Cilantro Jalapeño Margarita Cocktail Recipe
I turn to this margarita whenever I’m looking for a drink that’s fresh but packs a spicy punch. The secret’s in muddling real cilantro and tossing in jalapeño for that kick.
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Muddler
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Citrus juicer
- Measuring jigger
- Fine strainer
- Glass for serving
- Small plate (for salting rim)
Ingredients
- Fresh cilantro Small handful about 8 leaves
- Jalapeño 2-3 thin slices
- Blanco tequila 2 ounces
- Fresh lime juice 1 ounce
- Orange liqueur 1/2 ounce
- Simple syrup 1/2 ounce
- Salt for rim As needed
- Lime wedge 1 for garnish
- Ice 1 cup or as needed
Instructions
- First, I run a lime wedge around the rim of my glass. Then I dip the edge into salt on a plate to cover the rim.
- In the shaker, I toss in the cilantro leaves and jalapeño slices. I muddle them pretty well to get all those flavors out.
- After that, I pour in the tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, simple syrup, and a bunch of ice.
- I close up the shaker and give it a good shake for at least 20 seconds. It chills everything down and mixes the flavors up nicely.
- Using a fine strainer, I pour the drink into the salted glass filled with fresh ice.
- Last, I’ll add a lime wedge or maybe an extra jalapeño slice for garnish—depends on my mood.
Notes
If I’m not in the mood for too much heat, I’ll take the seeds out of the jalapeño before muddling. Want more spice? Just throw in another slice.
For guests who like it sweeter, I bump up the simple syrup by a little—maybe a quarter ounce. I always go for fresh lime juice instead of bottled; it just tastes brighter.
If I’m out of orange liqueur, triple sec does the trick, but I use a bit less since it’s usually sweeter. I make these right before serving because fresh herbs can lose their punch if they sit in the alcohol too long.
And watch the salt on the rim—too much can take over the whole drink, which is not what you want.