Blue Margarita
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Mix up a margarita that's as azure-hued as the Caribbean Sea! This blue margarita offers the same refreshing tang and zesty kick as a classic margarita but adds a summery, bitter-sweet-citrus twist courtesy of blue curaçao. It's as fresh and delicious as it is eye-catching!
For another recipe that blue curaçao shines in, make this tiffany mimosa next!
What is a blue margarita?
Traditionally, margaritas contain three ingredients: tequila, triple sec, and lime. A blue margarita is almost a regular margarita – but it has a colorful twist! It skips the triple sec in favor of blue curacao, a liqueur with a vibrant blue hue.
What does blue curaçao taste like?
Blue curacao is made from the dried peel of the laraha citrus fruit, which tastes like bitter oranges. Laraha are native to the island of Curaçao in the Caribbean, hence the name! Blue curaçao is sweeter than triple sec and has a distinctive bitter orange flavor with a hint of sweetness. This means your blue curaçao margarita will be a little bit sweeter and more citrusy than a traditional margarita, with a delicious little bitter undertone.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Limes, salt, and liquor come together to make this sweetly tart blue margarita! This is what you need:
- Salt: For making a salted rim on the glass, but you could use sugar if you want a sweeter sip!
- Other ingredients: Blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, blue curacao, and simple syrup.
- To garnish: Lime wedge or wheel.
How to make a blue margarita
This blue margarita recipe is ready in just minutes! Rim your glass, stir everything together, then enjoy sipping your fancy blue cocktail! This is how it's done:
- Rim your glass: Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of your glass, then dip it into salt!
- Stir: If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can use a mason jar. Fill it with a large scoop of ice, then pour in all the liquids! Stir everything together.
- Pour: Grab the salt-rimmed glass, pour your blue margarita in, and garnish with a lime or orange slice. It's so pretty!
What tequila to use for a margarita
Your margarita is only as good as the tequila you pour into it! Blanco tequila is often the go-to choice for margaritas, but let's provide some context first. Tequila is primarily categorized into three age groups: blanco (also known as silver), reposado (rested), and añejo (aged). Blanco tequila is known for its clean and crisp flavor, reposado adds subtle oak undertones for complexity, and the extended aging añejo goes through creates a rich and complex taste.
For a margarita, blanco tequila is the recommended choice. While there's no need to blow your budget on a top shelf tequila, you do want one that you'll enjoy sipping. Renowned brands like Patron, Jose Cuervo, Don Julio, and El Jimador are reliable choices. If you're uncertain about which tequila to pick, ask for recommendations from the knowledgeable staff at your local liquor store.
How to rim a glass for a margarita
The first thing you'll want to do is prepare your rimming station: set up a small saucer plate and sprinkle salt into it. Grab your glass and a wedge of lime, and run the cut side of the lime around the rim to wet it.
Next, grab your glass and dip the moistened rim of the glass into the saucer of salt. Sometimes it helps to twist the glass back and forth a little bit to ensure the salt sticks on. Remove it from the saucer and shake off any excess. If you prefer a sweeter margarita, you can use sugar in place of the salt!
What to serve with a blue margarita
The flavor of this blue margarita is still reminiscent of a margarita, and margaritas = a Mexican fiesta! Serve up your pretty margarita next to some guacamole and summer peach salsa. For the mains, throw it back alongside some blackened rockfish tacos, shrimp fajitas, or BBQ chicken quesadillas!
Margaritas can brighten up other dinners outside of Mexican cuisine, too! Make a pitcher for your next evening of summeqr grilling, and enjoy your blue margarita next to grilled chicken wings, a grilled rack of lamb, or grilled chimichurri chicken.
Recipe FAQs
How do I make simple syrup?
Making simple syrup is, well, simple! All you have to do is dissolve sugar into water. We make ours with 2 parts water to 1 part sugar, so it's not too sweet. You can make it with a 1:1 ratio if you like sweeter drinks. The sugar must be warm to dissolve into the water. The easiest way to do this is to heat equal parts water and sugar in a saucepan, gently stirring the sugar into the water until it's totally dissolved. Easy! Just let it cool down before you use it so your cocktail isn't warm!
What cocktails can I make with blue curacao?
Now you've got the bottle, let's talk about what other blue drinks you can make! This tiffany mimosa is a glam way to start the day. You could also try a blue lagoon cocktail or a blue Hawaiian.
How to pronounce curaçao?
Curaçao is pronounced as “koo-rah-sow.”
How do I make a blue margarita pitcher?
The easiest way to do this is to convert the ounces into cups. So, two cups of tequila, one cup of lime juice, and half a cup of both the simple syrup and the blue curacao.
What type of glass should I serve blue margaritas in?
We use a rocks glass, but you can also use a margarita glass for extra flair.
Blue Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- Salt (for rimming the glass – see notes)
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ounce lime juice (fresh is best!)
- ½ ounce blue curacao
- ½ ounce simple syrup (see notes)
- Lime wedge or wheel (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the salt on a small plate and wet the rim of a glass with a lime wedge. Dip the rim into salt.Salt
- Fill a cocktail shaker or mason jar half full with ice. Add the tequila, lime juice, blue curaçao, and simple syrup and stir until the cocktail is cold.2 ounces blanco tequila, 1 ounce lime juice, ½ ounce blue curacao, ½ ounce simple syrup
- Pour your blue margarita into the salt-rimmed glass and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.Lime wedge or wheel
Video
Notes
Nutrition
We have thoroughly tested this recipe for accuracy. However, individual results may vary. See our full recipe disclosure here.
For more inspiration, check out all of our cocktail recipes and tequila recipes!