Skinny Spicy Jalapeño Margarita
This refreshing and spicy skinny jalapeño margarita has arrived just in time for warmer weather. Made on the rocks with fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and plump jalapeño peppers, this margarita is on the "healthy-ier" side and sure to be a hit all summer long!
This Jalapeño Margarita Recipe is Refreshingly Spicy
My spicy jalapeño margarita recipe uses only natural ingredients so the drink tastes light and fresh and not too sugary - just how it should be! With just a few simple ingredients, you'll be sipping on one of the best classic cocktails in no time!
A spin on my classic margarita recipe classic margarita — this one’s skinny, spicy, and a little smoky. I like to call it the triple "S" trifecta! It's tart with a little heat and the perfect balance of natural flavors. I have a few margarita tips and tricks I'm dying to share too - including different ways to customize your margarita and how to get a beautifully salted rim!
Jalapeño Margarita Ingredients
- Cilantro - brings a bright, herbaceous note that softens the acidity and enhances the freshness of the margarita. If you're not a cilantro fan, you can skip it — the margarita will still be balanced — but adding it offers a more nuanced, spa-like twist.
- Jalapeño - delivers gentle heat that plays beautifully against the sweetness of the agave and the tang of the lime. For a milder kick, remove the seeds and ribs before muddling; for a spicier version, keep some seeds intact.
- Lime juice - freshly squeezed lime juice is essential for its bright acidity, which cuts through the sweetness and rounds out the drink.
- Agave - lightly sweetens the drink without overpowering it. Compared to simple syrup, agave’s lower glycemic index makes this a better-for-you option.
- Tequila - a good blanco tequila gives this margarita its smooth, crisp backbone, allowing the other flavors to shine through. For a smoky variation, substitute with mezcal — its subtle smokiness adds complexity and enhances the cocktail's savory elements (more on that in the tips below).
- Chili lime sea salt - elevates the entire margarita experience, adding a zesty, slightly spicy pop with each sip. Trader Joe’s Chili Lime Seasoning is convenient, but making your own with sea salt, chili powder, and lime zest allows you to adjust the heat and tang to your preference.
Find the full recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.
Many margarita recipes will add a splash of triple sec in the mix which is an orange liqueur. While it does add some additional hints of orange, I don't like to use it in my margarita recipes since it also adds so much sugar. If you have it on hand and would like to use it though, you can add 1 oz of triple sec per serving and mix as directed. If you want the hint of orange, a tablespoon of fresh orange juice will also work well.
How to Make a Spicy Margarita
This skinny jalapeño margarita is so simple to make! All you need is a cocktail shaker or mason jar and a few glasses.
How to Salt a Spicy Margarita Rim
There are a few tricks to achieve a beautifully salted rim around your cocktail glass.
Be careful adding the ice. Once it's time to add the ice, use a spoon to slide the ice into the glass. Tilt the glass towards you and place the spoonful of ice on the side of the glass and let the ice slide into the bottom. Doing this will prevent your pretty rim from getting knocked off.
Spice up the salt. Literally. I used Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning and then added in my own sea salt. You can also use tajin seasoning or make your own with paprika, cayenne pepper, coconut sugar, and sea salt.
Use a lime wedge. To create a bit of "stickiness" around the rim for the salt to stick to, run a lime wedge around the rim. Allow the juice from the lime to stick to the glass.
Keep the glass upside down. When running the lime around the rim, keep the glass upside down. This prevents the juice from running down the sides of the glass. Continue to keep it upside down while you dip it in the salt as well.
What to Pair With Your Jalapeño Margarita
For a happy hour setting, serve up this margarita with my sweet potato fries and a few dipping sauces. My whipped feta, mango salsa, and bang bang shrimp are also happy hour favorites.
If you’re serving this cocktail alongside a meal, I recommend my avocado corn salad, caramelized brussel sprouts, and crispy cauliflower
Spicy Margarita FAQs
Yes! This spicy skinny margarita recipe makes two standard drinks. Double it to make a pitcher for 4 or triple it for a party of 6! If you're making a pitcher, you may want to skip the muddling part since you will be pouring the drink from a pitcher and not through a strainer. This is totally okay but will make a slightly less spicy drink so throw in a few extra jalapeños for good measure. Instead of shaking the drink, add the ice to the pitcher and stir it up with a large spoon or cocktail stirrer and serve into your glasses.
This margarita actually gets even better with time. The flavors of the jalapeño and cilantro will only get stronger. To make this recipe ahead of time, prepare it as directed below but pour it into an airtight drink container. It's best enjoyed the next day but you can store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, prepare your cocktail glasses with the salt rim, add the ice, and pour in the cocktail mixture.
Simply follow the recipe as instructed but instead of shaking the ingredients over ice, pour the liquid into a blended with a cup of ice per serving and blend until well mixed.
My last margarita tip - swap the standard tequila for mezcal!
I know what you're thinking. What the heck is mezcal and what makes it so special? I break down some of it's most special characteristics in my smoky grapefruit margarita recipe but here is a brief rundown:
Mezcal actually came before tequila. All tequilas are mezcals, but not all mezcals are tequilas. Kind of like the whole "every square is a rectangle but not every rectangle is a square" thing you learned in grade school (but slightly more interesting because...margaritas, duhh!).
With tequila, the liquor has to be derived from blue agave. Mezcal however, can come from any type of agave. Make sense yet?
Mezcal has this rich, smoky flavor that is absolutely delicious in a cocktail. It adds another flavor element without you having to do much of anything. Most liquor stores now carry mezcal so I highly recommend grabbing a bottle to try it out in this spicy skinny margarita recipe!
For more cocktail fun, check out my:
PS : If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a star review and comment below! Also be sure to follow along with me on Instagram and Pinterest to stay up to date on all tasty recipes here at The Fit Peach!
Recipe
Skinny Spicy Jalapeño Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning - see notes below on other options
- ½ jalapeño - plus more to garnish
- 3 cilantro leaves - plus a few extra stems to garnish
- ⅔ cup lime juice - approx. 4 large limes
- 3 teaspoon agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon water - sparkling water will work too and the carbonation adds a little fizz!
- 3 oz tequila or mezcal
Instructions
- Prepare the salt for the rim by mixing together the sea salt and chili lime seasoning in a shallow dish or plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of our cocktail glasses. Keep the glass upside down when doing this to prevent the lime juice from running down the sides of the glass. Dip the rim into the salt mixture to coat. You may need to tilt the glass around to make sure the entire rim is coated. Set aside while you prepare the cocktail.
- Dice the jalapeño half into slices and place in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the cilantro leaves and lime juice. Muddle the jalapeños and cilantro into the juice with a muddler or use the back of a spoon to break them up. This releases the flavors into the lime juice.
- Pour agave syrup, water, and tequila or mezcal into the cocktail shaker. Fill up the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for at least 20 seconds.
- Fill up your cocktail glasses with ice. To do this, use a spoon to slide the ice into the glass. Tilt the glass towards you and place the spoonful of ice on the side of the glass and let the ice slide into the bottom. Doing this will prevent your pretty rim from getting knocked off.
- Pour the cocktail mixture through a strainer and into the glasses.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, extra jalapeño slices, and cilantro and kick back, relax, and enjoy!
A great margarita! I don't normally like spicy margaritas, but this one was great!!
So glad you love the recipe!
Favorite margarita recipe! Been making it all summer and everyone loves it.
So excited you enjoyed it!
I’ve tried a lot of spicy marg recipes and this one is by far my favorite! The perfect combo of refreshing with a little kick! You must try!
Yayy so glad you liked it!!
Delicious!!!
Thank you!!
My go to Margarita for any Happy Hour!
Mine too!
SO DELISH! My go to marg
Yayy so glad to hear you liked it!
Great drink for the summer!!!
Easy to make and delicious on a hot day.
This is by far the best margarita I’ve ever had! Perfect drink for the season!!
This recipe is amazing! The margarita has a ton of flavor. I would highly recommend
This was so light and refreshing with a kick! Loved it
My traditional American in-laws rarely venture outside their comfort zone which motivates me to sneakily introduce them to new recipes. This recipe blew their minds when I hosted them for a backyard poolside BBQ! Equal parts refreshing and energizing, with a kick of fire to complement each sip. Best of all - this recipe uses lighter ingredients so you feel confident in a bathing suit while having two or three!
This recipe is so refreshing and delicious. I made them for my family over the Memorial Day weekend and they loved them!
Great recipe! Tart and refreshing. We added more jalapeños because we love heat and it was perfect.
Made there for a family happy hour over the Fourth and they were delicious! Left out the cilantro for those that aren't cilantro fans HA! Great recipe