Happy hour becomes instantly refreshing with a Triple Citrus Margarita! Made with a combination of orange, lemon, and lime juices, this cocktail is bright and refreshing with the just-right amount of tartness. Pair it with a bowl of chips and salsa, guacamole, or your favorite taco dinner for a classic combination.
You know that feeling when you just HAVE to have a tangy, salty margarita (likely paired with a big bowl of guac and salty chips), and you’ve got to have it now, no questions asked? Of course you do, because it happens to the best of us. And when it happens? It needs to be remedied immediately.
When the craving strikes, there’s just one refreshing answer: a Triple Citrus Margarita! You’ll love how easy it is to make, and the way the three citrus juices play off of each other to create a well-rounded, refreshing cocktail.
Simple Margarita Ingredients
While a traditional margarita is made using only lime juice, this version adds in several other citrus juices and is still just as easy and quick to make. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- Lime juice – whether making a classic margarita or this triple citrus one, freshly squeezed lime juice is a must. Buy yourself whole limes, and juice them yourself, for the freshest, most natural tasting cocktail. Any pre-squeezed citrus juices (you know, like those in the bottles shaped like the fruit…) tend to be too tart and have a strange aftertaste. Not what you want in an adult beverage.
- Lemon juice – the same goes for lemon juice, always buy the whole fruit and juice it. You’ll love the difference it makes (and I’ll share with you my favorite juicing tools to make it easy!).
- Orange juice – orange juice is a little different, while I highly recommend also grabbing a whole orange and juicing it, you can use bottled orange juice if needed.
- Triple Sec – a classic addition to a margarita, it is an orange-flavored liqueur that adds additional orange flavor to the cocktail. Because we’re already adding in orange juice, if you don’t have triple sec you can either substitute additional orange juice or use Grand Marnier.
- Tequila – a must-have for margaritas!
- Coarse Salt– An optional addition if you’d like to salt the rim of your glass. It’s a must-have for me.
- Ice – This recipe is served over the rocks, but if you prefer blended margaritas just go ahead and blend it all together!
Voila! Clean, simple, and naturally “skinny” since there aren’t any added sugars like many margarita mixes you’d find.
And all the citrus fruits? They definitely deserve the be together: the trifecta, really. Lemon, lime, and orange. The lemon and lime combo has been around for ages. It’s perfectly tart and balanced.
Adding the orange brings in a bit of sweetness, without added sugar. All the citrus flavors blend together to deliver a mildly tart, ever-so-subtly-sweet twist on a classic margarita.
What kind of alcohol should I use?
The best answer I can give you is: the one you like to drink best! If you don’t have a favorite tequila yet, it’s time to get taste testing!
My favorite tequila for margaritas is a Blanco tequila, also known as silver tequila. It’s unaged and made from blue agave. Look for 100% blue agave when purchasing.
When considering triple sec, high-quality is always best. Cointreau is my go-to option, and is widely available and easy to find.
The Tools
You really only need one thing to make this margarita: a glass to drink from.
Now, there are some things that will make your life a whole lot easier:
- Citrus Juicer: while you could easily hand-squeeze the citrus to get the juice, a juicer makes life a whole lot easier. I absolutely love this citrus juicer, because it gathers the juice in a measuring vessel, making my life so much easier. You could also go the more traditional route with a citrus squeezer.
- Cocktail Shaker: an easy way to mix up the margarita, but it’s not required. You could use a mason jar with a lid as an alternative.
- Cocktail Jigger: a little measuring cup to get the exact amount of liquor and juices for your margarita. I love this OXO one because it’s multipurpose, I use it all the time to measure out small liquid amounts when baking, too.
- Channel Knife: use it to make citrus garnishes if you’re feeling fancy.
How to Make a Triple Citrus Marg
Margaritas are one of the simplest cocktails to make, in my opinion.
If you’re going to salt the rim of your glass, it’s important to remember to do this first, since you won’t be able to once you pour the cocktail into it. Start by taking a lime wedge and running it around the rim of the glass you’ll be using. Pour some coarse sea salt or kosher salt on a small plate or low dish. Gently swirl the rim of the glass in the salt until coated. Now you’re ready to make the cocktail!
Salt hack! If you don’t want to go through any effort to salt the rim of your glass, a wise bartender once gave me the tip to finish the top of a margarita off with a sprinkle of salt, then it gets incorporated throughout, and still brings out the flavor, yet you don’t have to worry about that first mouthful of salt or any mess!
To make the margarita, start by adding ice to an ice shaker, then pour in the tequila and triple sec.
Next goes in the juices, no order necessary.
Then, give it a few gentle shakes to combine, and use a strainer to pour into a salt rimmed glass (if desired!) filled with ice. Garnish as desired and enjoy!
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can use a Mason Jar with a lid instead. Otherwise, you can make it without! Just add the ingredients in the same order, over ice, into your serving glass. Gently shake, and serve.
What to Serve with Margaritas
Hello, my favorite margarita-pairing of Mexican foods! But it doesn’t stop at fresh, spicy Mexican flavors. I love a fresh, citrusy margarita alongside grilled fish or spicy chipotle shrimp. Because of the tart, citrus flavors, it pairs best with spicy, bold flavors.
Need inspiration? Check out these tried and true combinations:
- Double Bean and Corn Enchiladas – made with homemade enchilada sauce!
- Mahi Mahi Tacos with Sriracha Slaw
- Cheesy Mexican Rice
- Vegetarian Refried Beans {Instant Pot (affiliate link)!}
- Super Simple Pico de Gallo
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe is an excellent option if you’re wanting to make a margarita without lime juice. Simply substitute additional lemon and/or orange juice in its place. If you use orange juice, it will be slightly sweeter.
To make this margarita sweeter, add in either simple syrup or agave, stirring or shaking to combine into the cocktail.
Stay away from hard citrus, it’s best to find ones that feel heavier for their size and that have a little give when you press on them slightly. Ones with thinner skins will usually yield more juice, too.
Yes, you could substitute or add in grapefruit. You can also use any type of orange or lemon to mix up the flavors.
More Margarita Recipes to Try!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Triple Citrus Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 TBSP coarse sea salt or kosher salt optional, for a salted rim
- 2 oz. triple sec
- 3 oz. tequila
- 2 oz. fresh orange juice
- 2 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
- Ice
Instructions
- Optional salted rim: run a lime wedge around the rim of two lowball glasses or margarita glasses. Place the salt on a small plate or low bowl and dip the rim in the coarse salt, gently turning to coat evenly. Set aside.
- Fill a cocktail shaker approximately halfway full with ice. Pour in the tequila and triple sec, then add in the fruit juices. Cover, and gently shake.
- Fill the two salt-rimmed glasses with ice. Then, strain out the liquid evenly between the two glasses. Serve with lime and/or orange wedges as desired.