Name: Watermelon Margaritas
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 4 cups cubed watermelon ((about ¾-pound/675g)); coarse salt; ¾ cup tequila (blanco preferred (6oz/180ml)); ½ cup fresh lime juice ((4oz/120ml)); ½ cup triple sec (Cointreau preferred (4oz/120ml)); ice

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Sweet and refreshing with a hint of citrusy tartness, these watermelon margaritas are always a crowd-pleasing drink. Super simple to make with only a handful of ingredients, these margaritas are perfect to sip on all summer long.

Like my strawberry margaritas, blood orange margaritas, and classic margaritas, this watermelon margarita is easily made from scratch with no mixes. Naturally sweet from the watermelon, this is a fun, easy cocktail for any occasion.

What You Need to Make This Recipe

Watermelon — make sure you use a ripe watermelon for the margaritas. The watermelon is the only sweetener in the drink, so that a ripe watermelon will yield the best flavored drink. Always look for watermelons that feel heavy for their size with a hollow sound when knocked on.

Salt — a margarita is not completed without a salted rim!

Tequila — since the ingredient list is short, it’s important to use good quality tequila, but no need to break the bank with an overly expensive one.

Triple sec — I like to use Cointreau, but you can use any variety of orange-flavored liquor.

How to Make Watermelon Margaritas

1. Place the watermelon cubes in a blender container and blend on high speed until puréed.

2. For a smoother drink, strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the pulp, but that is optional. Chill the watermelon juice until ready to use.

3. Combine 3 ounces of watermelon juice, 1½ ounces of tequila, 1-ounce of lime juice, and 1 ounce of triple sec in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice.

4. Shake until the outside is frosty, about 15 seconds.

5. Salt the rim of a glass by running a lime wedge around the rim and dipping it in coarse salt. Fill with ice and then strain the drink into the glass.

6. Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately.

Pro Tips for Making This Recipe

I recommend sticking to fresh lime juice for the margaritas for the best flavor. The bottled juices do not have the same fresh, bright flavors.
You can add more citrus flavor to the drink by adding lime zest to the salt for the rim.
To make this watermelon margarita spicier, add sliced jalapeno to the shaker. You can also garnish with jalapeno.
Don’t have a cocktail shaker? You can use a mason jar or any jar with a tight-fitting lid.
If you do not want the drink to taste watered down as the ice melts, you can freeze lime juice and watermelon juice in an ice cube tray and use that instead of ice cubes.
If watermelon is not in season, you can make this with frozen watermelon. Thaw the frozen chunks if you don’t want a frozen watermelon margarita.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead of time?

You can mix everything together and keep the drink chilled in the fridge without ice for up to 3 days ahead of time. You can also cut the limes and watermelon ahead of time and store them in an airtight container.

How do I scale this up?

Simply double or triple up all of the ingredients, minus the ice. Instead of shaking together the ingredients, one drink at a time, mix everything in a jar or pitcher with a lid in the fridge. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Give the drink a quick stir and strain it into the prepared glasses when ready to serve.

Can I use storebought watermelon juice for the margaritas?

To cut down on the prep time, you can use storebought watermelon juice. However, keep in mind that bottled watermelon juices tend to have added sugar.

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5 from 2 votes