An Easy and Refreshing Skinny Margarita Recipe

You’ll never want a regular margarita again after tasting this skinny margarita! Made with fresh ingredients, this cocktail is low-calorie and sugar, but still tastes amazing! Perfect for summer cocktail recipe for sipping on a hot day!

I grew up in California, Mexican food and margaritas are pretty much a staple in our diet and I wouldn’t have it any other way!

I’ve enjoyed many in the past 10 years and it’s one of my preferred cocktails. When done right, they’re always fresh and have the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and salty. I usually always order or make a skinny margarita as I like it better less sweet!

Also check out our other two favorite tequila cocktails: Ranch Water and Strawberry Tequila Sodas. See all of our best tequila cocktail recipes and margarita recipes!

At 60%, Margarita is the most popular drink in the U.S. But not everyone understands the rich history behind the margarita. 

Not everyone knows the variety of ways to make one or what alcohol to use. There’s a lot to know about this classic cocktail that can make you appreciate this delicious drink. 

What We Love About This Skinny Margarita

• Naturally Sweetened – This recipe is made without refined sugars. We use agave syrup to sweetend this drink.

• Gluten-Free, Fat Free, Vegan – The ingredients in this skinny margarita make it gluten-free, dairy free and vegan!

• Fresh Citrus – We use fresh lime juice and orange juice and it makes the most citrusy margarita!

A Brief Margarita History 

Margarita’s history starts with Margaret Sames. In 1948, she invited some guests over for a cocktail party and decided to experiment with some alcohol. She mixed Cointreau and tequila with a bit of lime and salt around the edge of the glass.

Items you need to make a margarita:

Citrus Squeezer  – This is to squeeze fresh lime and orange juice.

Cocktail Shaker – Used to shake the ingredients together with ice.

Coarse Salt or Sea Salt – To rim the glass.

Margarita Glasses – Use a standard margarita glass to serve the cocktail.

Skinny Margarita Ingredients

Tequila – Good quality is a must when making any margarita, especially a skinny one. Since this recipe is not mixed with an orange liqueur, the flavors in the tequila are prevalent and will make a good margarita.

Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice adds acidity and flavor to this margarita. Only use fresh-squeezed lime juice! Nothing in a package.

Orange Juice – Fresh orange juice replaces orange liqueur in this recipe. It adds more citrus flavors and blends nicely with the lime juice.

Agave – A natural sweetener that we use to balance the tartness of the citrus.

How do you Make a Skinny Margarita?

The key is using fresh ingredients. Use fresh lime and orange juice, good quality tequila, and natural or organic nectar.

• Measure the ingredients and add them into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

• Shake for 30 seconds so the water can dilute the cocktail. This is an important step when making any shaken cocktail.

• If you’re wanting a salted rim, dip the glass in a small plate full of water and then a small plate with salt.

• Add in the ice cubes. Crushed ice or a large cube works well too.

• Strain the cocktail over the ice and add a lime wedge to garnish.

Quick Tip – Always use fresh-squeezed citrus! It’s a must!

What is the difference between a skinny margarita and a regular margarita?

There are a lot of margarita recipes that use sugary syrups, mixers, and liqueurs with refined sugar.

A skinny uses fresh lime and orange juice and a nectar-like agave. You can also use Truvia Nectar which is great and even lower in sugar as it’s made with a little honey and Stevia leaf extract.

Best Tequila for a Skinny Margarita

Here are a few of our favorite tequilas. You can buy most of these at Target or any beverage store and at most grocery stores. They’re all affordable and good quality.

Casamigos Blanco Tequila – Crisp with hints of vanilla. It’s a very good tequila to sip too.

Cazodores Tequila Reposado

Espolòn Reposada Tequila Blanco or Gold

Hornitos Reposado Tequila 

El Destilador Silver Tequila – Very affordable

How do you rim a glass with salt?

The best way to rim glass and have the salt stay on the rim is by using water. Place water in a shallow plate and salt on a separate shallow plate.

Dip the rim of the glass in the water and then in the salt. We find that this works much better than using a lime or lemon wedge or citrus juice.

What is a skinny margarita drink?

A skinny is a margarita with less sugar, carbs, and calories! The flavor is not as sweet and the recipe contained zero refined sugar. A skinny margarita is made with natural sweetener and less of it. They’re refreshing and one of our favorite cocktails.

How many carbs are in a skinny margarita?

This really depends on what type of sweetener you use for the recipe. Citrus has very few carbs and since the recipe only uses a small amount of citrus very few carbs come from the fruit.

• Agave nectar has 5 carbs in a teaspoon and Truvia Nectar has 8 carbs in 3 teaspoons.
• Tequila does not have carbs.
• 1 whole lime has about 5 carbs and 1 whole orange has 8 carbs.

How Much Alcohol Is in the Margarita? 

Typically, there are two ounces of Tequila in a Margarita. You can add more or less depending on how you like the taste of Tequila.

In addition to Tequila, you also add one ounce of orange liqueur, but this is optional depending on the recipe you’re making.

People often confuse Triple Sec as Tequila, when it is actually an orange-flavored liqueur.

Margarita Glasses

These days, you can get away with any 8-ounce low ball glass. You can also use a traditional Welled Margarita Glass. It offers a wide rim for you to put salt or sugar on it. It’s an elegant design that’s perfect for this drink!

Skinny Margarita Variations

Adding a little twist to a classic cocktail is one of our favorite things to do! Here are some fun ideas for switching it up!

• Muddle fruit like blackberries, strawberries, kiwi, mango, pineapple, etc, in the cocktail shaker before you add in the ice and other ingredients. Shake it all together to add a new fruit flavor!

• Add some spice! Cut a small piece of jalapeño and muddle in the cocktail shaker before adding the other ingredients. Caution – use just a little pepper!

• Use blood orange if it’s in season for a blood orange skinny margarita! The color will be a vibrant pink!

• A little chili mixed with the salt on the rim always adds an extra kick! I love a chili, salt rimmed glass!

• Add some ginger! Ginger is good for digestion and you a muddle a little in the bottom!

• Change the color to purple by using dried butterfly pea flowers. You can see our natural colored ice cubes here.

• Add a little topping of ginger or lemon kombucha! It gives the margarita a little fizz and some probiotics!

Pitcher Skinny Margaritas

If you want to make a pitcher of skinny margaritas for a party, follow this simple ratio:

Add 6 cups of ice into a large pitcher.

Then add in 18 ounces of tequila, 24 ounces of lime, 12 ounces of orange juice, and about 3 ounces of agave.

Give it a good stir and add fresh lime slices to the pitcher.

What to Serve with Skinny Margaritas

Need some ideas for what to serve with a skinny margarita:

Large Taco Salad

The Best Nachos with Blanco Cheese

Mexican Style Fruit Platter

Tacos 

Chips and Guacamole

Roasted Chicken

If you like margaritas try these recipes!

We love making margarita recipes! Here are a few of our favorite recipes:

A Charming Way to Serve A Mini Margarita

Fruity Frozen Margaritas

Honeydew Margarita

Blackberry Margarita Punch

Strawberry Margarita

Yellow Grapefruit

Golden Margarita

When to Serve a Skinny Margarita

Margaritas are delicious all year long, but especially nice to sip on a hot summer day. Here are some celebrations that are perfect for serving margaritas!

Pool Parties

Garden Party

Birthday Party

Summer Movie Night

Dining Alfresco

Cinco De Mayo Party

Also check out our favorite vodka drinks, the best-mixed drinks and cheap drinks to make at home!

Now that you know how to make the best skinny margarita, let us know if you make this recipe by leaving a review below! We love to hear what you think!

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