13 Margarita recipes to celebrate National Margarita Day

Even though the national food holiday falls during winter, shaking up a refreshing margarita recipe can be a burst of sunshine. From sweet to spicy and subtle to bold, there is a cocktail for National Margarita Day that will satisfy that thirst.

While the margarita might have been America’s favorite cocktail in 2019, the libation has become more than just shaking three ingredients to make a well-balanced cocktail. From Chili’s iconic Presidente Margarita to uber expensive varieties with elevated ingredients, there is an option for every taste.

In honor of National Magarita Day, FoodSided compiled some margarita recipes that can shake up ingredients in the glass. From floral hibiscus with vibrant hues to spicy margs that make the mouth tingle, which one will be sipped first?

1800 Spicy Margarita

The Spicy Margarita has become as popular as the original. While some people appreciate that lingering heat, others want a little crispness to balance the burn. The 1800 Cucumber and Jalapeno Tequila offers that balance.

Ingredients: 

· 2 oz 1800® Cucumber & Jalapeño Tequila 

1 oz Lime Juice 

· .75 oz Agave Syrup 

· 2 Thin Jalapeño Slices 

Garnish with a lime wheel 

Instruction: 

In a mixing tin, add jalapeños and then lightly muddle. Add remaining ingredients along with ice, then shake and strain into iced, rocks glass rimmed with spicy chili and lime seasoning. Garnish with a lime wheel. 

Cazadores Avocado Margarita

While many people enjoy some guacamole with their margarita, this option puts the avocado in the cocktail glass. The avocado makes for a smooth mouth feel. Plus, the bright green color is quite appealing.

Ingredients:

1 ½ oz. Tequila CAZADORES Blanco (Made with 100% Blue Weber Agave)

1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

1 oz. Agave Syrup

1 Quarter of Avocado

1 Sprig of Cilantro

1 Slice of Roasted Jalapeño

Method:

Muddle avocado, cilantro and jalapeño in a  mixing glass. Add the rest of the ingredients with ice, then shake and serve over the rocks.

Strawberry & Basil Margarita from Grand Velas Riviera Maya

Although many people would love to be sipping a margarita at Grand Velas Riviera Maya for the food holiday, the beverage team shared one of the popular options. As seen in this recipe, the cocktail hits sweet and savory.

Ingredients

1 ½ oz White Tequila 

½ oz Orange Liqueur 

½ oz Lemon Juice 

1 oz Strawberry Basil Syrup 

Pink Salt Frosting with Pink Rock Candy on the Rim 

Dehydrated Lemon to Garnish

Sprig of Basil to Garnish

Lemonade Popsicle to Top 

Lobos 1707 Cucumber Mint Margarita

The pack will be gathering around the bar once everyone knows that this cocktail is ready. While mint often references a mojito, the refreshing flavor keeps it light, especially on warm days.

Ingredients: 

  2oz. Lobos 1707 Joven or Reposado Tequila  

1oz. lime juice  

3 slices of fresh cucumber  

A few springs of mint  

1 tsp. Salt or Sugar – for the rim  

Instructions: 

Prepare your glass with salt/sugar rim by running a sliced lime around the edge and dipping it into salt/sugar. 

Add tequila to a shaker with a couple sprigs of mint and cucumber slices. Muddle.  

Return the tequila to the shaker with ice and add lime juice and agave nectar. Shake vigorously.

Seedlip Margarita

While the mixer often predominates a margarita’s flavor, the Seedlip Margarita has extra flavor from the Seedlip Notas de Agave. The Seedlip has both a lime and prickly pear note with a slight spicy finish of peppercorns. That added nuance makes for a quite enjoyable taste.

Ingredients:

· 2 oz Seedlip Notas de Agave

· 1 Tablespoon Agave Syrup 

· ½  oz Fresh Lime 

Garnish: Salt rim & dehydrated lime disc

Method:

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 2 oz of Seedlip with 1 tablespoon of agave syrup and ½ oz of fresh lime. Shake well and strain into a glass. Garnish with a salt rim and an expressed orange peel or dehydrated lime disc. 

The Daisy

Created by Pink House Alchemy, this margarita is complex but not too difficult to execute. Using the brand’s shrub and syrup, the flavor is just a shake away.

Ingredients:

2 oz silver tequila

1 oz pH Pineapple Rosemary Shrub

¾ oz pH Herbalicious Syrup

1oz fresh lime juice

Method:

Shake or stir

Strain into a glass over ice, rimmed with rosemary salt

Enjoy!

An Asterisk

While most people associate a margarita with Mexican food or a beach location, this cocktail offers a different twist. The Korean take on a spicy margarita is quite enjoyable and it might have people thinking differently about the sour cocktail.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. mugwort tequila  

.5 oz. Mina Real Mezcal  

2 oz. blood orange cordial  

3 drops saline  

Method:

Shake and strain  

Hibiscus Margarita 

While a hibiscus flower can be a lovely garnish on the glass, using hibiscus flavor in the cocktail is quite enjoyable. This cocktail is relatively simple to make but it makes quite an impression.

Ingredients 

 2oz Gran Coramino Cristalino 

  .75oz Fresh Lime Juice 

.75oz Hibiscus Syrup 

  Hibiscus salt on the rim.  

  Shaken, served over ice. Lime garnish.   

Jade Margarita 

Although the sour punch is often the most common characteristic, the Jade Margarita is earthy because of the matcha. Without becoming too grassy, it is a twist that reinvigorates the classic cocktail.

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Desolas Mezcal

.5 oz St Germain

.75 oz matcha agave syrup

.5 oz lime

Directions: 

Mix ingredients and shake. Pour over ice and enjoy.

Light and Soul 

This margarita has an ingredient that more cocktail lovers need to discover, Nixta Licor de Eolte. The corn liqueur adds sweetness and a luscious mouth feel.  It will soon become a favorite secret ingreidne.

Ingredients:  

2 oz Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal 

½ oz Alma Finca Orange Liqueur 

 ½ oz Nixta Licor de Eolte 

1 oz Lime Cordial 

 ½ oz Hagave Spiced Nectar 

Preparation:  
Add all ingredients to a shaker. Shake with ice. Strain and serve into a rocks glass with chiltepin salt rim.  

Burnt Orange Breakfast Marg

While the mimosa is often a popular breakfast or brunch breakfast, a citrus forward margarita can be equally as enjoyable. Plus, the touch of spice helps to balance any sugary dishes on the table.

Ingredients

2 oz Solento Reposado

2 oz fresh orange juice

 1 oz fresh lime juice

 1/4 ounce agave

Ice

Chilli lime salt 

Orange

Directions

Wet the rim of a coupe glass with lime and dip in chilli lime salt.

Combine 2oz Solento Reposado, 2 oz fresh orange juice, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 1/4 ounce agave, and ice. Shake.

Strain into the chilli lime salted coupe glass and garnish with a torched orange round.

El Melocotonero Margarita

While fruity margaritas might be a mainstay of a beach party, they do not have to be one note. This option from Mezcal Union has sweetness from the peach but it is far from juvenile.

Ingredients: 

1 oz Mezcal Unión Uno

0.75 oz Amontillado sherry

0.5 oz Marie Brizard peach liqueur

0.5 oz agave nectar

0.5 oz lemon juice

2 dashes of Regan’s Orange Bitters

Instructions: 

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until the cocktail is thoroughly chilled. Strain into rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint speared through a peach ring candy.

Winter Marg

Since National Margarita Day is during the winter, why not let the season inspire the beverage in the glass. The blood orange juice with some winter spices feels quite cozy.

Ingredients:

1.5 parts Cantera Negra Reposado Tequila

  0.5 part Fresh lime juice

 0.5 part Fresh blood orange juice

 0.5 part Agave syrup

 0.75 tsp Vanilla extract

 Directions:

Rim a rocks glass with winter spice mix.* Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously. Strain into prepped rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cinnamon stick.

*Winter spice mix: .5 tsp salt, .5 tsp sugar, .25 tsp cinnamon, and .25 tsp chili powder