Virgin Lime Margarita Recipe (2024)

Ingredients

All the ingredients for this virgin lime margarita can be found at your local grocery store. Let's talk about the key ingredients!

• Simple Syrup: This is a simple combination of 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar. It's easy to make at home! (See the recipe card for instructions.)
• Fresh Limes: The star of the show! You'll need them for zest, juice, and the garnish.
• Lemon Juice: Make sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. It will add brightness to the drink.
• Frozen Limeade: We have used Great Value and Minute Maid. We favor the latter.
• Salt: We use 2 pinches of kosher salt in the drink to add umami flavor and to help cut the sweetness. Make sure you have some margarita salt to rim the glasses.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

• Want a skinny drink? Swap the simple syrup for agave nectar or agave syrup.
• Want other rim ideas? Use sugar, chili powder, citrus zest or fresh chopped herbs for the rim.
• Want other garnish ideas? Use a lemon twist, lime wedge, mint sprig, or watermelon cubes on a skewer.
• Want to flavor the simple syrup? Add 2 tablespoons of lime and lemon zest while its still hot, then set aside to cool.
• Need a big batch? Double the recipe, pour it into a one gallon empty ice cream tub and freeze for 4 hours or overnight. Take out 30 minutes before and break up the slush with a fork.
• Need an intriguing flavor? Add a bit of pickle juice, to taste.

How to Make Virgin Lime Margarita

1. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass to dampen it. (image 1)
2. Mix the lime zest and the margarita salt in a shallow bowl or plate. Twirl the rim in the salt mixture until the rim is coated, then repeat with the other glasses. (image 2)

3. Add all the drink ingredients to a large blender and blend until combined, then blend in ice to make the drink thick and frozen. Just before serving, pour in 1 cup of sparkling water. (image 3)
4. Gently stir and pour into the prepared glasses. Garnish this virgin lime margarita with a lime wheel by making a small cut in the lime and place it on the rim. Enjoy! (image 4)

Recipe FAQs

How to Serve

The most popular way to serve a virgin lime margarita is in a margarita glass, but if you don't have one, any glass will do.

After the glassware has been selected, the next step is preparing the rim. Wet the rim of the glass by running a fresh lime wedge around the edge, then twirl the rim in coarse salt. Get creative by using your own rim garnish by experimenting with different salts, sugar, citrus zest, and fresh herbs.

Finish off the drink with a garnish of a simple lime wheel, or be brave and try other fruits or fresh herbs.

Serve

Lime margaritas pair well with Mexican and Tex Mex food. Try our Chipotle Tortilla chips, Chipotle Fresh Tomato Salsa and our Chipotle Fajita veggies. You'll want to balance the flavors and textures since the lime margarita has a zesty, citrusy profile, balance it with savory, spicy foods.

Expert Tips

• Want to extract more juice from limes? Cut the limes in half and microwave them for 30 seconds.
• Don't use the bottled lemon and lime juice. Take the time to freshly squeeze the limes and lemons.
• Want a full flavored drink? For saltiness, add margarita salt. For sweet, add simple syrup. For sour, add lime and lemon juice. For bitter, add lime zest. For umami, add kosher salt.
• Salt the drink. To balance out the sweetness and to get a tinge of umami, add a pinch or two of kosher salt.
• Use lime zest on the rim to add a pleasing bitter flavor.

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