19 Tequila Recipes That Go Beyond Margaritas

There are so many more sides to the agave spirit.

By
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
Mimi Young
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Mimi Young is an editor and chef.
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Updated May 16, 2024
Salted grapefruit cordial topped with seltzer and served over ice

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

I'll admit that a frosty margarita is what initially comes to mind when I think of tequila. It was the very first cocktail I ordered when I turned 21 and it was my go-to drink for the better part of my twenties. While it's true that a well-crafted classic margarita is a thing of beauty, there is so much more to explore when it comes to tequila-based drinks. The unique flavor profiles of each variety of tequila—bright and grassy blanco, rich and mellow reposado, dark and smoky añejo—make it so extraordinarily versatile that we no longer have to limit ourselves to traditional cocktail combinations. Have a Mojalisco instead of a vodka Moscow Mule, a Swiss Cartel over a gin Negroni, or The Federation in place of a rye Sazarac. There are even iterations of margaritas, such as rhubarb-strawberry and jalisco pear, that push the boundaries of what a margarita can be. Our favorite tequila recipes offer a road map to take you on an adventure of your choosing. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

  • Classic Margarita

    Classic margarita served up in salt-rimmed rocks glass over ice with lime wheel

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    The key to making the best possible margarita is ridiculously simple: Use high-quality ingredients. The classic only needs fresh-squeezed lime juice, Cointreau, and good blanco tequila. Margarita mix, who?

  • The Best Frozen Lime Margarita

    Closeup of frozen lime margarita served up in classic stemmed margarita glass against black background

    Serious Eats / Robyn Lee

    No slushy machine is required to make a restaurant-quality frozen margarita—simply freeze your margarita base. It won't actually be frozen solid due to the alcohol, but certainly hard enough to blend to the perfect consistency. Just have those frozen margarita glasses ready.

  • Pineapple Margarita

    Pineapple margarita in short stemmed cocktail glass with lime wheel against dark background

    Serious Eats / Robyn Lee

    The light caramel flavors of reposado tequila pair beautifully with sweet, ripe fresh pineapple in this margarita, though you can use blanco tequila as well. If your pineapple isn't as ripe as you'd like (and you want your drink now and not a couple of days from now), microwave your pineapple chunks on a plate for 12 seconds to bring out their sweetness. I'd even toss larger pieces on the grill to get a little smoky flavor, if I already have it fired up.

  • Peach and Tequila Frozen Blended Cocktail

    Closeup of peach and tequila frozen blended cocktail garnished with skewered pineapple chunk and mint leaves

    Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

    What better way to use up a plethora of ripe peaches than to blend them with some tangy pineapple, balanced with herbal, earthy notes from the tequila and Suze, for a refreshingly frosty cocktail. Chilling the base overnight means less ice in the blender to water down your drink.

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  • Fresh Watermelon Margaritas

    Fresh watermelon margarita served up on ice on wooden surface

    Serious Eats / Robyn Lee

    The vibrant color of fresh watermelon in this margarita screams summer in a glass. Just a little bit of Kosher salt amplifies the fruit's natural sweetness, while the elderflower liqueur adds a pleasant floral note.

  • The Upgraded Paloma

    Grapefruit cocktail topped with seltzer and served up over ice

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Another quintessential warm weather drink is the Paloma, traditionally grapefruit soda spiked with tequila. Homemade grapefruit cordial mixed with blanco tequila, lime juice, and bitter Campari and topped off with bubbly seltzer takes this drink up several notches. If you're a Paloma lover like I am, it's well worth the extra effort.

  • Quick and Easy Margarita Shandy

    Margarita Shandy served up in mason jar over ice next to a full pitcher

    Serious Eats / Heather Meldrom

    When it comes to making large-batch margaritas for a crowd, sometimes shortcuts can be a good thing. Take this variation on the shandy, for instance. We use frozen limeade concentrate instead of fresh lime juice, then combine it with reposado tequila and pilsner or lager. Modelo Especial is a great choice.

  • Rhubarb-Strawberry Margarita

    Strawberry Rhubarb Margarita served up over ice in rocks glass

    Serious Eats / Robyn Lee

    If you're a sucker for anything rhubarb and strawberry, this margarita will be right up your alley. Add surplus rhubarb-strawberry syrup to seltzer for a fruity homemade soda...or just make more margaritas!

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  • Bitter Salty Perro

    Bitter Salty Perro cocktail in a pitcher and Collins glass over ice

    Serious Eats / Heather Meldrom

    Bright, tart pink grapefruit juice and herbal silver tequila are the stars of this easy pitcher cocktail that gets its bitter edge from bubbly tonic water. It's a sassy, effervescent drink that's just made for Cinco de Mayo brunch.

  • El Diablo con Limón (Tequila Punch With Cassis and Lemon)

    Tequila punch with cassis and lemon in dispenser displayed with filled punch glasses

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    This streamlined version of the tequila- and crème de cassis-based Diablo cocktail—made famous at Portland's Clyde Common—uses an easy no-cook lemon syrup packed with tangy flavor and is far more aromatic than the traditional variety made only with lemon peel. The punch base can be made up to ten hours ahead, then topped off with seltzer at party time.

  • Tequila and Campari with Tangerine

    Tequila, Campari, and Tangerine Cocktail served over ice in rocks glass next to full iced pitcher

    Serious Eats / Heather Meldrom

    Negroni fans will love this party-friendly drink that combines añejo tequila, Campari, fresh-squeezed tangerine juice, and seltzer. The bitter flavor of Campari pairs amazingly well with the aged tequila, while tangerine juice adds just the right level of sweetness.

  • The Charming Foxhole

    The Charming Foxhole served up in a coup cocktail glass garnished with orange peel

    Serious Eats / Nick Caruana

    A nuanced and sophisticated nod to the Negroni, this amaro-laced tequila cocktail blends reposado tequila with Cocchi Vermouth di Torino and Amaro Nonino for added depth and replaces Campari with the bittersweet orange and rhubarb flavor of Aperol. A couple dashes of Peychaud's bitters provide a subtle anise aroma.

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  • Swiss Cartel (Tequila Negroni Cocktail)

    Tequila Negroni Cocktail over ice in rocks glass against magenta background

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    Smooth, soft, and almost butterscotchy with rich vanilla notes, this Negroni-adjacent cocktail pairs aged tequila with Gran Classico and sweet Carpano Antica. if you prefer a less sweet drink, add an extra quarter ounce of tequila.

  • Mojalisco

    Mojalisco cocktail over ice in tall glass with fresh mint

    Serious Eats / Nick Caruana

    Fans of the Dark and Stormy, Moscow Mule, or Mojito will rejoice over this boozy mash-up that features alcoholic ginger beer, tequila, lime juice, and fresh mint. Cynar, with its bittersweet essence of artichoke, hovers in the background for an air of mystery.

  • The Federation

    The Federation cocktail served over ice in rocks glass beside bowl of peanuts

    Serious Eats / Nick Caruana

    The warmth and oakiness of añejo tequila mirrors that of whiskey, making it an ideal stand-in for rye in this smooth, refined, and layered version of the Sazerac with grassy notes from the agave and chocolate notes from the crème de cacao. Although the absinthe is barely noticeable, you'd miss it if it wasn't there.

  • Grilled-Rambutan Cocktail

    Closeup of Grilled-Rambutan Cocktail served up in metallic-patterned rocks glass on grass placemat

    Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

    Quickly grilling rambutans before muddling and mixing with tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and simple syrup amplifies their sweet-tart flavor with caramelization. A pinch of smoked salt pairs nicely with the grilled fruit. Although fresh rambutans are great here, the canned version works perfectly well.

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  • Hibiscus-Tequila Cooler

    Hibiscus-Tequila Cooler served up over ice in rocks glass beside full pitcher

    Serious Eats / Elana Lepkowski

    Dried hibiscus flowers not only give this drink its vivacious color but also add tartness and floral notes that accentuate the vegetal sweetness of the blanco tequila. Serve it with lime or other fragrant, slightly sweet, and tart citrus such as grapefruit, kumquat, tangerine, lemon.

  • Three-Piece Suit (Tequila and Sherry Big-Batch Cocktail)

    Three-Piece-Suit tequila and sherry cocktail in coupe glass on copper tray

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    As with all killer party drinks, the key to success is mixing the base well ahead so it has plenty of time to chill—in the freezer—so the cocktail is neither too cold nor too warm when served. The grassy notes and soft vanilla aromatics of the reposado tequila blend perfectly with the nutty caramel notes of the oloroso sherry.

  • Clamato Sangrita With Jalapeño and Coriander

    Clamato Sangrita served up in a shot glass

    Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

    While technically not a tequila-based cocktail, per se, this bright, spicy tomato-based chaser is made for good sipping tequila. Bloody Maria fans will love the super-savoriness of the clam juice, Worcestershire sauce, celery salt, and ground coriander.

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