Photo: Leigh Loftus
When I was in college, there was a bar near my school that had half-priced happy hour from 4-6pm. Predictably, Fridays (and the occasional Wednesday or Thursday) could find a group of my friends and classmates gathered around the bar for 22-ounce draft beers or three dollar frozen margaritas.
As much fun as it was to gossip and laugh over cheap tequila, I can’t say that I miss those margaritas at all. Not one bit. In fact, now that I live in a city where authentic margaritas are as readily available as lattes from Starbucks, the last thing I would ever crave is a syrupy sweet frozen beverage made from a shelf-stable mix.
Photo: Leigh Loftus
Unless I was on a beach in some tropical destination getting said beverages from a swim-up bar. I would make an exception for that. Until I find myself on that beach in paradise, simple is the way to go when it comes to a margarita. Margaritas are way easier to make at home than most beverages, as aside from the alcohol all you need is lime juice and agave nectar (which you can always find at Whole Foods, if not your local grocery store).
Though a lot of people like margaritas frozen or on the rocks, serving them straight up – martini style – is a great way to enjoy the flavor of the cocktail from start to finish – no melting ice to water it down.
Photo: Leigh Loftus
- 1½ oz. lime juice (juice from one lime)
- ¾ oz. pure, organic agave nectar
- ¾ oz. cold water
- 1½ oz. Tequila Blanco [aka white tequila - you want a clear one instead of the caramel colored]
- Salt (for the rim)
- Place a handful of ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and add all four ingredients. Shake vigorously and serve up, chilled in a glass rimmed with salt.
32 Comments
How to Stock Your Basic Bar Cart for Entertaining
March 21, 2017 at 10:20 am[…] Perfect Margarita […]
Hillary Garland
February 21, 2014 at 5:14 pmNo doubt about it! You would have been Archie’s favorite!
dort
February 21, 2014 at 4:57 pmI think this is the original Skinny Girl Margarita recipe !
Rob
May 7, 2011 at 8:12 pmBut one important consideration, at least in my long experience of margaritas: only put the salt on the outside of the glass, not on the inside where it will spoil the drink. I chill the glass in the freezer, then take it out so that a little moisture condenses on it. I then invert it in a dish of salt (which, incidentally, I grind to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle) and wipe away whatever sticks to the inside of the glass with a towel.
Tracy
May 5, 2011 at 9:44 pmThis does sound like the perfect margarita! Happy Cinco de Mayo!
5 Star foodie
May 5, 2011 at 2:36 pmHappy Cinco de Mayo, that Margarita cocktail looks perfect indeed!
bellini
May 5, 2011 at 3:05 pmA good margarita is the perfect way to start the summer, even if Spring has only just arrived:D Here comes the weekend!
peachkins
May 5, 2011 at 9:38 amit does look perfect!
Melissa (MelissaLikesToEat)
May 4, 2011 at 5:50 pmI want one of those pronto. Is it acceptable to drink one before 11am? 🙂
Caroline
May 4, 2011 at 5:39 pmThis is making me very anxious for Cinco de Mayo! I definitely agree with your comment re serving margaritas martini style; much more flavorful since they’re not watered down.
Ali Grace
May 4, 2011 at 5:03 pmMargaritas are my absolute fave! Thanks for this super simple recipe. I’ll definitely be giving it a try. Although it may be a complete sacrilege… my friends and I like to add a little sprite zero for some fizzy action. Give it a try one day. It’s pretty fun. Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Lauren at Keep It Sweet
May 4, 2011 at 4:57 pmThis sounds so much better than the generic overly sweet margaritas! Perfect for tomorrow!
fooddreamer
May 4, 2011 at 3:58 pmI lived in AZ for many years, and you’d be surprised at how many bad margaritas I had. Way too sweet! But a good margarita…there’s nothing like it. And yours looks fab.
emily (a nutritionist eats)
May 4, 2011 at 3:10 pmI don’t really “like” margaritas but I feel like that may be because I’ve never had a really good one…I need some good tequila! 🙂
Samantha @ Bikini Birthday
May 4, 2011 at 2:59 pmI usually do triple sec, gold tequila, and limeade. Yours sounds classier though. Why no triple sec? I thought that was standard
Maris Callahan
May 4, 2011 at 4:20 pmI skip the triple sec because the lime juice adds plenty of citrus flavor – and has less calories. If you wanted to add the orange flavor to this recipe, you could definitely add 1/2 – 1 ounce of triple sec or cointreau in the cocktail shaker and I’m sure it would be great.
Samantha Angela @ Bikini Birthday
May 4, 2011 at 2:58 pmI usually do triple sec, gold tequila, and limeade. Yours sounds classier though. Why no triple sec? I thought that was standard.
Kelly
May 4, 2011 at 2:54 pmYum. When I hear stories like this it makes it clear to me how atypical my college experience was from most other people’s. For whatever reason, bars in Boston never seemed to have happy hours & drink specials. Drinking as a college student was always so expensive!
This makes me think though that after the blogger bake sale is over we may need to meet up again for another cocktail…
Laura @ SweetSavoryPlanet
May 4, 2011 at 2:22 pmI have never made Margaritas with agave nectar and now that I think of it, I don’t know why not. This is one of my all time favorite drinks to make and I can’t remember the last one I truly enjoyed in a restaurant. Straight up or on the rocks with a splash of Grand Marnier and a sunny deck (or pool!). Perfect.
yummychunklet
May 4, 2011 at 2:11 pmThese look delicious! One more day!
brandi
May 4, 2011 at 1:53 pmnow this sounds perfect. I love margaritas, but only homemade! I hate how sweet and syrupy mixes are – they aren’t anywhere near as good as a fresh, simply, homemade one.
chopinandmysaucepan
May 4, 2011 at 1:13 pmThese are so refreshing and I prefer them straight up and straight down the hatch 🙂
Kate
May 4, 2011 at 12:38 pmYum! This marg definitely looks perfect! I think I will be whiping up a batch of these for tomorrow!
Dmarie
May 4, 2011 at 12:18 pmhmnn, no orange liqueor? as I’m a big margarita fan, will definitely be revisiting this page!
Jessica
May 4, 2011 at 12:16 pmWhat an absolutely incredible yummy and refreshing drink! I like frozen over the rocks but with this I would take it any way when or how
Sophia @ Raven Waves
May 4, 2011 at 12:02 pmAbsolutely love margaritas!! Woo Cinco de Mayo is almost here!
Erica
May 4, 2011 at 11:16 amI’ve never been able to get into margaritas…but maybe its because the only kind I’ve ever tried are the syrupy/fake kinds from college 🙂 Looks like a great recipe. Perfect for Cinco 🙂
Three-Cookies
May 4, 2011 at 11:05 amI’ve known people who would bulk buy just before happy hour ends, so the happiness continues well beyond:)
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alyssa - fashion fitness foodie
May 4, 2011 at 10:30 amWe’re having a cinco de mayo party tomorrow! If we run out of skinny girl margaritas we’ll be making these 🙂
Daryl
May 4, 2011 at 8:34 amI love maragritas frozen with fruit! A rare treat due to the calorie count!
Nami @ Just One Cookbook
May 4, 2011 at 7:51 amHi Maris! Yum! I’d love to try your “perfect” margarita. Sounds great! Keeping the recipe in my folder. 🙂 Thanks so much!
pigpigscorner
May 4, 2011 at 7:45 amI miss those days when booze was cheap too, well at least on certain days 😛 I like margaritas served martini-style too.