Agave Margarita Recipe (No Triple Sec!)

This agave margarita is the tastiest way to sip on a cocktail without indulging in a bunch of extra sugars!

two salt rimmed glasses of skinny margarita sitting on a marble surface

This recipe is…
How do you make a margarita from scratch?
How to Make Margaritas for a Crowd
Frequently Asked Questions
More Favorite Margarita Recipes
Agave Margarita Recipe Recipe

This agave margarita contains a few simple ingredients: silver tequila, lime juice, agave, and orange extract. That’s it! Simple, fresh, and delicious. I’m not opposed to indulging in sugar from time to time, but if something doesn’t *need* to have a ton of added sugar to taste good, I try to avoid it, and I’ve found that cocktails are one of the easiest things to “lighten up” in that regard. That’s exactly what I’ve done here!

Originally, this margarita recipe was named a ‘skinny margarita’. You may have seen this term on a restaurant menu a few times before, and it’s actually my personal go-to when ordering a margarita! What exactly is a skinny margarita? Well, when restaurants started making huge quantities of margaritas, many of them started skipping over the usual fresh ingredients like lime juice and agave and opting for cheaper options like pre-made sweet and sour mix. These mixes can be loaded with sugar and high fructose corn syrup, and it’s is why margaritas have a reputation for being high-calorie and high-sugar.

Skinny margaritas are actually a close cousin to the classic margarita, just minus the triple sec, and emerged as an alternative made with less of the pre-made syrups, and more fresh ingredients, which helps to significantly cut sugar content. Even though this recipe is technically a ‘skinny margarita,’ we chose to re-name it to ‘agave margarita’ to better reflect our values. Here at Fed + Fit, our food philosophy doesn’t revolve around cutting calories, feeling shamed for eating sugar, weight loss, or anything else that the name ‘skinny margarita’ implies. We’re all about emphasizing real, whole foods that make you feel good, and allowing for indulgences when they truly feel worth it.

That’s why we love this margarita – it is made with simple, real ingredients, like freshly squeezed lime juice and agave, and it tastes great whether you are looking to cut down on sugar or not.

all of the ingredients for a skinny margarita sitting on a marble surface

How do you make a margarita from scratch?

The process is super easy, making this the perfect cocktail to whip up for Taco Tuesday, a date night in, or just any night that you want a little extra something special. We’ve listed our favorite way to make this below, but know that if you don’t have a lidded jar, you can absolutely add the ingredients to a cocktail pitcher and use a spoon to stir everything together.

Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar – add the tequila, lime juice, agave syrup, and orange extract to a mason jar (or any other lidded jar you have). Do keep in mind that when you add the orange extract, it’ll likely turn everything cloudy. This is very normal, so don’t worry about it!
Shake – secure the lid on the jar and give it a really good shake.
Chill – *if* you have time (this is totally optional, but worth the time if you have it!), stick the jar of margaritas in the fridge for at least an hour to chill.
Pour + enjoy – pour the margaritas into ice-filled, salt-rimmed margarita glasses (unsalted is fine too — you do you!), top with sparkling water if you’d like (we typically top our margaritas with 3-ish tablespoons of sparkling water), and enjoy!

a measuring cup of lime juice with a woman pouring a small bowl of agave syrup into it

a woman stirring together lime juice and agave for a skinny margarita

How to Make Margaritas for a Crowd

This recipe makes enough for 2 margaritas, but if you’d like to scale that up, feel free to use the measurements listed below:

For 4 servings: 1 cup tequila + ½ cup lime juice + ¼ cup agave + ½ teaspoon orange extract
For 8 servings: 2 cups tequila + 1 cup lime juice + ½ cup agave + 1 teaspoon orange extract
For 12 servings: 3 cups tequila + 1.5 cups lime juice + ¾ cup agave + 1.5 teaspoons orange extract
For 16 servings: 4 cups tequila + 2 cups lime juice + 1 cup agave + 2 teaspoons orange extract

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use something other than lime juice?

You definitely can. Feel free to opt for any other strong citrus (like lemon or grapefruit) or swap the lime juice for pomegranate, mango, or pineapple juice, keeping in mind that most of these fruit juices will add a considerable amount of (natural) sugar to the finished cocktail.

How many tablespoons are in a shot?

This is such a great question and one that we find ourselves Googling over and over again. There are 3 tablespoons in a shot, so feel free to measure the tequila that way if you don’t have a jigger to measure with.

What is the best margarita?

We think that the *best* margarita is one that tastes good, contains natural forms of sugars (if any), and includes only the simplest of ingredients. You know which margarita checks *all* of those boxes? THIS ONE! It really is the tastiest, most delicious refined sugar-free marg you’ll find.

Fresh Lime & Jalapeno Margarita

Ginger Beet Margaritas

a chili salt rimmed glass of frozen mango margarita with the ingredients for mango margaritas in the background

Easy Mango Margarita Recipe (Frozen & On the Rocks)

Bright pink frozen watermelon margarita in a blue-rimmed margarita glass with a lime wedge on a marble countertop.

Frozen Watermelon Margaritas