• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Eat Well.
Live Well.
Be Well.
Display Search Bar
  • Dinners Made Simple
  • Work with Us
  • Let’s Chat!
  • Blog
Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Pinterest! Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on YouTube!

The Real Food Dietitians

Eat well. Live well. Be well.

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Specialty Diets
      • Whole30
      • Paleo
      • Egg-Free
      • Dairy-Free
      • Gluten-free
      • Grain-Free
    • Meal Prep Recipes
    • Whole30
    • Freezer-Friendly
    • Appetizers
    • Main Entree
    • Breakfast
    • Drinks & Smoothies
    • Instant Pot
    • One-Dish Meals
    • Slow-Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Salads & Sides
    • Sauces & Dressings
    • Soups & Stews
    • Snacks
    • Sweets & Treats
  • Real Plans
  • Meal Prep

Apr 30, 2019 By Jessica Beacom

Real Food Margaritas

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Grain-Free
Nut-free
Paleo
Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe

When life gives you limes, we suggest you make a batch of these real food margaritas. (Trust us, you’ll be glad you did!)

Summertime and the sippin’ is easy…

OK, so it’s not quite summer, but it’s close enough when we’re talking about warm weather and summery sips in the sun. And with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner I just knew that I had to share this gem of a cocktail recipe.

You see, I’ve been making these real food margaritas (as I call them) for several years now. For as long as I’ve known my hubby – 17 years and counting – he’s loved a good margarita but couldn’t drink one without severe heartburn thanks to the sugary premixed mixers that you might normally associate margaritas with. So, as I do, when something doesn’t work I set out to fix it in my own way. And I think this is the loveliest and most refreshing (and for him, heartburn-free) of fixes!

Naturally sweet, of course.

If you think you can’t make a killer marg without bottled mixer then you haven’t had one of these real food margaritas. The freshly squeezed citrus juice, combined with a touch of honey and naturally sweet coconut water makes it easy on the tastebuds – just sweet enough without being overly sweet. I like to juice a fresh orange along with the limes, but grapefruit is also delicious (though more like a Paloma which isn’t a bad thing!).

Your favorite summertime cocktail gets a healthy makeover in these Real Food Margaritas (read: bye-bye sugary mixers!) Click To Tweet

Better together.

What’s better than a real food margarita on a warm, sunny day? A pitcher of real food margaritas with friends, of course. You an easily double or triple the amount of “mixer” for this recipe (lime juice, orange juice, honey, and coconut water), then add the tequila and sparkling water when it’s time to serve. The mixer can be made up to 4 days in advance and kept in the fridge until you’re ready to kick back and enjoy. You could even freeze it in ice cube trays if you want to be really on top of your impromptu entertaining game.

Salted rim for the win!

Fact: Up until about a year ago I always sipped my margs sans salted rim. I’m honestly not sure why, but when a friend called me on it I couldn’t offer any reasonable explanation, so I grabbed a wedge of lime, rubbed it along the rim of the glass, tipped the glass over onto a plate of coarse salt and…wow! Total game changer. The salt was the perfect compliment to the sweet-tart of the margarita and I was instantaneously converted. So unless there is a medical reason why you need to limit sodium in your diet (and chances are good that if you’re consuming a diet based on whole, unprocessed foods you’re probably not consuming all that much salt), then get yourself on Team Salty Rim – your tequila-loving tastebuds will approve.

The weekend is almost here.

OK, not really. It’s only Tuesday, BUT…it’s always #tacotuesday so why not treat yourself to a real food margarita? It’s the perfect pairing for tacos made with our Slow Cooker Beef Barbacoa or Slow Cooker Chicken Tacos, or maybe try these Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Sweet Potato Tacos, or this One-Dish Chicken Fajita Bake or a One-Pan Shrimp Fajita Bowl. Or maybe just enjoy a big bowl of blue corn tortillas chips and the best homemade guacamole with a side of good friends and ample sunshine.

 

Hungry for More? Subscribe to get our newsletter delivered straight to your inbox! And be sure to stay in touch on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Let's Get Cookin'

Real Food Margaritas

Margaritas without all the refined sugar? It’s possible when you use naturally sweet citrus fruits and a touch of honey in place of syrupy-sweet premade margarita mixes.

  • Author: Jessica Beacom
  • Prep Time: 10 mins.
  • Total Time: 10 mins.
  • Yield: Serves 4 1x
  • Cuisine: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. limes, juiced
  • 1 medium orange, juiced
  • 2 tsp. honey, optional (may substitute agave for a vegan-friendly option)
  • 1 cup good-quality tequila 
  • 16 ounces unsweetened coconut water
  • Ice
  • Sparkling water
  • Optional, coarse salt for rim, lime wedges or slices for serving

Instructions

  1. Juice the limes and orange into a pitcher or quart-size mason jar.
  2. Stir honey (or agave) into citrus juice, if using.
  3. Add tequila and coconut water Stir.
  4. Fill 4 glasses or pint-sized jars with ice and divide margarita mixture evenly between glasses (rimmed with salt, if desired). 
  5. Top off each glass with sparkling water. Garnish with optional lime slices or wedges and serve. 

To salt the rims of the glasses:

Place about ¼ cup coarse salt in a small dish. Rub a slice of lime along the rim of each glass then invert the glass into the dish of salt and gently twist the glass back and forth a few times to coat the rim with salt. 

Notes

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¼ recipe (about 8 ounces)
  • Calories: 200
  • Sugar: 12g
  • Sodium: 21mg
  • Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 17g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 0g

 

Pin it now & make it later!

 


Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter. 

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

  • Facebook126
  • Pinterest1.1K
  • Yummly4
  • Email

About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

< Previous Post
Next Post >

Reader Interactions

Join the Conversation

    Leave a Comment Cancel reply

  1. Julie says

    May 2, 2019 at 10:34 am

    Do you recommend a certain brand of coconut water? Thanks! 🙂

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 2, 2019 at 3:46 pm

      We like Harmless Harvest, Naked, Thrive Market and the organic brand from Trader Joe’s.

      Reply
  2. Al Riley says

    May 24, 2019 at 6:20 pm

    í cαn’t hαvє cσcσnut. íѕ thєrє ѕσmєthíng í cσuld ѕuвѕtítutє fσr thє cσcσnut wαtєr thαt wσuldn’t αltєr thє tαѕtє σf thє mαrgαrítαѕ?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 27, 2019 at 9:12 pm

      You substitute additional lime juice, sparkling water + a little extra honey (to taste) for the coconut water. I do this whenever I don’t have coconut water and they’re still great.

      Reply
  3. Bobbie says

    May 24, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    Can you tell me approximately how much juice you should have after juicing the orange and the 1# of limes? Thanks so much for sharing all your great recipes!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      May 27, 2019 at 5:40 pm

      You should get about 2/3 cup lime juice from 1 pound of limes.

      Reply
  4. Jennifer Lee says

    July 6, 2019 at 10:01 pm

    These are the best margaritas I’ve ever had! No acid reflux and I am in awe of how delicious they are!

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      July 7, 2019 at 8:48 pm

      This is simply amazing! Thanks so much for sharing.

      Reply
  5. Ashley says

    February 22, 2020 at 11:36 am

    This recipe is a game changer!! Instead of making a big pitcher, I made individual sizes with the following modifications per drink:
    2 oz tequila
    1/2 can coconut lacroix
    Juice of one lime
    Juice of half a navel orange
    1/2 tablespoon honey
    Stir to incorporate and top with ice

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Stacie Hassing says

      February 24, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      Now I’m craving a Margarita!! 🙂

      Reply
    • Erin Chock says

      April 24, 2020 at 5:50 am

      Ashley–this is just the info I was looking for–thank you!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome

The Real Food Dietitians is the passion-driven product of Registered Dietitian Nutritionists Stacie Hassing and Jessica Beacom. They’ve combined their love of nutrition, health and real food with the concepts of ease and convenience to bring you recipes that are big on flavor but short on ingredients.

Free eBook

Sign up to get your FREE recipe eBook + weekly newsletter!

Favorite Recipes

Four fresh artichokes in an Instant Pot ready to cook

How to Make Instant Pot Artichokes

A large stack of sweet potato pancakes on a white plate topped with a pad of butter, pecans, and maple syrup.

Fluffy Sweet Potato Pancakes (gluten-free)

30 Whole30 Appetizers (Gluten and Dairy-free)

Three mason jars filled with yogurt and topped with homemade Paleo Granola and fresh raspberries

Paleo Granola with Honey and Cinnamon

Curry Chicken Salad (Whole30)

A piece of Western-style breakfast casserole on a speckled plate and topped with sliced avocado.

Western-Style Breakfast Casserole

Free Recipe eBook

Sign up to get your FREE recipe ebook + weekly newsletter!

Follow us on Facebook! Follow us on Instagram! Follow us on Pinterest! Follow us on Twitter! Follow us on YouTube!
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Let’s Chat!
Copyright © 2021 The Real Food Dietitians Site Credits. Designed by Melissa Rose Design. Developed by Once Coupled.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptReject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

How about a free recipe ebook?

Sign up for our newsletter and get your FREE recipe ebook delivered right to your inbox!

We respect your privacy! Your information will *never* be shared, traded or sold to a 3rd party.
  • 126
  • 1.1K
  • 4