Last Updated on April 24, 2022 by laurenpacek
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This Virgin Margarita is sweet-tart, refreshing, and completely alcohol-free! Because this drink is a mocktail, it can be enjoyed by everyone!
As much as I love a boozy margarita, sometimes it's nice to have a tasty non-alcoholic option at the ready. This mocktail is a great option for those trying to consume less alcohol, those who don't drink, those who can't drink (looking at you, pregnant people!), and kiddos alike. All in all, it's a really nice option to have in your back pocket for a variety of situations.
Table of contents
What is a Virgin Margarita?
A virgin margarita is a drink that tastes like a margarita, but without the alcohol. It's a mocktail (i.e., a mock cocktail), and because it's non-alcoholic, it's totally safe for everyone to enjoy, kiddos and pregnant folks included!
You might also be wondering where the term "virgin" came from when talking about mocktails or non-alcoholic drinks. During the time of Prohibition in the United States, people could no longer order a Bloody Mary to drink. So, they would ask for a Virgin Mary (or plain tomato juice and all the Bloody fixings, minus the booze), which was a sort of tongue-in-cheek way of making it clear that they weren't ordering a boozy drink. Or so the story goes.
And now, the term "virgin" just applies to all non-alcoholic or mocktail beverages!
Ingredients
Just a handful of ingredients stand between you and non-alcoholic virgin margarita goodness.
- Limeade: I picked up a bottle of store bought limeade for this recipe.
- Orange juice: You could use store bought or freshly squeezed juice. I opted for fresh Cara Cara orange juice because I had some of those oranges in my fruit bowl. But use whatever you like/have on hand.
- Bubbly water: You can use either sparkling water or club soda. I decided to use lime sparkling water. Whatever you use, go with something with a neutral or complementary flavor (lime, lemon, orange, etc.).
- Simple syrup: This one is optional, but you can also add a bit of plain simple syrup or jalapeño simple syrup to your mocktail.
- Garnishes: A margarita has to have a salted rim and a lime garnish, right? Right. So you'll want to also use kosher salt and a lime wedge.
How to Virgin Margarita
It's just as easy to shake up a virgin margarita is it is to shake one up that has tequila. In fact, the processes required to make a margarita mocktail and cocktail are basically identical.
You'll start by rimming a rocks glass with kosher salt and carefully adding some ice cubes to the glass, before setting it aside for a minute.
Next, you'll add the limeade, orange juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake shake shake until everything is very cold before straining it into the prepared glass.
Last, you'll top everything off with your bubbly water of choice, give it a stir, and plop a lime wedge into the glass.
Recommended Tools
- A jigger, for measuring your ingredients
- A cocktail shaker
- A Hawthorne strainer
- Rocks glasses
Other Non-Alcoholic Drinks
Looking for other non-alcoholic drinks? Check out the links below; there are some pretty delicious options from myself and other fabulous bloggers.
- Blueberry Lemonade from A Nerd Cooks
- Shirley Temple from Masala and Chai
- Ocean Water from A Nerd Cooks
- Paloma Mocktails from Mitten Girl
- Roy Rogers Drink from A Nerd Cooks
- Strawberry Lemonade from Sweet Tea and Thyme
Frequently Asked Questions/Tips and tricks
Sure! Just scale the ingredients up as needed.
I haven't tested this option, but technically yes. Keep in mind that limeade is much sweeter than plain lime juice. You could tinker with the proportions of lime juice, orange juice, and simple syrup, if you'd like.
It's called a virgin margarita because it has no alcohol in it. Another name for it is a margarita mocktail.
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Virgin Margarita
This Virgin Margarita is sweet-tart, refreshing, and completely alcohol-free! Because this drink is a mocktail, it can be enjoyed by everyone!
Ingredients
- kosher salt, for rimming the glass
- 4 ounces limeade
- 2 ounces orange juice, store bought or freshly squeezed
- ½ ounce simple syrup, or to taste (optional)
- 2 ounces sparkling water or club soda
- lime wedge, optional (for garnish)
Instructions
- Rim a glass with kosher salt. Carefully add ice to the glass. Set aside for a moment.
- Add the limeade, juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until very cold and strain into the prepared glass.
- Top with bubbly water.
- Garnish with a lime wedge, if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 137Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 60409mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 1g
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