The Best Homemade Margaritas: All-Natural, 3-Ingredients
How to make a margarita with just three natural ingredients!! Nothing fake, neon green, and no sugary chemicals! This is the best homemade margarita recipe I’ve tried and it’s the easiest!!
Who Needs a Confusing Margarita?
If there’s one drink that should be so simple, but somehow turns so complicated, I think it’s a margarita. There’s blended, on the rocks, from a mix that comes in gallon-sized jugs – sometimes with alcohol already added and sometimes without.
Some margaritas are made with just tequila and others with a smorgasbord of other booze added including triple sec, Cointreau, Gran Marnier, Chambord, and more.
People shouldn’t need to wonder, “How to Make a Margarita” because it shouldn’t be so hard. I’ve gone back to basics, with just the basic margarita ingredients.
How to Make a Margarita
This simple margarita recipe has no mix, concentrate, and nothing complicated or fussy. No simple syrup to make, no blender to dirty, just three basics ingredients: lime juice, agave, tequila.
- Lime Juice: I use freshly squeezed lime juice and recommend doing so.
- Agave: It’s sold in nearly all grocery stores these days. I’ve used honey in a pinch, too. If you prefer to make a simple syrup instead, be my guest.
- Tequila: The choice of tequila is up to you. I use Patron Silver or Don Julio Blanco. Choose a trusted favorite.
Customizing This Simple Margarita Recipe
I prefer my margaritas boldly tart but sweet enough to balance the tartness, and not shy with the tequila. You’ll need to find the exact ratio of ingredients that you enjoy best.
Small changes can have a big effect on taste. Like a half shot glass of lime juice or a small drizzle of agave can really make a difference. Play around with the recipe to find your happy place, pun intended.
You can doctor up the basic mixture as you like by adding other liquors or add a handful of strawberries, put it all in a blender, and you’ve got a frozen strawberry margarita in seconds.
A Note About Measuring
In the recipe section, I referred to the ingredients as shots. Some recipes use ounces, cups, and shots, all in one. Holy confusion after you’ve had a few.
The very average-sized shot glass I use (not a jumbo frat-house style shot glass) holds the same amount of liquid as a 1/4-cup measure, which makes it easy to make the recipe in bulk. X parts this to Y parts that.
Feel free to make a big batch and keep it for a few days in the fridge.
While you could technically share the recipe as written, after having one, you’ll want another. So plan on it serving one, nicely. You can sip worry-free since there’s no sugar.
They go down so incredibly easy. Especially on vacation.

The Best Homemade Margaritas: All-Natural, 3-Ingredients
How to make a margarita with just three natural ingredients!! Nothing fake, neon green, and no sugary chemicals!This is the best homemade margarita recipe I’ve tried and it’s the easiest!! They’re tart and sweet enough, but not too sweet, and go down incredibly easy. I use freshly squeezed lime juice and recommend doing so. Agave is sold in nearly all grocery stores and big box retailers, although I’ve used honey in a pinch. The average-sized shot glass I use holds the same amount of liquid as a 1/4-cup measuring cup. It’s easy to make the recipe in bulk. X parts this to Y parts that. Feel free to make a big batch and keep it for a few days in the fridge. While you could technically share the recipe as written, after having one, you’ll want another. No sugar so you can sip worry-free, and they go down way too easily!
Ingredients:
- 1 to 1 1/2 shots lime juice (1 shot glass equals 1/4 cup liquid)
- 2 shots water
- 1 to 2 shots tequila (I use white/blanco tequila and prefer Patron Silver or Don Julio Blanco)
- 1/2 to 1 shot agave nectar, or to taste
- ice, as necessary
Directions:
- Over a large cup, squeeze limes, about 2 medium/large, ripe limes. Tip – Paler green limes and those with yellow spots, and those with thin skin are juicier than darker-skinned limes or those with thicker skin. Medium/large limes seem to release their juice easier than small limes.
- Add the water, tequila, agave, and stir. Taste and see if you need to make tweaks.
- If desired, strain mixture to remove any lime pulp, although I don’t bother.
- Add ice generously, and stir or shake (by putting another cup over the top).
- Serve immediately. Recipe is intended for those whom alcohol use is legal, done responsibly, and is appropriate.
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After my quest for the best margarita using many types of tequila, mixers, sweeteners, orange liqueurs I came up with this basic recipe as the best. My biggest discovery was the huge difference between bottled lime juice and fresh squeezed. WOW it knocked me over and will never use other than fresh squeezed.
2 parts 100% agave tequila (reposado or blanco)
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
1 part agave nectar
1 part water
I made these for happy hour with my girlfriends yesterday, and WOW! Game changer!!! I’ve always complained about the ‘fluorescent’ cocktails you get at certain restaurants, but was afraid to believe something this simple, and all-natural, could taste so perfectly margarita-y. I used two parts water, two parts tequila (100% blue agave), 1 part agave syrup, and 1 part lime juice, and rimmed the glasses with pink sea salt. I am never going back! What a summer this will be – thank you!
Thanks for the awesome comment and glad this is literally a lifetime game changer for you! No need to drink fluorescent stuff when the natural version is better, right! :)
Super simple! Looks so refreshing!
Definitely refreshing and perfect for this time of year! Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Jon (and my sister) love a simple, no frills margarita. These would be good with the steak kabobs you posted the other day (I have all my ingredients for those–can’t wait)! Jon would be thrilled if I sent him out for a nice bottle of tequila. Have a great holiday weekend!
Have a great holiday weekend as well! And yes, when it comes to margaritas, I enjoy simplicity and this one is perfect for keeping things simple but tasty!
Perfect–really tasty!! I am with you on the fresh squeezed limes and good tequila because when you only need a few ingredients, it’s worth it to make sure they are high quality!
Agave is just a different form of sugar,it’s just lower on the glycemic index so it won’t spike your blood sugar like regular sugar.
I make one like this but use fresh squeezed OJ instead of water. Going to try your recipe. Looks delicious!
Sounds delish!
Agave is sugar. I don’t think it’s fair to say this is “No Sugar”