Watermelon Margarita (Tequila Cocktail)

This watermelon margarita is made with just four ingredients and can be served on the rocks or frozen. This drink is light, refreshing, fruity, and the perfect summer go-to for watermelon lovers!

Just Four Ingredients To Boozy Watermelon Cocktail Bliss

Watermelon is one of my favorite summer fruits! Especially when it’s hot, a refreshing watermelon cocktail is a must.

I’ve even included a way to make this watermelon margarita on the rocks, frozen, and even a virgin (alcohol-free) version – because you know kids will want to try this fun looking drink!

The best thing of all? This watermelon tequila cocktail only uses four base ingredients and a few optional extras for the salted rim!

• Watermelon – Make sure to choose the ripest, sweetest watermelon that you can (see tips below!)
• Tequila – I use silver tequila for this watermelon cocktail. You can also use Blanco tequila – just avoid cheap versions filled with additional (unnecessary) ingredients.
• Lime Juice – Make sure to use fresh juice
• Sweetener – Some people may find the drink sweet enough with just the fruit. However, if you need a little extra, then you can use additional agave syrup, maple, or another sweetener of your choice. I used Erythritol in mine.

How To Choose A Great Watermelon

In this watermelon margarita, the watermelon is the star (okay, along with the tequila!). It’s also what is used to sweeten the drink. So, the ripest, sweetest watermelon selection is key!

But, how do you go about choosing a melon that is flavorful and sweet rather than just watery and a little sad? Okay, this might sound a little bit odd, but choosing the best watermelon often means picking the one that looks worst from the outside. Stick with me, and I’ll explain why!

Here are a few of my top tips for you:

1. Look for a big yellow patch: Watermelons will have a ‘worn away’ looking spot where they’ve been resting on the ground. If it’s white-ish, then it’s under-ripe, yellowy, and it’s ripe!
2. Make sure it’s not shiny: A dull watermelon means ripeness, those gorgeous, shiny watermelons that look so good? Unripe!
3. Look for brownish marks/scarring: Also called ‘sugar spots’ and various other names (i.e., webbing, pollination points, etc.) If your melon has lots of brown scar marks (that look like veins), this is usually an indication of sweet, ripe melon.
4. Tap it: If you tap the ‘underbelly’ area of your melon, it should have a deep, hollow sound rather than a dull thud.
5. Always go heavy: The melon should feel heavy for its size – if you’re trying to choose between a few melons of similar size, always go for the heaviest one!

Top Tips For Perfect Margaritas

We already know that ingredient selection is key in a drink with such few ingredients. As my notes above state, you want the sweetest watermelon, fresh lime juice, and a high-quality tequila – but what else ‘makes’ a margarita?

Note, these are all optional – but just some of my top tips for the best results!

• Shaken Not Stirred, Please: Not only is this best practice with any citrus-containing drink, but it also gives the margarita that frothy, airy appearance/texture.
• Chill The Glasses: If you chill the margarita glasses for around 30 minutes, pre-serving, then it can make it easier to add the salt rim. Plus, it keeps your drink cooler for longer!
• How To Salt: When salting the rim, the key is to only rub the lime juice on the outside of the glass, then press it into the salt mixture. That way, you don’t get salt on the inside of the glass, dropping into the drink.
• Ice Ice Baby: For your watermelon margaritas on the rocks, always use big ice cubes! They’ll melt slower and avoid diluting the drink before you have a chance to finish it.

With all of that out of the way, let’s move on to the recipe.

This Watermelon Drink Recipe Is:

• Quick
• Simple
• Refreshing
• Fruity
• Naturally Sweetened
• Boozy
• Can be made alcohol-free
• Absolutely delicious!

How To Make Watermelon Margaritas

For the full ingredients list, measurements, and nutritional information for this recipe, then find the recipe card below.

Step 1: Add the diced watermelon to a blender or food processor and blend until it’s juice. Strain the watermelon juice through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds and excess pulp.

Step 2: Combine the watermelon juice, lime juice, tequila, and sweetener either in a bowl or shake in a cocktail shaker. Taste it and adjust the level of sweetener, if needed.

Step 3: To salt, the rim of the glasses, cut a lime into wedges and rub against the outer rim of the glass. Dip each glass onto a plate with salt on to over the rim. This step is entirely optional but looks lovely.

Step 4: When you’re ready to serve, simply add some ice cubes to the glasses and pour in the watermelon margarita mix. Enjoy immediately!

Frozen Watermelon Margarita: Pop the cubed watermelon into the freezer for a few hours/ the night before, and then blend to a ‘slushy’ consistency. For this version, you can add all the ingredients to the blender, taste, and adjust the sweetener. Omit the ice altogether.

An Alcohol-Free Version: Omit the alcohol from the watermelon drinks and instead use lemon/lime soda. You’ll probably be able to omit the sweetener, too, as the soda is usually sweet enough. Just mix this lightly, rather than shaking or blending – so you don’t make the soda go flat.

How To Serve This Tequila Cocktail?

This watermelon margarita can, of course, be served alone – but I love to serve the cocktails as part of a little picnic platter with nibbles.

Some of my favorite snacks include tortilla chips and Baked Plantain Chips, guacamole, and salsa as well as other dips including this Oil-Free Hummus.

Other Drinks And Summer Desserts

• 7 Fruit Infused Water Recipes (Detox Drinks)
• Ginger Shots (Recipe and Benefits)
• Creamy Mango Lassi
• Immune Boosters Juice With Beetroot
• Best Banana Milkshake
• Mango Sticky Rice
• Strawberry Mousse
• No-Bake Raspberry Cheesecake
• Lemon Cheesecake Tart
• Creamy Mango Pie

Recipe Notes and Tips

• For additional flavor, you could add in a handful of strawberries, pineapple, or even passion fruit with the watermelon too.
• Add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a spicy kick, or infuse the margaritas with some jalapeño slices. You can also infuse the tequila directly – 30 minutes will be mild, a day is spicy, 3 days – phwoar!
• You can experiment with the salt rim; sea salt vs. kosher vs. pink Himalayan will all have different flavors (slightly) and affect the drink. Jazz up the salt rim with additional ingredients like pink peppercorns, lime zest, etc.
• If you find the citrus juice a little harsh then I’ve heard (but not tried), you should squeeze the limes a few hours in advance. Allowing the juice to sit can apparently remove some of the harsh bitterness from the citrus.
• Feel free to add a sprig of mint or basil to the glasses to decorate and infuse the drink.

If you give this watermelon margarita recipe a try, I’d love a comment and recipe rating below. Also, don’t forget to tag me in re-creations on Instagram or Facebook with @elavegan and #elavegan – I love seeing your recreations.

Watermelon Margarita

Author: Michaela Vais

This watermelon margarita is made with just four ingredients (salt rim not included) and can be served on the rocks or frozen. This drink is light, refreshing, fruity, and the perfect summer go-to for watermelon lovers!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 2

Calories 149 kcal

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

• 14 oz (400 g) watermelon diced (yields 330 ml watermelon juice)
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) silver tequila
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) lime juice from 3 limes
• 1 tbsp sweetener of choice
• Sea salt for lining rim (optional)
• Ice cubes (optional)
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Instructions

 

• You can watch the video in the post for visual instructions.

  Add diced watermelon to a blender or food processor and blend until it's juice. Strain the watermelon juice through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds and pulp.
• Combine watermelon juice, lime juice, tequila, and sweetener in a bowl or shake the mixture in a cocktail shaker if you have one. Taste it and add more sweetener if needed.
• Cut a lime into wedges and rub against the outer rim of the glass. Dip each glass upside down onto a small plate, that has some salt on it, to cover the rim with the salt. This step is optional but it looks nice.
• Add ice cubes and pour in the watermelon mix. Enjoy immediately!

Notes

• Freeze the watermelon for a couple of hours to make frozen watermelon margarita.
• I used 1 tablespoon of Erythritol to sweeten the margaritas but you can use a liquid sweetener like maple syrup if you prefer.
• For additional flavor, you could add in some strawberries, pineapple cubes, or even passion fruit.
• Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to a spicy kick or infuse the margaritas with some jalapeño slices.
• Read the blog post for more helpful tips and variations and step-by-step photos.

Nutrition Facts

Watermelon Margarita

Serving Size

 

235 ml

Amount per Serving

Calories

149

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

0.25

g

0

%

Carbohydrates

 

14.2

g

5

%

Fiber

 

0.8

g

3

%

Sugar

 

10.8

g

12

%

Protein

 

1.15

g

2

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is an estimate and has been calculated automatically

Equipment

Blender*

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