 people?
Hi Nana! The recipe yields enough for 1 margarita, so just multiply away!
Nana, did you figure out the measurements for this?
3.75 cup Tequilla
3.75 cup lime juice
1.5 + 6 tablespoons Orange Juice
6 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Agave
At least thats what it translate to exactly. Feel free to round up or down to make it cleaner.
Thanks for chiming in Kelly!
These were DELICIOUS! (I did use half a stevia packet in place of the agave though). I will say that each drink was on the smaller side, but that was okay. They are so much better than those giant sickeningly-sweet margaritas you can get at a cheap restaurant, that you actually enjoy taking your time sipping on them! I will definitely be making them again. Love, a Texan who’s tried plenty o’ restaurant margaritas in our many Tex-Mex restaurants :)
Blair, I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed this margarita! Thanks so much for trying it out and taking the time to leave this great review! :)
I found a classic Margarita was a bit too strong so I like how you added the agave nectar and the orange juice (:
Thanks so much! Hope you enjoy it :)
thank you so much for breaking down this recipe and posting it! I don’t like those gallon jugs of margarita mix either – way too sweet! So very happy to have this!
You’re welcome, Sabrina! I hope you enjoy the recipe if you give it a try!
I love a good, fresh margarita, and your recipe sounds great, except I will not buy or use agave syrup. I would probably try coconut nectar (I know agave is flavorless, which is preferable).
Susan, I’d love to hear how it turns out with coconut nectar!
Love love love this margarita recipe! After making it for multiple gatherings this past weekend, I’ve decided this will be my go to marg recipe all summer! Took your suggestion of fresh squeezed blood orange juice instead of regular orange juice – divine!
Your blood orange version does sound delicious, Melissa! So happy to hear that you enjoyed these. :)
I had a Skinny Marg atThe Brigantine ( Escondido, Ca, near San Diego ). Very nice, but was $12.00 on the Bill. (House Margs were $5.95).
I complained; they reduced it to $6.00, but from now on i will ask how their’s are prepared. AND I will ask the price!! Lol.Thanks for a great recipe.
All the more excuse to make them at home, Patti! ;)
Patty, The brigantine has skinny’s on their happy hour menu. SO GOOD with a fish taco too. Our fav place when visiting San Diego.
I’m lame to ask but can I just use juice? Not fresh squeezed?? I’m guessing it won’t be as good :(
Kara, I am afraid fresh really makes a BIG difference in this recipe, especially for the limes. I promise it will be worth it!!!
The proportions for the individual and pitcher are not consistent.
Hi Brett! A few of the measurements for the pitcher are rounded to the nearest teaspoon for convenience, but if you’d like to multiply it more precisely, please feel free!
Too sour. I understand wanting to make a lower calorie Margarita, though. Maybe less lime juice and add a little water to balance it. 1.5 oz is alot of lime juice for one drink.
Hi Mark! Many people have enjoyed the recipe as written, but you can certainly adjust to your taste preference!
Delicious! I muddled a jalapeño in the agave, and rimmed the glass with Tahin
It’s superb!
Sounds delicious, Christina! Thanks for sharing this review!
Curious, I plugged in the ingredients into My Fitness Pal and got 172 calories per serving. I like your calorie count better. How did you configure yours?
Hi Holly! I also use My Fitness Pal, but the calorie count is just an estimate. The closest estimate will probably be yours if you’ve customized it to the specific brands and ingredients you use. I hope that helps!
I wonder if there is a way you could cut the calories down even more without sacrificing too much of the flavor… where do you think most of the calories come from? Do you think substituting half of the lime juice for a little lime la croix or lemon Perrier might do it?
PS I’m doing all lime, no orange juice.
I would love to find a way to get it at/or under 100 calories!
Hi Lindsay, most of the calories are from the tequila (about 100). The agave is the next biggest, and the lime is pretty minimal. This ingredient ratio is the one I prefer, but you’re welcome to experiment if you’d like!
Can’t wait to try this out! Is there a way to make this a frozen margarita? Poolside calls for frozen drinks!
Hi Sheila! You could try blending this with ice to make a frozen one. I haven’t done it myself, so I don’t have an exact amount of ice to suggest, but similar recipes call for 6 cups of ice for the pitcher proportions of the recipe. I hope that helps!