This refreshing Watermelon Margarita Recipe, made with just three simple ingredients and no added sugars, is guaranteed to be your favorite summer cocktail. Perfect for all your summertime gatherings, grab a watermelon, limes, and a bottle of tequila because today we’re making these beautiful, refreshing, and delicious Watermelon Margaritas!
Refreshing Watermelon Margarita Recipe
It is no secret that tequila is my favorite liquor or that margaritas are my favorite cocktail. From classic margaritas to spicy orange margaritas, to this rosy red watermelon margarita, all margaritas are good margaritas, if you as me.
Today we’re making a simple, 3-ingredient margarita that is all about sweet summer watermelons!
Because who doesn’t love watermelon, right?
Naturally sweet, there’s no need for extra added sweeteners (unless you want some). The best part? this pretty drink takes just 10 minutes to shake together. For fastest results, grab a blender and citrus juicer, if you’ve got one.
Cheers!
Ingredients & Frequently Asked Questions
- Watermelon
- Freshly-squeezed lime juice
- Tequila
How to pick a good watermelon?
For the very best results, I highly recommend making your own watermelon juice. Of course, this also means picking the sweetest possible watermelon you can get your hands on. Here are some tips:
- Pick one that feels heavy for its size – no matter its size.
- Look for the yellow spot where the watermelon was resting on the ground. It should be a creamy, yellowish color and found on only one side of the watermelon.
- Look for sugar spots and pollination points – this is actually the biggest indication of ripe watermelon and best when shown with an image (I’ll update soon). Sugar spots are areas on a watermelon where sugar has seeped through. it may not have been much, so perhaps it has solidified, but if your watermelon is oozing something sticky, that’s because it’s bursting with natural sugars! Pollination points are usually found in the same area as sugar spots. They’re brownish rough patches with dark brownish/black dots in rows. These ugly looking patches on watermelon are actually good things!
- Tap your watermelon. Does it sound hollow? Good.
Can I use bottled lime juice?
Bottled lime juice will work in a pinch, but fresh limes are always better. If you can get your hands on key limes, even better, but standard limes will work just as well. If you plan on making a big batch of margaritas, I highly recommend a citrus juicer as they really help extract all the juice and save loads of time.
What tequila should I use to make my watermelon margarita?
Head to your local grocery store and you’ll see that tequila comes in a range of colors from clear to dark amber and a variety of flavors and aromas.
There are two main categories of tequila sold – mixtos and 100% agave. When shopping for tequila, you always want to buy 100% Blue Agave Tequila. Trust me. It’s right there on the bottle so there shouldn’t be any confusion.
For this particular recipe, I used silver tequila, also known as Blanco tequila, but feel free to use your favorite.
How to Make A Watermelon Margarita
1. Prepare the fresh watermelon juice
You guys will need a blender for this part of the recipe process. Fortunately, blending watermelon (as long as it’s not frozen) does not require the fanciest, most expensive machine out there.
Simply fill a large blender with ripe, cubed watermelon and blend until juiced. At this point, you may wish to strain your blended watermelon through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any solids or leftover seeds (this step is completely optional).
- Note – You only need 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) of watermelon juice per cocktail. Expect to have leftover watermelon juice unless you plan to make a large batch of this yummy drink.
2. Mix the chili salt
Add the chili powder, salt, and sugar to a small plate and mix to combine. Of course, you don’t have to salt the rim of your glass or add chili to your salt mixture. I do it mostly because I think it looks pretty.
3. Prepare your glass
If you plan to salt the rim of your glass, run a lime wedge around the rim of each glass. Invert your glass and dip the top into the chili salt mixture, tilting the glass slightly to completely coat the surface. Fill each glass with ice cubes and set aside.
4. Make your margarita
To make your margarita, add the watermelon juice, lime juice, tequila, and a scoop of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to combine. Taste and adjust.
All watermelons taste different and everyone has his or her own personal preference when it comes to cocktail sweetness – does it need more watermelon juice? Lime juice? Sweetness?
5. Serve
Strain into your prepared glass and garnish with a fresh lime wedge or chopped watermelon, if desired.
How to Make Frozen Watermelon Margaritas
Yes, you can easily make this watermelon margarita, frozen.
In order to make frozen watermelon margaritas, you need to freeze your chopped watermelon at least 4 hours before you plan to start your party. Fortunately, once you have some frozen watermelon, there’s not much to it, simply blend and serve.
That said, here are a couple of tips and pointers to make a batch a batch –
- For every 4 cups of frozen watermelon (approximately 1 cup juice), you’ll want 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice and 3/4 cup (or more) tequila.
- Watermelon, when frozen, is like ice. This is fantastic for making slushies, but really hard on cheap blenders. Try to use a high-speed blender with a tamper if you can afford one.
Tips and Tricks
- Spice it up with a few jalapeño slices. Light and refreshing love the surprise of a little heat. Simply add a few jalapeño slices to your cocktail shaker for a fun twist on this pretty summer cocktail.
- Although the margarita is traditionally served in margarita glasses, feel free to serve in whatever suits your personality (like these rocks glasses).
- With such a limited ingredient list, the quality of ingredients is pretty important. This does not mean that you need to buy top-shelf tequila, but 100% blue agave tequila is an absolute must.
- Speaking of an absolute must- fresh lime juice (aka juice that was just squeezed out of limes).
- Shake everything together in a cocktail shaker or even a mason jar with a lid. It’s the best way to get your margarita nice and chilly.
- Swap the tequila for mezcal for a sweet and smoky surprise.
- Why not make a whole pitcher and throw a party? It’s super easy to multiply this recipe and make a big batch for all your family and friends to enjoy. Especially since you will ultimately have leftover watermelon juice which should never go to waste.
- For approximately 4 watermelon margaritas: 1 cup fresh watermelon juice, 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, 3/4 cup tequila
- For approximately 8 watermelon margaritas: 2 cups fresh watermelon juice, 1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, 1.5 cups tequila
How to Serve this Watermelon Margarita Recipe
They may be partial to Mexican or Tex-Mex cuisine, but these watermelon margaritas are so light and refreshing that I find them to taste delicious with just about everything.
So, what can we pair with these lovely ice-cold margaritas?
My go-to favorites on a warm summer evening include chips, pico de gallo, and a never-ending bowl of the very best guacamole in the whole world. On the beach or on my couch, a margarita in one hand and a bowl of something in the other is me in my happy place.
But what about something a little more? For an easy family dinner, I would suggest my easy ground beef tacos with a side of refried beans, cilantro lime rice, and mango salsa.
Even the kiddos will love the fresh watermelon juice (without tequila, of course!)
Other favorite pairings include my easy chicken enchiladas, chicken mole, albondigas soup, and cilantro lime shrimp (because it’s the best shrimp you’ll ever eat).
More Margarita Recipes,
Sparkling Passion Fruit and Pineapple Margaritas
Frozen Pineapple Dragon Fruit Margaritas
Classic Margarita Recipe (How to Make a Margarita)
If you try making this Watermelon Margarita Recipe, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
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Easy Watermelon Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
Watermelon Juice
- 1 small seedless watermelon (or half of a large watermelon)
Chili Salt Rim (optional)
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar or brown sugar
For One Margarita
- 2 ounces fresh watermelon juice
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1.5 ounces tequila
- Lime (cut into wedges)
- Sliced watermelon (to garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the watermelon juice - Fill a large blender with ripe, cubed watermelon and blend until juiced. At this point you may wish to strain your blended watermelon through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any solids or leftover seeds (this step is completely optional and may depend on the efficiency of your blender). Note - the total amount of juice produced will far exceed that needed to make 1 margarita. Transfer leftovers to a mason jar and keep stored in the refrigerator for a light and refreshing drink or margaritas later in the week.
- Mix the chili salt - Add the chili powder, salt, and sugar to a shallow plate and mix together to combine.
- Prepare your glass - Using your favorite cocktail glass (I used rocks glasses) run a lime wedge around the rim of each glass. Invert your glass and dip the top into the chili salt mixture, tilting the glass slightly to completely coat the surface. Fill each glass with ice and set aside.
- Make your margarita - To make your margarita, add 2 ounces watermelon juice, 1-ounce lime juice, 1.5 ounces tequila, and a scoop of ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to combine and chill. Taste and adjust - does it need more watermelon juice? Lime juice? Sweetness? (see notes)
- Serve - Strain your margarita into your prepared glass and garnish with a fresh lime wedge or chopped watermelon, if desired.
Jessica's Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
loved the idea of this recipe but I added 2 parts cointreau to every three parts tequila as every margarita recipe I have ever followed has done this. I also used frozen watermelon instead of ice cubes. Thank you for sharing something that will cheer up my summer.
Agreed James, Cointreau is a must for a Classic Margarita, which is my go-to recipe on a regular basis 😀
The Cointreau adds the sweet to the original Margarita, which isn’t needed in this recipe with the watermelon.