With only 5 margarita ingredients (tequila, fruit juices, agave nectar, and soda) and lots of flavor, this skinny margarita is a guilt-free cocktail that’s just perfect for Cinco de Mayo!
What’s in a Skinny Margarita?
This Skinny Margarita Recipe is a healthier twist on a classic margarita, made with fresh ingredients like fresh lime and orange juice, and sweetened with agave nectar to keep things on the healthier side. I’m obsessed!
- Tequila: Choose a good-quality silver or blanco tequila for the best-tasting margaritas.
- Lime Juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice is the key to a delicious margarita. Don’t use bottled lime juice; it just won’t taste the same!
- Orange Juice: I also love to use freshly-squeezed orange juice, but bottled juice will also work. Choose the pulp level based on your personal preferences.
- Agave Nectar: Agave nectar is a great all-natural sweetener. Use more or less depending on your tastes.
Pro Tip: Blend with ice for a frozen skinny margarita!
Variations on the Best Skinny Margarita Recipe
These skinny margaritas are endlessly riff-able! Try swapping the orange juice for grapefruit, lemon, cranberry, passionfruit, or peach juice.
For spicy skinny margaritas, add a diced jalapeño to the shaker. Switch up the rimming salt for ancho salt or salt mixed with lime zest to brighten things up!
A silver or blanco tequila is best for margaritas. Silver/blanco tequila hasn’t been aged as long and has a stronger flavor that mixes well, while gold tequila has been aged for longer and has a woodier flavor that doesn’t pair as well with the fresh fruit flavors. Reposado tequila is a type of gold tequila that has not been aged for as long, so it will also work in a margarita, although it is not my first choice!
I hate to say it, but there are a lot of calories on regular margaritas (like 500 calories). For a margarita lover like myself, that’s not so good news. But this skinny Margarita Recipe has under 200 calories per (large) glass! I call that a win!
For the lime juice, you absolutely must use freshly squeezed. Bottled lime juice will not taste right. You can, however, use store-bought bottled orange juice if you prefer.
How to Store Skinny Margaritas
You can combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This mixture will keep well for up to 3 days. Add ice and shake well before serving.
How to Freeze a Low Calorie Margarita
You can also freeze the margarita mixture prior to serving. Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave and pour into a freezer-safe container to store for up to 2 weeks. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
What to Serve with a Healthy Margarita
This healthy margarita is great served with healthy appetizers like avocado corn salsa, shrimp ceviche, avocado fries, blistered sweet peppers, Buffalo chicken meatballs, or shrimp summer rolls.
You can also pair it with a filling dinner, like baked chicken fajitas, grilled shrimp salad, egg roll in a bowl, or baked pesto salmon.
Skinny Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces tequila (about 2 shots)
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice (about ½ cup)
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Sparkling water optional
- Coarse salt optional, for serving
- Lime wedges optional, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake well, until cold.
- Pour over ice into salt-rimmed glasses. Pour a splash of sparkling water into each glass, if desired, and garnish with lime wedges.Sparkling water, Coarse salt, Lime wedges
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Always use fresh juice: Whenever we are asked how to make a Margarita, we always say fresh juice only. While you can use store-bought orange juice, fresh citrus juice will brighten up the flavors and make your drink that much better.
- Use a fun salt combination to spice things up: Regular course sea salt is always great on the rim, but you can make things extra fun by using ancho chili salt or even salt mixed with lime zest. Get creative and have fun!
- Always serve extra cold: No one likes warm tequila. Keep it in your freezer and shake it up in this Margarita Recipe for the ultimate frosty sip.
- Is a frozen margarita more your speed?: Blend with ice for the ultimate cold treat this Summer. Add in a bit more juice to brighten things up even more.
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition Information
More Margarita Recipes We Love
- Margarita Pitcher
- Azul Margaritas
- Beer Margaritas
- White Wine Margaritas
- Broiled Grapefruit Margaritas
- Orange Margaritas
- Watermelon Margaritas
- Strawberry Margarita Punch
- Aperol Margaritas
- Passionfruit Margaritas
- Blackberry Margaritas
- Cranberry Margaritas
- Blackberry Margaritas
- Spicy Cucumber Margaritas
- Mulled Wine Margaritas
- Apple Cider Margaritas
- Roasted Tomato Margaritas
- See all our Margarita Recipes!
Hi my husband has been making skinny margaritas for some time…fresh squeezed line juice,white tequila, Cointreu, and stevia (no calorie sweetner to sweeten…even agava has calories! ) Serve over ice..and top off with a lime flavored no calorie bubbly water….and put a lime slice in the drink also…and salt the rim…best skinny ever!
Not bad with the OJ, but not really a margarita either.. I have to admit that I am a traditionalist when it comes to the margarita. Equal parts fresh squeezed lime juice, agave, and a good Blanco tequila shaken over ice. Doesent get any easier and the three ingredients compliment each other
Hi John, I hope you’ll check out my classic margarita recipe! It sounds more your speed!
Perfect thanks!
Enjoy!
Where did you get those glasses?? I love them!!
Sadly, I don’t remember! I’m sorry!
Look fantastic! How many calories is in one?
This looks so perfectly simple and refreshing. I don’t do complicated cocktails and this one has my name all over it!
I’m so glad it’s almost the weekend. I can make these, sit on my patio and enjoy!
This looks stunning and very refreshing! ????
Oh my gosh – can it be 5 o’clock now? These are just perfect! They look so refreshing Becky!
I’ll take one of these! Your pics are gorgeous!
Thank you Trish, means a lot!