Perfect Agave Margarita (Simple, Easy, & Refreshing!) – Sweet Potato Soul

Introducing my favorite cocktail: the Agave Margarita! This is a seriously simple, totally refreshing sipper made with everyday ingredients and no margarita mix. Natural agave syrup naturally sweetens the drink, keeping it balanced, sweet, and vegan-friendly. Make a drink to unwind, a pitcher to enjoy with friends, or blend it to enjoy frozen!

I’m delighted to report that it’s warming up here in Atlanta, which means one thing: margarita season! Nothing hits quite like a freshly-shaken margarita with agave and lime when the temperatures climb. They’re fresh, citrusy, cooling, and lightly frothy. Perfect for sipping on patios and porches with friends and family, accompanying Mexican-inspired meals, or elevating virtually any sunshine-doused summer get-together.

If you haven’t tried making margaritas without a mix, I encourage you to try it. Though margarita mix can be alluring for its convenience, agave nectar and lime juice contribute superior tangy, sweet, and fresh notes. Best of all, they’re accessible, affordable, and 100% natural (i.e., no fake sweeteners, colors, or preservatives!). I’m confident you’ll be so sold on these agave nectar margaritas that you may even celebrate by pitching the mix! 😉

Love agave? Enjoy it in other delicious, albeit non-ABV drinks, like my Oat Milk Matcha Latte, Oat Milk Shaken Espresso, or Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Latte.

All About Agave Nectar

Though called agave nectar, this liquid sweetener is technically a syrup. It comes from the agave plant, a succulent grown in arid climates with hot summers, such as Mexico and Central America. Because agave comes from the same plant from which tequila is distilled, it naturally plays well with the spirit and is a natural ingredient in margaritas!

Agave is less viscous than honey, but similarly sweeter than granulated sugar. I prefer to make margaritas with agave because it is natural, vegan-friendly, and has a purer sweetness than margarita mix.

There are three types of agave syrup: light, amber, and dark. The flavor of the syrup gets more concentrated and caramelly as the color deepens. For this reason, I recommend light agave syrup for margaritas so as not to overpower the lime juice and tequila.

Other Ingredients

Blanco Tequila: Also known as silver tequila, this clear-colored spirit has a clean and refreshing citrus and agave flavor, making it the perfect base for the agave margarita recipe. If you feel like splurging, I recommend using a high-quality tequila, such as Patrón or Casamigos, for the best flavor.

Lime Juice: Fresh juice is best for the freshest, brightest flavor. For easy juicing, use a citrus press.

Triple Sec: This orange-flavored liqueur adds additional citrus dimension to the drink, balancing the lime’s acidity and adding a light, boozy sweetness, similar to traditional margaritas.

How to Make Agave Margaritas

• Salt the glass. If desired, salt your glass by rubbing a lime around the rim, then dipping into a shallow plate of salt.

• Combine. Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice.

• Shake. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds until the shaker is cold and frosty.

• Strain and Serve. Add ice to a cold rocks or coupe glass. Strain the agave margarita into the glass. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge if desired and enjoy!

Jenné’s Recipe Pro-Tips

• Shake well. Shaking is an essential part of making a margarita, as it combines and aerates the mixture, making it smooth and frothy. Add ice to the cocktail shaker with the margarita ingredients and shake until the exterior is cool and frosty.
• Sweeten to taste. The triple sec will add some sweetness, so I recommend starting with 1 teaspoon of agave and adding more if desired.
• Choosing a cocktail glass. Depending on your preferred presentation, you can serve the drink in a rocks or coupe glass.
• Chill the glasses. Cold glassware keeps the drink cold, preventing it from melting and diluting the agave nectar margaritas. If possible, chill the glass in the freezer for 30-60 minutes before serving.
• Rim the glass if desired. To do so, run a lime slice around the rim of the glass. Dip the rim in a shallow bowl of coarse salt (or Tajín and salt!) until covered. You can rim the glass before or after chilling it.

Make It a Mocktail

Though enjoy a traditional happy hour just as much as the next person, there are also plenty of moments when I want to enjoy the margarita experience without the boozy kick or slow start the morning after. That’s when this margarita mocktail variation comes in!

Recent developments in zero-proof spirits make this recipe easy to adapt. Swap zero-proof tequila (such as Ritual — it’s smoky, almost like mezcal!) and triple sec (check out Lyre’s or make your own!) for their traditional counterparts and continue with the recipe as directed.

Recipe Variations

Add some pizzazz to margarita night by making any of the following swaps:

• Spicy — Slice up half of a jalapeño pepper, shake it with the margarita mixture, and garnish the glasses with additional sliced jalapeños.
• Blended — Add the ingredients to a blender with 1 cup of ice and blend until frosty and slushy.
• Blood Orange — Reduce the lime juice to just 1 tablespoon and add 1 ounce of fresh-squeezed blood orange juice.
• Pineapple, Passionfruit, or Mango — Tropical fruits and this margarita with agave recipe are a match made in heaven! To take any of these variations, reduce the lime juice to 1 tablespoon and pour 1 ounce of pineapple juice, passionfruit pulp, or mango puree before shaking.

Make It a Pitcher

Prep a pitcher of this margarita with agave recipe — perfect for al fresco dinner with friends, backyard barbecues, and pool parties —in a few simple steps:

Measure the Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• 1 cup triple sec
• 2 cups blanco tequila
• 1/3 cup agave nectar

Assemble: Place ingredients into a glass pitcher and stir until agave is dissolved. 

Serve: Add ice to the pitcher, stir again, and serve. Each pitcher serves 8.

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