Ingredients
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 1 cup seedless watermelon cubes, frozen
- ¾ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounces orange liqueur
- 1½ ounces blanco tequila
- ½ cup crushed ice
- Watermelon wedge, lime wheel, and mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of a margarita glass. Dip it in the salt to rim the glass.
- In a blender, combine the frozen watermelon cubes, lime juice, orange liqueur, tequila, and ice. Blend until smooth.
- Pour into the prepared margarita glass.
- Garnish with the lime wedge, a watermelon wedge, lime wheel, and mint sprig.
Variations and Substitutions
The watermelon margarita is delicious by itself, but you can also add additional ingredients and make simple substitutions to take it to the next level.
- Omit the ice and instead use an additional ½ cup of frozen watermelon for a more intense watermelon flavor.
- Add ½ cup of frozen mixed berries for a berry watermelon margarita.
- Add 2-3 jalapeño slices for a spicy watermelon margarita.
- Add ½ teaspoon of freshly grated gingerroot to make a ginger-watermelon margarita.
- For an especially refreshing margarita, add 3-4 basil leaves. Change mint garnish to a basil sprig.
- Pump up citrus flavors by adding ½ teaspoon of finely grated lime zest.
- Multiply the recipe to make a pitcher of margaritas.
Garnishes
This drink is already garnished to the hilt with a salt rim, a lime wheel, a watermelon wedge, and a mint sprig. Feel free to pare it down if you're feeling minimalist, using only one or two of the garnishes. Other garnishes:
- Rim the glass with a mixture of equal parts sugar, salt, and tajin for a sweet-tart-spicy addition to your drink.
- Create a mixture of equal parts sugar, salt, and lime zest to rim the glass and pump up lime flavor.
- Omit the rim altogether and instead opt for a simple watermelon wedge garnish.
- Garnish with either pickled ginger or crystallized ginger.
- Garnish with a vodka-infused watermelon ball.
About the Frozen Watermelon Margarita
Since a watermelon margarita craving can strike at any moment, it's essential to be prepared. Have frozen watermelon cubes at the ready so that when it's go-time, you're already ready. Fortunately, it's easy to freeze watermelon chunks; simply rind a seedless watermelon and cut it into about ½-inch cubes. Freeze the cubes in perfectly portioned 1 cup servings in zipper bags. That way, when a watermelon margarita emergency strikes (as they do), you'll be ready to pop a bag out of the freezer and get blending.
A Drink to Make You Lose Your Rind
The combination of watermelon and lime is a classic summer flavor, so why wouldn't you add some tequila and triple sec and whir it up in a bender? It makes for a mighty refreshing sipper to sample as you watch the sun set on warm late summer evenings.
