The Best Margarita Recipe

What is a Margarita

A Margarita is one of the most common cocktails, in fact it was the most google- searched for cocktail in 2025 according to one study. A margarita is made of tequila, triple sec and fresh lime juice. Sometimes it may include some simple syrup as a sweetener, and features salt on the rim of the glass with a wedge of lime. Here, you can learn how to make a classic margarita with this simple recipe.

What is Triple Sec?

Triple Sec is an orange-flavoured liqueur that's typically clear. It’s usually got an alcohol volume of 20-40%, but high-quality examples tend to be on the higher end of this (38-42%). It’s usually made from a neutral spirit which can come from something like sugar beet. The spirit is triple distilled with orange peels to create triple sec.

Margarita Recipe

Margarita Ingredients

• Ice
• 50ml Tequila
• 25ml Lime Juice
• 20ml Triple Sec
• Salt to garnish
• Lime wedge to garnish

How to make a Margarita step-by-step

1 – Preparing the Glass

Pour a few teaspoons of salt onto a small saucer or bowl. Use a lime wedge to rub the rim of a Margarita glass (or if none are available, any glass will do). Then dip the glass into the salt to have the salt stick to the rim.

2 – Mix your liquids

Add in the ice, tequila, triple sec and fresh lime juice into a shaker and shake vigorously for about 10-15 seconds. If you don’t have a shaker,  pour into the glass and mix with a cocktail spoon (or long spoon). Pour into the glass (if not done already).

3 – Garnish, Serve & Enjoy!

Once all poured, garnish with a lime edge on the rim of the glass to add some flair! Serve or enjoy yourself!

History of a Margarita

The origin of the Margarita Cocktail is somewhat cloudy. It probably belonged to a cocktail family from the Victorian era called the ‘Daisy,’ as it’s essentially a tequila daisy. A daisy was a standard cocktail that uses some spirit, some citrus juice, orange liqueur and sometimes soda water.

However, before the Margarita ran, the ‘Picador’ walked. It was featured in a 1937 British cocktail book. This then evolved into a Tequila sour, which is the same as a picador except it had salt on the rim. If we were reaching, one could then claim that the Margarita is a British drink!

The person who actually come up with the name ‘Margarita’ is widely disputed and there’s many conflicting stories.

A Daniel Negrete said to have created the drink whilst he was the manager of a hotel. He had a girlfriend, named margarita (a common name in Mexico), who liked salt in all of her drinks.

A Carlos Herrera (is said to have created the cocktail for an actress called Marjorie King, who was said to only have drank tequila. He added his own spin to it with the salt on the rim which attracted attention at his bars. He named the drink the ‘Margarita’ as this was the closest Mexican name to Marjorie.

References

Information on Triple Sec
Information on Triple Sec 2
History of Margarita
History of Margarita 2
Information on Daisy
Margarita recipe 1
Margarita recipe 2
Margarita recipe 3