Written by: Sangeeta Kocharekar
Forget classic margaritas, and impress your mates with these chilli, mango and salsa verde versions instead.
With International Margarita Day right around the corner (mark your calendars, it's February 22) we thought now would be the perfect time to take a closer look at the drink. How to make a margarita cocktail, what are the different types of margaritas and, most importantly, how to make the best margarita you've ever tasted - we cover it all here.
So, how do you make a margarita? You'll be pleased to know, it's actually quite simple. A classic margarita only has three ingredients: tequila (usually blanco, though reposado works, too), lime juice and orange liqueur.
Though margarita recipe ratios can vary, aim for about 45ml of tequila, 45ml of lime juice and 30ml of orange liqueur. Fill a cocktail shaker 2/3 full of ice, add the alcohol and lime juice, shake, and then strain the drink into a glass. If you're keen to impress, cut up a lime and use it to wet the rim of the glass and then dip the rim into salt. After pouring the drink into the salted rim glass, serve it with an extra wedge of lime. Bougie.
Once you've mastered the classic margarita, you might want to try making a Tommy's margarita, which replaces orange liqueur with agave nectar; a spicy margarita with added jalapenos; or a frozen margarita, which'll see you blending the drink with ice and often adding sugar syrup. You might also try making a margarita sour, also called a tequila sour, which calls for egg white and sugar syrup; a rum or brandy margarita with added spirits; or a blueberry margarita with the frozen fruit. The options are endless.
And while we could continue to list them all here, we decided instead to share three recipes for spin-offs of the classic margarita so you can know exactly what ingredients to get and instructions to follow to celebrate this International Margarita Day.
So, from a chilli margarita cocktail that uses smokey Mezcal, to a summery mango and coconut drink and a salsa verde version that uses chunks of pineapple, here are three twist-on-the-traditional margaritas to make that'll seriously impress your mates. Happy International Margarita Day!
Tropical margaritas perfect for a hot summer!
Pa-Tango Margarita
“Mango margarita for summer anyone? We have created the most incredible tropical margarita with mango and coconut. We included black salt which is known for its amazing health benefits to contrast with the Pa-Tango's sexy colour.” - Kurtis Bosley
Ingredients:
- 50ml Patron Silver Tequila
- 10ml Monin Coconut
- 10ml Monin Mango
- 30ml lime juice
- Desiccated coconut
- Black lava salt
- Rim glass with lime & desiccated coconut mixed with black lava salt
- Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake hard for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass
Putting a spin on one of Australia's most popular margaritas.
The Oaxaca Chilli Margarita
“The chilli marg is one of Australia's most popular margaritas currently in bars. We wanted to put our spin on this incredible drink, playing off the smokey quality of the Mezcal with flavours of rhubarb. The drink is firey, red, and lots of fun with friends!” - Kurtis Bosley.
Ingredients:
- 40ml Casa Los Agaves Mezcal
- 20ml Cointreau
- 15ml Rhubi Rhubarb Liqueur
- 10ml Monin Pure Cane Syrup
- Pinch chilli flakes
- 30ml lime juice
- Rhubarb slice (garnish)
Method:
- Rim glass with lime & desiccated coconut mixed with black lava salt
- Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake hard for 10 seconds
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass
Take your margarita to a whole new level with the The Salsa Verde Margarita.
The Salsa Verde Margarita
“We find beautiful fruity notes in the 1800 Reposado. When prepping, we kept the skins from the pineapple and oven-baked to ensure all parts of the pineapple were utilised, making a completely sustainable drink.” - Kurtis Bosley.
Ingredients:
- 50ml 1800 Reposado Tequila
- 10ml Curacao Triple Sec
- 2 large pineapple chunks
- 6 fresh coriander leaves
- 2 fresh basil leaves
- 10ml agave nectar
- 30ml lime
- Pinch salt
- Oven-baked pineapple skin (garnish)
Method:
- Add all ingredients into a shaker, crush pineapple
- Shake with ice for 10 seconds
- Strain over ice in a short glass