Tequila, lime, simple syrup—a trinity of ingredients collide as a fan-favorite cocktail. The drink hails from numerous origin stories, and recipes have adapted a milieu of additional ingredients, from Cointreau to prickly pear to sangria. No matter the riffs, it remains a sweet-tart cocktail with just an edgy hint of spice from the tequila. We’ve written about a lot of margarita recipes over the years (enough to publish a small cookbook!). If you don’t have time to comb through them all, we rounded up a few of our best margarita recipes. Salud!
Our Best Margarita Recipes for Cinco de Mayo (or Anytime)
The mainstay cocktail at Las Almas Rotas in Dallas hits all the right notes between lime, orange, syrup, and tequila. The creators believe that a margarita is only as a good as its tequila. They recommend ELVELO tequila, made in Jalisco by a second-generation master distiller using old-world techniques. If you can’t get ELVELO, though, the drink will still taste delicious made with whatever you have on hand.
A favorite at Mex 1 Coastal Cantina in Charleston, this bright magenta marg gets that deep orange-y flavor by combining fresh blood orange juice with blood orange liqueur. Pair it with Mex 1’s fresh guacamole recipe for a cantina experience under your roof.
Give your traditional margarita a fiery kick with a float of fresh ginger juice on top.
Good for your gut and good for your mood, we love this deep ruby-colored margarita from Charleston’s Basic Kitchen. Plus, it gives a use to the leftover juice from any roasted, steamed, or fresh beets you prepare.
Springtime’s quintessential flavors come together in this margarita recipe. It pulls fresh sweet flavor from strawberries, earthiness from the rhubarb, and a bit of licorice spiciness from fennel.
A Margarita Recipe for a Crowd
For a big-batch margarita recipe to serve a crowd, try this mezcal punch from Las Almas Rotas. The hibiscus-cardamom syrup adds color and floral notes. Just make sure you have a good-sized group of friends to help you share this potent sipper.
Recommendations for You
The Riff: Frozen Margaritas 
One Way Flight 
Spicy Island Breeze by Ian Julian 
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