Fresh Strawberry Margarita

Made a few of these strawberry margaritas this weekend and they were a huge hit with everyone! Love that they use real strawberries. Will be making all summer!

— Kate

There’s just something about margaritas that scream summer, especially when fresh strawberries are involved.

Classic margaritas are my go-to cocktail for happy hour, sipping by the pool and summer entertaining! But this strawberry version might just be my new favorite drink!

Why you should make this recipe

• So delicious. These drinks are perfectly sweet, subtly tart and really pretty too! Sorry (not sorry) — I can’t help it. I love sipping on a pretty pink cocktail!
• Easy to make. Not only is this margarita flavorful and quite beautiful, it’s also really easy to mix up. Making the strawberry simple syrup is an extra step, but definitely worth it. If there’s one rule to live by when you make margaritas, it is to always use fresh fruit juice!
• Refreshing & perfect for summer. This strawberry margarita recipe uses ripe strawberries to make the simple syrup and fresh lime juice is mixed in with the other drink ingredients. It’s so refreshing and tasty! We love ours served on the rocks, but this drink is easy to make blended as well!

Ingredients needed

You technically only need 4 key ingredients to make these strawberry margaritas. I like to add salt and sugar to my rim and garnish with fresh lime and strawberries too! Let’s get to the details, so you can shake up these margs and get out on a patio. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Strawberry simple syrup. This is used instead of regular sugar or another sweetener, like agave or honey, to sweeten your cocktail. It blends easily with the other ingredients and adds fresh berry goodness.
• Margarita salt + sugar. Totally optional for rimming the glasses. You can use kosher salt, if you don’t have margarita salt and feel free to just do salt and not sugar, if preferred.
• Tequila. We really like to use Espolòn tequila. It’s great quality, but not too pricey. Feel free to use whatever brand you like best.
• Grand Marnier. An orange flavored liqueur that adds a little sweetness to whatever cocktail you’re making. You can substitute with orange juice or other orange liqueurs like triple sec or Cointreau.
• Lime juice. I highly recommend fresh lime juice for this margarita recipe. I promise, the final result will be worth it!
• Fresh lime + strawberries. Totally optional for garnish, but so pretty, especially if you’re entertaining!

How to make this recipe

Making margaritas at home is super easy, but it does require a few simple steps! Here’s a quick rundown of the process, but reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full, printable recipe.

1. Make the strawberry simple syrup. Bring a simple mix of strawberries, sugar and water to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Pour mixture through a fine mesh sieve and into a glass storage container. Once the strawberry syrup has cooled some, store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. You can use it at room temperature, but it’s best if it has time to chill.

2. Rim your glass. Adding salt and sugar to the rim of the glass is optional, but we really love the addition. Add about 3 tablespoons of coarse salt and 2 teaspoons of sugar onto a plate. Rub the rim of the glass with a lime wedge. Then, dip the rim into the salt and sugar (or just salt, if preferred). Fill the glass with ice. 
3. Mix ingredients. In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, Grand Marnier, strawberry syrup and lime juice with ice, and shake for about 30 seconds.
4. Serve and enjoy. Pour your strawberry margarita into glasses over ice. Garnish with fresh lime slices and strawberries and drink up!

Variations

This strawberry cocktail recipe is pretty amazing as is, but here are some fun ideas when you’re ready to change it up:

• Frozen strawberry margarita. Place 1 cup of ice per drink into a high speed blender and then add margarita ingredients. Blend on high until blended and fluffy.
• Strawberry daiquiri. To make a strawberry daiquiri, substitute rum for the tequila.
• Spicy strawberry margarita. If you want to balance the sweetness of your strawberry margarita with some spice, add some slices of jalapeño (with seeds for extra heat) to the cocktail shaker when you are shaking all the ingredients up. Then, you can garnish with more jalapeño slices when serving the drink.
• Virgin strawberry margarita. Skip the tequila and make this a virgin margarita by subbing the Grand Marnier with orange juice and mixing that with the lime juice, strawberry syrup, and a bubbly water (or Fresca or Sprite). It is so refreshing and delicious!

Frequently asked questions

Customize this drink

Mixed drinks are highly individual. The amounts listed in the recipe card are just a guide and how I personally enjoy my strawberry margarita. Feel free to experiment with the ingredient measurements.

• Strawberry simple syrup – Use 2.5 to 4 ounces, depending on how sweet and how much strawberry flavor you prefer.
• Tequila – Use 1.5 to 2 ounces, depending on how strong you want your drink.
• Grand Marnier (or Triple Sec) – Use 1.5 to 2 ounces.
• Lime juice – Use 2-3 ounces, depending on taste preference.

Pitcher margaritas

You can combine the strawberry simple syrup, tequila, Grand Marnier and lime juice in a pitcher ahead of time —  just shake the individual portions (about 1/2 cup) with ice cubes right before serving.

Here is a quick recipe to serve 4!

• 10-16 oz. strawberry syrup (1 1/4 – 2 cups)
• 8 oz. high quality tequila (1 cup)
• 6-12 oz. fresh or store-bought lime juice (3/4 – 1 1/2 cups)
• 6 oz. Grand Marnier or triple sec (3/4 cup)

Fill a pitcher halfway full of ice and then add all of the ingredients to the pitcher and stir with a large spoon. Add ice to separate glasses and pour pitcher strawberry margaritas in the glasses. Serve with a lime wedge and garnish with fresh strawberries.

Expert tips

Here are a few quick tips for making these perfect every single time:

• High-quality liquor. Don’t feel like you have to buy the most expensive brand of tequila, but keep in mind that the quality will dictate the flavor of your margarita, so go with something that you like. Our go-to brand of tequila is Espolòn tequila, but feel free to use your favorite.
• Fine mesh sieve. Once the strawberries have basically turned into juice, you are going to pour the strawberries through a sieve into a glass storage container. You want to use a VERY fine sieve, so that you end up with smooth strawberry juice with no seeds or clumps.
• Making strawberry simple syrup. It’s best to make the strawberry syrup in advance and store it in the refrigerator, so it’s nice and chilled when you need it. The syrup can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, if stored in an air tight container. It’s great served over ice cream, pancakes, or use it to make strawberry milk.
• Cocktail shaker alternative. A cocktail shaker definitely works best to mix the drink ingredients, but if you don’t have one, any jar with a lid and strainer will get the job done.

Serving suggestions

Serve these alongside one of these delicious dishes below!

• Best Fish Tacos. These flavorful fish tacos are seasoned cod fillets (or any white fish) seared to perfection, then layered with a corn cabbage slaw, a drizzle of creamy fish taco sauce, and topped with avocado slices and a squeeze of lime. Major taco perfection!
• Seared Cod with Corn Salsa. Pan seared cod takes on a bit of a southwest twist. The cod is lightly coated with a spice blend of chili powder, garlic powder, cumin and paprika. It then is quickly seared, on both sides and served with a topping of corn salsa. A lighter meal option that’s fresh, colorful and totally delicious!
• Healthier Taco Salad. Seriously, the best taco salad ever is made with lean ground beef, and a rainbow of fresh ingredients like bell pepper, ripe tomatoes, crisp lettuce, beans, sweet corn and avocado, all tossed in a zesty lite Catalina dressing and topped off with tortilla chips. Super flavorful without being too heavy!
• Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa. This taco dish is such an easy, tasty dinner idea. It features tender shrimp and sweet, tangy pineapple salsa all inside warm corn tortillas. These shrimp tacos make for a light, refreshing, quick meal that’s perfect for summer!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if you love it as much as I do, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.