This Frozen Strawberry Margarita is made without triple sec and is the best restaurant quality cocktail or mocktail to enjoy in the heat of summer! It’s super simple to make, both gluten free and vegan and quick and easy – ready in less than 10 minutes. Instructions for big batch, party size pitcher included!
Why This Recipe Works
- Using frozen strawberries in place of some of the ice prevents the flavors from being watered down and keeps it extra rich and tasty.
- The citrus notes in the frozen strawberry make triple sec unnecessary in this margarita.
- Using fresh lime juice and agave nectar makes this margarita healthier than using frozen limeade concentrate which typically includes high fructose corn syrup as the first ingredient.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- fresh lime juice – It is crucial that you use fresh lime juice for this margarita instead of pre-bottled store bought varieties. Nothing compares to the flavor of fresh!
- agave – Natural, refined sugar free sweetener that pairs perfectly with tequila.
- frozen strawberries – Keeps this cocktail extra icy cold without watering it down with additional ice.
- crushed ice – The best type of ice to use in a frozen margarita – it makes the perfect, slushy-like texture! You could substitute with additional frozen strawberries, but your margarita will be quite a bit thicker and will be best served with straws.
- tequila – Use a good quality tequila made with real agave like Patron or even the Kirkland brand for a high quality frozen margarita.
Step by Step Instructions
- Juice your limes! As stated earlier in this post, it is imperative that you use fresh limes. There is no substitute.
If you regularly make cocktails at home, it is worth your while to invest in an affordable Citrus Juicer. This will ensure you are getting the maximum amount of juice out of your limes and takes a fraction of the time. The next best option is using a handheld juicer.
I really do not recommend trying to juice the limes with your hands. It’s very difficult to get all of the juice out of the limes this way and will take significantly longer.
- If desired, salt the rims of your margarita glasses in classic kosher salt or try a more flavorful Tajin Chile Lime Seasoned Rim for a south of the border style Margarita.
- Add the tequila, agave, lime juice, frozen strawberries, and crushed ice to a high powered blender like the Vitamix.
- Pulse or blend until desired texture is achieved, then pour immediately into drinking glasses, garnish with strawberry and a lime wedge and it’s ready to drink and enjoy!
FAQs
It has not been tested, but I do believe a large food processor like the 14 cup Cuisinart would work here since some texture is good in a frozen margarita. I would recommend processing the frozen strawberries first on their own to prevent the margaritas from having any large strawberry chunks and then processing again with the remaining ingredients.
No, store bought lime juice tastes VERY DIFFERENT from fresh and will not taste good. I would recommend substituting the fresh lime juice and agave nectar with 8 ounces of frozen limeade concentrate. That will yield a far better flavor for your frozen margarita.
Yes! Simply omit the tequila for a delicious non-alcoholic frozen mocktail. Great for kids and adults alike.
No, this cocktail is really best prepared right before serving. Luckily it only takes a couple of minutes and won’t prevent you from hosting or enjoying the day!
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Expert Tips
- Make sure to use frozen strawberries (do not substitute fresh)! This is essential to creating the perfect texture. Fresh strawberries would make for a much more liquid, melted texture.
- Try not to over blend – you want to have a little bit of that crushed ice texture in your margarita. If you blend too much, it will still be delicious, but it will be more of a soft-serve, smoothie like drink.
- Serving frozen margaritas with a straw can make them easier and less messy.
What to Serve this Margarita With
- Beer Braised Jackfruit Enchiladas
- Crispy Vegan Potato Tacos
- Slow Cooker Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos with Mango Salsa
- Savory Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins
More Homemade Cocktails To Try
Frozen Strawberry Margarita without Triple Sec
What You'll Need
Ingredients
2 Servings (2 Drinks)
- 4 ounces Silver tequila - frozen
- 2 ounces lime juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 ounces light agave nectar - or adjust to taste
- 6 ounces frozen strawberries - roughly 1 ¾ cups
- ¾ cup ice - crushed
- Morton kosher salt for the rim - (optional)
64 ounce Pitcher Sized (8 servings)
- 2 cups Silver Tequila
- 1 cup lime juice - freshly squeezed
- 1 cup light agave nectar - or adjust to taste
- 24 ounces frozen strawberries - roughly 7 cups
- 3 cups crushed ice
- Morton kosher salt for the rim - (optional)
Instructions
- Optional: Rub a lime wedge over the rims of your drinking glasses, then dip the rims in kosher salt until lightly coated.
- Blend all ingredients except for the kosher salt until desire texture is achieved. I like to pulse it together and leave some texture/small ice chunks, but you can blend completely smooth if you prefer.
- Pour the margarita mixture evenly between the two drinking glasses or into a pitcher for entertaining.
- Enjoy immediately.
Recipe Notes
- WARNING: Drinking distilled spirits, beer, coolers, wine and other alcoholic beverages may increase cancer risk, and, during pregnancy, can cause birth defects. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov/alcohol. Please drink responsibly.
- It is essential that you use a high powered blender for this frozen cocktail. If you use a weak blender, it will take longer to blend and will heat up your cocktail. I recommend the Vitamix or Blendtec. A large (14 cup), high powered food processor may also do the trick in a pinch.
- If you want a virgin cocktail, skip the alcohol. It will be just as good.
- Measuring the strawberries by weight is better than by cup. It will be more accurate.
- The amount of agave nectar should be adjusted based on your sweetness preference.
- Do not substitute fresh strawberries for frozen. It will completely change the margarita and the drink will not have that frozen, slushie texture.
- This margarita melts quickly! If making for entertaining, do your best to make right before serving.
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Nutrition
Disclaimer: The Nutritional Information provided for this recipe is only an estimate. The accuracy of the facts listed is not and cannot be guaranteed.
This recipe was originally published on April 24, 2020 and was republished on June 29, 2021 to include a new, improved written recipe, ingredient notes, step by step instructions with photos, FAQs, expert tips and new recipe photos.
Super easy to make! My hubby just asked me if we can make this our Summer 2022 go to drink. Thanks for sharing; definitely a keeper and now one of our favorites.
I love it!! I am so glad you loved the recipe.
Question:
Can I use frozen strawberry margarita mix in place of the frozen strawberries and crushed ice? And if so, how would one go about using that substitution? I have bottled lime juice 🙂 and José Cuervo.
I personally haven’t tried it, but if you’d like to I’d replace the strawberries, crushed ice and agave. Strawberry Margarita mix is already sweetened so you should be good to go! Let me know how it goes 🙂
This recipe is so easy to make and it’s absolutely delicious! Its the perfect amount of sweet and tart and the sparkling water to make it less thick is genius!
So glad you loved it! 🙂
We made this on a hot day and it was perfect. We had both the mocktail version and one spiked with vodka, both equally delicious. The sugar on the rim was the cherry on top!
One of my favorites for a hot day!