It’s Cinco de Mayo weekend and that means margaritas! I’ve made many margaritas over the years, but generally I try to keep it simple with margs. The real joy of a good margarita is fresh lime juice, good tequila, and salt. That said, I had this Ginger Margarita recently and it was kind of mind-blowing. Slightly spicy, super refreshing, and very simple to make! What’s not to love?!
A friend introduced me to this margarita after first having it at a local taco spot in Denver called Tacos Tequila Whiskey. We were able to reverse-engineer the margarita pretty successfully and man is it a winner!
I like it because rather than make your own sour mix, you can just use canned ginger beer which makes these even easier to make than a classic margarita!
Whether you make these individually or by the pitcher, I guarantee they will be a welcome addition to your weekend menu!
What liquors do you need for ginger margaritas?
There are two important liquors you need for these ginger margaritas. First, you need tequila. I like a good tequila blanco. You could also use mezcal if you prefer.
No matter what tequila you choose, the key ingredient is this Ginger Liqueur. There are a few different brands of ginger liqueur but I just went with this Stirrings bottle which has a really fresh ginger flavor – almost spicy! It’s really good!
How to mix a ginger margarita
Besides the tequila and ginger liqueur, you only need a few ingredients for these margaritas. For sweetness, I like to use agave, but you could also use honey. Agave just dissolves a bit easier as you shake it.
Then you need fresh lime juice, ginger beer, and some salt and Tajin to line the glass. The Tajin is optional, but is a nice touch!
Mix these margaritas by adding 2 ounces of tequila to a cocktail shaker along with 1/2 ounce of ginger liqueur. Then add the juice of half a lime and half an ounce of agave syrup. Add ice to your shaker and shake it well for about 10 seconds.
Rim your glass with a mix of salt and Tajin (run the lime you squeezed around the edge of the glass so the salt sticks).
Then add fresh ice to the glass and strain in the margarita. It won’t quite fill the glass which is good because you need to top it off with 2-3 ounces of ginger beer.
How to garnish a ginger margarita
I thought about a few ways to garnish this cocktail but ended up just going with a lime wedge. That ends up looking pretty classy with the salted rim.
Some other options would be a thin slice of crystalized or candied ginger!
How to make a pitcher of this margarita recipe
This is a very easy cocktail recipe to multiple. If you want to make a pitcher of the margaritas, just multiple the ingredients by six. So that would be 12 ounces of tequila, three ounces of ginger liqueur, three ounces of agave, and three limes. Stir that together in your pitcher with a little ice (or store it in a carafe).
Most importantly, don’t add the ginger beer until you serve it. Rim your glasses with salt and fill with ice. Then fill the glass about 3/4 full of the margarita mixture and top individually with ginger beer.
Appetizer ideas for Cinco de Mayo
Appetizers are my favorite thing about Cinco de Mayo weekend! Of course a good guacamole is in order. I recommend using a molcajete if you have one. Otherwise, of course you’ll want a good queso recipe and maybe a good homemade salsa like my grilled salsa recipe!
Keep the margaritas flowing and appetizers full and you will be in good shape!
Ginger Margarita
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- ½ ounces ginger liqueur
- ½ ounce agave nectar
- ½ lime, juice only
- 3 ounces ginger beer
- Kosher salt + Tajin, for rim
- Lime slice, garnish
Instructions
- In a large cocktail shaker, combine tequila, ginger liqueur, agave, and fresh lime. Shake for 10 seconds with ice. Strain into a rimmed cocktail glass with ice and top with ginger beer.
