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Watermelon Margarita is the ultimate summer cocktail—bright, juicy, and ready in just 5 minutes. This five-ingredient shaken margarita rimmed with Tajin brings poolside vibes straight to your home.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: A 6-ingredient, fuss-free cocktail ready in minutes with just a few simple steps, no complicated mixology required!
- Cool, sweet, and refreshing: The perfect balance of fruity, tart, and boozy.
- Naturally hydrating: Watermelon is rich in vitamins and high in water content.
- Perfect for summer gatherings: Ideal for pool parties, backyard BBQs, or Cinco de Mayo.
- Beautiful presentation: A pretty pink drink with a bold red Tajín rim that wows every time.
Ingredients Notes
- Fresh Watermelon Juice: For the best flavor, use ripe seedless watermelon. Blend and strain the flesh for pure, sweet juice. Store-bought juice is a convenient alternative, but it may contain added sugars.
- Lime Juice: Always go with fresh lime juice. It’s brighter and more refreshing than bottled, giving your margarita a cleaner flavor.
- Tequila: Use a high-quality silver tequila or tequila blanco that’s 100% agave. Brands like Casamigos Blanco or Don Julio are great options for a smooth, crisp finish.
- Triple Sec: Classic orange liqueur that adds depth and citrus notes. You can also use Cointreau or Grand Marnier based on what you have on hand. (Triple Sec was used in this version.)
- Simple Syrup: Helps sweeten the drink without grittiness. You can swap in agave nectar or honey, or skip the sweetener entirely for a lighter, “skinny” version.
- Lime & Tajín (for the rim): Use Tajín along the glass rims for a spicy watermelon margarita. Prefer a milder salt rim? Swap with chili salt (equal parts chili powder + kosher salt), coarse sea salt, or plain kosher salt.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make a Watermelon Margarita
- Rim the Glass: Run a lime wedge around the edge of your glass, then dip the rim into Tajin seasoning to coat.
- Blend the Margarita: In a blender, combine the watermelon juice, lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and simple syrup. Blend until smooth.
- Serve Over Ice: Fill your prepared glass with ice, then pour the margarita mixture over the top.
- Garnish and Enjoy: Add a lime wedge or small slice of watermelon to finish it off.
Recipe Tips
- Chill your watermelon juice before mixing to keep your margarita cold without excessive dilution.
- Strain the juice if you prefer a smoother texture—this removes any pulp for a cleaner sip.
- Adjust the sweetness to your taste. While most classic margarita recipes include simple syrup, you can easily skip it in this version for a lighter, no-added-sugar cocktail.
- Use fresh ingredients—ripe watermelon and freshly squeezed lime juice really elevate the flavor.
Storage Instructions
- Refrigerate the margarita mixture (without ice) in an airtight container or sealed pitcher.
- Store for up to 24 hours for best flavor and freshness.
- Stir well before serving, as natural separation may occur.
- Avoid storing with ice, as it will water down the drink over time.
- Frozen watermelon margaritas? Best enjoyed right after blending, but you can freeze it in a sealed container and re-blend briefly before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can prepare the margarita mixture up to 24 hours in advance and keep it refrigerated. Just give it a good stir before serving to ensure all the flavors are well combined.
Absolutely! Simply leave out the tequila and triple sec, and replace them with extra watermelon juice or sparkling water and a splash of fresh orange juice for a refreshing mocktail.
Start by removing the rind from a small watermelon or half of a large one. Cut the watermelon into chunks and place them into a blender. Blend until smooth and juicy. For a smoother juice, pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any pulp.
To make a frozen watermelon margarita, simply blend the margarita mixture with 2 to 3 cups of ice until smooth and slushy. It’s a frosty, refreshing twist that’s perfect for hot summer days.
Other Watermelon Recipes
- Kiwi Watermelon Popsicles
- Feta Cheese and Watermelon Salad
- Fresh Watermelon Cake
- Watermelon Lemonade
If you’ve tried this Watermelon Margarita Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it turned out in the comments below.
Watermelon Margarita
Ingredients
- 6 oz fresh watermelon juice
- 2 oz lime juice
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz triple sec
- 1 oz simple syrup
- lime
- tajin
Instructions
- Place your watermelon juice, lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and simple syrup into a shaker with ice. Shake until the drink is chilled.6 oz fresh watermelon juice, 2 oz lime juice, 2 oz tequila, 1 oz triple sec, 1 oz simple syrup
- Add a few tablespoons of tajin to a small plate. Run a lime wedge around your glasses and dip it into the tajin.tajin, lime
- Pour the margarita into your glasses and top it with a lime slice.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: I recommend making only what you will drink that day. If you have leftovers, you can store the watermelon margaritas in a pitcher in the fridge for a few hours to a day.
- Add a few jalapeño slices to your cocktail shaker to make this a spicy watermelon margarita.
- If your watermelon is fully ripe and sweet, you may not want to add a sweetener.
- I love using fresh watermelon for this recipe, but I have made it with the bottled watermelon juice when I want a quicker and easier way to prepare these. You can find watermelon juice near the orange juice in the refrigerated section. I like the simple brand of watermelon juice.
- To keep your margarita cool and refreshing, pour it over ice. You can also chill your cocktail glasses in the fridge or freezer for about 15 minutes before serving.
- This recipe makes enough for 2 margaritas, but feel free to double or triple it for a crowd.
Do you use Minute Maid watermelon juice?
I used fresh watermelon juice, but store bought is fine too! You may need to adjust the simple syrup because many bottled juices add sugar.