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Every day calls for a Skinny Margarita! In addition to being one of my favorite drink recipes, this simple, four-ingredient cocktail is easy to whip up for a single serving, and you can easily scale this recipe for a crowd.

This is the BEST Skinny Margarita! Made simply with just fresh juices, agave, and tequila. All of the refreshing margarita flavor for less calories! @wellplated

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 blender-mixed 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, beachy vacations, and nights out with my sisters.

I never tire of those feelings, and I certainly never tire of a well-made margarita in a glass with a salt rim.

Grab a glass and make the PERFECT Skinny Margarita. With just fresh juice, tequila, and agave, these margaritas have all of the flavor and none of the guilt! @wellplated

About This Skinny Margarita

My friends and I have ordered a skinny margaritas 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 we mean.

For our benefit, the server’s 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 PERFECT Skinny Margarita. Light, refreshing, and made with just 4 ingredients: Lime juice, orange juice, tequila and agave. @wellplated

The results of my salt-rimmed research, this is what a skinny margarita is comprised of:

  • Fresh lime juice
  • Fresh orange juice. This is a low calorie alternative to a more calorie-laden orange liqueur (like triple sec).
  • Your favorite tequila
  • Agave nectar (one of my favorite natural sweeteners).
  • Salt on the rim of your glass, of course. And a slice of lime for garnish.

The exact ratio of these 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.

Skinny Margarita recipe — all of the refreshing margarita taste without the calories! Made simply with fresh juices, agave, and tequila. @wellplated

Recipe Adaptations

This Skinny Margarita recipe is also an excellent base for all sorts of flavor variations.

Recommended Tools to Make This Margarita Recipe

  • Citrus Juicer. 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. It’s one of my best purchases!
  • Cocktail Shaker. Blends the flavors together and strains them into the glass.
  • Jigger. Ideal for measuring.

Don’t wait for the weekend. With little prep time required, this skinny margarita is easy to whip up any day of the week!

Skinny Margarita

4.81 from 83 votes
This skinny margarita recipe is incredibly light and refreshing for fewer calories! Made with just fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice, agave, and tequila.

Total: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 margarita (can easily be multiplied)

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
 

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1margaritaCalories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 12gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 100mgSugar: 8g

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

Learn more about Erin

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104 Comments

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  1. I love this drink and it’s simplicity. I unfortunately did not have any Agave Nectar so I used Simple Syrup. Until I get to the store to get some Agave Nectar would you recommend Simple Syrup or something else?5 stars

    1. Thanks Catherine! You likely could use something else, I’ve just only tested the recipe as written. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!

    1. Hi Faith! I don’t think they would but I haven’t tried it myself. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it turns out!

  2. That makes sense. I pretty much order “skinny” so that I can get fresh citrus and not that sugary, sweet and sour mix stuff that is terrible. I top my fresh margaritas with a little bit of soda water for an effervescent kick. Love it!5 stars

  3. We have made skinny margs for awhile and they are nothing like what you’d get at a restaurant that uses sweet and sour mix. They are truly terrible! Fresh squeezed juices are the only way to go. I now prefer mine with OJ and not the Cointreau. The only problem is, they go down way too fast!5 stars

  4. I’m planning to make this later today. I know the measurements in the pitcher instructions are wrong – I’m assuming the 24 oz of tequila and lime juice are wrong, but the one cup is right – correct?

  5. OK, I see what happened. I had at first tripled the recipe to 3 drinks, and then saw the pitcher recipe (which it also tripled). Are you sure about the 1 cup of lime juice for the pitcher? Seems excessive. Has anyone else tried this?

      1. Erin, made them (the pitcher) and they were great! I did add considerable more agave nectar to counteract the tartness. I like them tart – but not that tart😊! Thanks for the recipe!

  6. I always make a 47 oz of margaritas and put in freezer for “frozen” margaritas for any pop up occasion/guest. Is there any reason I couldn’t freeze this recipe like that?

    1. Hi Debra! It seems like it could work, I just haven’t tested it out myself. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!

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