Frozen Mango Margarita
When it comes to refreshing cocktails, few drinks can beat a margarita. The combination of tart lime juice, sweet orange liqueur, and crisp tequila is a classic, but have you ever tried a frozen margarita? Or, better yet, have you tried a frozen mango margarita? If you haven’t, you are in for a treat!
This mango margarita is the most delicious fruity margarita you’ll ever make!
My usual go-to margarita is a spicy grapefruit margarita, but this mango version has quickly climbed to the top of the list. One sip, and you’ll understand why it’s so popular!
With frozen mango chunks, freshly squeezed lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and a touch of agave syrup, this recipe is easy to create with just five simple ingredients.
Serve it alongside your favorite Mexican dishes, fish tacos with avocado sauce, ground beef tacos, guacamole, salsa and chips, or a Mexican corn salad with feta, for the perfect meal pairing.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Smooth: the addition of frozen mango chunks creates a velvety texture that makes this cocktail creamy and satisfying.
- Easy to make: with just a few ingredients and a blender, you can whip up a batch of mango margaritas in no time.
- Perfect for any occasion: whether it’s a festive Cinco de Mayo celebration, a casual Taco Tuesday, a summer barbecue, or simply enjoying a lazy afternoon in the sun, this frosty cocktail is sure to hit the spot.
- Customizable: if you’re feeling creative, you can also experiment with other types of fruit to create variations like a strawberry margarita or a mixed berry margarita.
Ingredients & easy swaps
To make this frozen mango margarita recipe, you will need:
- Mangoes: I recommend using frozen mango chunks to avoid diluting your drink with ice. If you don’t have frozen mangoes, you can cube fresh ones and freeze them the night before.
- Tequila: I prefer using Blanco tequila (also known as silver or white) as it complements the other ingredients without overpowering the drink.
- Triple sec: this orange-flavored liqueur adds a nice touch to the drink. My favorite is Cointreau but Grand Marnier is a good substitute. If you prefer a less alcoholic cocktail, you can skip this and replace it with orange juice.
- Fresh lime juice: this is key to adding a zesty and bright flavor to your cocktail. Freshly-squeezed lime juice works best.
- Agave syrup: if you don’t have agave syrup, honey, maple syrup, or simple syrup work as great substitutes.
- Chili powder + sea salt to rim the glasses: this helps to balance out the sweetness of the mango, but feel free to skip this if you’re not into spicy drinks. Adjust the spice level to your liking.
See the recipe card below for a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions.
Recipe variations
This recipe is incredibly versatile, making it perfect for any time of the year. Here are some ways to customize it:
- Use different fruits: don’t limit yourself to just mangoes! You can use any fruit you have on hand or that’s in season. Peaches, melon, watermelon, pineapple, strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries are all great options. Just make sure to add them frozen so the drink maintains its slushy consistency.
- Adjust the ingredients to suit your taste: feel free to play around with the amounts of agave, tequila, and lime juice to make the cocktail sweeter or stronger depending on your preferences.
- Make it a non-alcoholic beverage: you can easily turn this into a virgin margarita by swapping the tequila for mango nectar or mango juice and the triple sec for orange juice. It’s a fruity and flavorful mocktail that’s perfect for family cookouts or gatherings.
- Make it spicy: to add some heat to your drink, start by making a jalapeño-infused tequila. Simply place some tequila and jalapeño slices in a glass jar and let it sit for a few hours. You can also add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the blender.
- Make it skinny: if you’re looking for a lower-calorie option, swap the triple sec for fresh orange juice and a small amount of agave syrup.
- Make it on the rocks: for a non-frozen version, use mango juice instead of frozen mango. Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker or mason jar and serve it over ice. You don’t need any sweeteners for this version since the mango juice is already sweet enough on its own.
How to make the best frozen margaritas
Get ready to enjoy the best blended margarita you’ve ever tasted with these simple steps:
- Salt the rim of your glasses: this is optional, but it enhances the sweetness of the mango and adds a mild, spicy contrast. Run a lime wedge around the upper outer rim of each glass, and then dip it into a mixture of chili powder and sea salt.
- Blend the ingredients: add frozen mangoes, freshly squeezed lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and a touch of agave syrup to a blender and blend until smooth.
- Taste and adjust: sample your margarita and adjust the ingredients as needed to achieve your desired taste. If you like a stronger drink, add more tequila. For a sweeter margarita, add more agave or simple syrup.
- Pour and serve: pour the margarita into the prepared glasses and garnish with lime wedges and fresh mint sprigs. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Make ahead
You can make frozen margaritas ahead of time and store them in the freezer until ready to serve.
To do this, pour your blended margarita into a sealable container and place it in the freezer. Every once in a while, give it a stir to prevent it from freezing completely solid and to maintain its slushy texture.
Keep in mind that the texture won’t be as smooth as when it’s freshly blended, but it will still taste great. When you’re ready to serve, just give it a final stir and pour it into glasses.
Recipe FAQs
Traditional margarita glasses are wide-rimmed and stemmed. But they are not essential if you don’t have them, margaritas can be served in cocktail, old-fashioned, or highball glasses.
This recipe makes 2 margaritas, but you can easily double or triple it to make a pitcher for a party or gathering. Simply click on the number of servings in the recipe card below and slide the toggle that appears to the number of servings you want to make. The ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
Triple sec is a key ingredient in a classic margarita, as it adds a touch of sweetness and balances the tartness of the lime juice. However, you can omit it if you prefer or substitute it with another orange-flavored liqueur or fresh orange juice.
Can I make a frozen margarita without a blender?
Unfortunately, a blender is necessary to achieve the slushy texture of a frozen margarita.
However, you can make a traditional margarita on the rocks by shaking all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker or a mason jar, and then serving it over ice.
Yes, you can use fresh mango instead of frozen. However, you will need to add ice to achieve the slushy consistency, which can water down the drink. Alternatively, you can cube the fresh mango and freeze it the night before to avoid using ice.
More happy hour inspirations
Have you tried this frozen margarita recipe yet? Did you make any modifications or put your own spin on it? Share your feedback with us in the comments below. We can’t wait to hear from you! And if you have any questions, we are always here to help!
How To Make It: Frozen Mango Margarita
Ingredients
For the mango margarita:
- 2 cups (280 g) mango chunks frozen
- 3 oz. (90 ml) tequila
- 1 oz. (30 ml) triple sec
- 2 limes juiced
- 1-2 tablespoons agave syrup or to taste
For the chili-salt rim:
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
Garnish (optional):
- fresh mint
- lime wedges
Instructions
Rim the glasses
- On a small plate, mix the chili powder and salt. Rub a lime wedge around the edge of your glasses, dip the rim in the chili powder/salt mixture, and twist to coat.
Prepare the mango margarita mixture
- Place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and blend until creamy and smooth.Taste and, if desired, add a little more tequila or agave syrup.
Serve
- Pour the frozen mango margarita into the prepared glasses, and garnish with a lime wedge and a sprig of fresh mint.Serve immediately or transfer it to a container and store it in the freezer until needed.
Notes
- Use Blanco tequila for the best results.
- My favorite triple sec is Cointreau. Grand Marnier is a good substitute.
- Agave syrup can be replaced with honey or simple syrup.
- For a crowd: you can easily double or triple the recipe to make a pitcher. Simply click on the number of servings in the recipe card and slide the toggle that appears to the number of servings you want to make. The ingredient amounts will change accordingly.
- To make a non-alcoholic version, swap the tequila for mango nectar and the triple sec for orange juice.
- For a skinny margarita, swap the triple sec for fresh orange juice and a small amount of agave nectar.
- Use fresh mango instead of frozen for a margarita on the rocks.
- Make-ahead by storing the margarita mixture in an airtight container in the freezer.
Great eye appeal and tasty as written
Oh dear ! You make me soooooo thirsty !
Great recipe! I didn’t realise how fun it was to put chilli powder on my rim. My partner really enjoyed the taste of it!
Glad your partner liked this recipe, John! Thank you for the feedback! :)
I am a huge margarita fan…and the thought of mango with tequila has me giddy :-).
My husband and I definitely appreciated this recipe. We rimmed with Tajin instead of chilli, definitely good. Thank you.
That’s wonderful, Dominique!
This was delish! I didn’t add the chili on the rim, I used powdered sugar! Oh so good!!!
Glad you liked this margarita, Darlene! :)
This was sooooooo good. We loved the smooth texture achieved by not using ice in the recipe. We did a salt/sugar rim, which was delish. Thanks!
Glad you liked this margarita recipe, Beth! Thank you for the feedback! :)