By Becky Hardin
Updated May 16, 2025
I love a good margarita, but I don’t love all the calories. With only 5 ingredients and lots of flavor, this skinny margarita has half the calories of its standard counterpart. It’s a guilt-free cocktail that’s just perfect for Cinco de Mayo! This is the type of margarita I make most at our house. It’s simply so refreshing.
5-Star Reviews
“This looks so perfectly simple and refreshing. I don’t do complicated cocktails and this one has my name all over it!” -Rebecca
Skinny Margarita
My skinny margarita recipe is a healthier twist on a classic margarita , made with fresh lime and orange juice, and sweetened with agave nectar instead of sweetened lime juice and calorie-filled liqueurs. I’m obsessed with how crisp and cool it is. This is my go-to recipe for girls’ nights, and it’s always met with rave reviews.
This skinny margarita recipe is endlessly riff-able! Try swapping the orange juice for grapefruit, lemon, cranberry, passionfruit, or peach juice. Peach is one of my favorites. For spicy skinny margaritas, add a diced jalapeño to the shaker. I find that adds enough flavor without making things too hot. I love to switch up the rimming salt for ancho salt or salt mixed with lime zest to brighten things up!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 3 ounces tequila (about 2 shots), choose a good-quality silver or blanco tequila
- ▢ 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice (about ½ cup)
- ▢ 4 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ cup)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- ▢ Sparkling water optional
- ▢ Coarse salt optional, for serving
- ▢ Lime wedges optional, for serving
Video
Instructions
- Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake well, until cold. 3 ounces tequila, 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, 4 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Pour over ice into salt-rimmed glasses. Pour a splash of sparkling water into each glass, if desired, and garnish with lime wedges. Sparkling water, Coarse salt, Lime wedges
Becky’s Tips
- Use fresh juice. While you can use store-bought orange juice, fresh citrus juice will b righten up the flavors and make your drink that much better.
- Serve extra cold. No one likes warm tequila. Keep it in your freezer and shake it up in this Margarita Recipe for the ultimate frosty sip.
- Is a frozen margarita more your speed? Blend with ice for the ultimate cold treat this summer. Add in a bit more juice to brighten things up even more.
- Add a little bubbly with some sparkling water. Plain works well, but lime makes this cocktail sing!
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make a Skinny Margarita Step by Step
Combine all the liquid ingredients : Combine 3 ounces of tequila, 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, 4 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice, and 1 tablespoon of agave nectar in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake well until cold.
Pour into glasses and enjoy: Pour the juice and alcohol over ice into salt-rimmed glasses. Pour a splash of sparkling water into each glass, if desired, and garnish with lime wedges.
How to Store
I always combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This mixture will keep well for up to 3 days. It’s very important to add ice and shake well before serving.
You can also freeze the margarita mixture prior to serving. Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave and pour into a freezer-safe container to store for up to 2 weeks. Let thaw in the refrigerator before serving. Alternately, sometimes I blend the frozen mixture in a blender to break it up, and serve these frozen!
Serving Suggestions
This margarita is great served with healthy appetizers like avocado corn salsa or a simple dish of blistered sweet peppers .
more margarita recipes we love
White Wine Margaritas Cocktail
Strawberry Margarita Punch
Blue Margarita Recipe (Azul Margaritas)
Frozen Strawberry Margarita
Skinny Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces tequila (about 2 shots), choose a good-quality silver or blanco tequila
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice (about ½ cup)
- 4 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ cup)
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Sparkling water optional
- Coarse salt optional, for serving
- Lime wedges optional, for serving
Instructions
- Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar in a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Shake well, until cold. 3 ounces tequila, 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, 4 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- Pour over ice into salt-rimmed glasses. Pour a splash of sparkling water into each glass, if desired, and garnish with lime wedges. Sparkling water, Coarse salt, Lime wedges
Video
Notes
- Use fresh juice. While you can use store-bought orange juice, fresh citrus juice will b righten up the flavors and make your drink that much better.
- Serve extra cold. No one likes warm tequila. Keep it in your freezer and shake it up in this Margarita Recipe for the ultimate frosty sip.
- Is a frozen margarita more your speed? Blend with ice for the ultimate cold treat this summer. Add in a bit more juice to brighten things up even more.
- Add a little bubbly with some sparkling water. Plain works well, but lime makes this cocktail sing!
- Nutritional information does not include optional ingredients.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
