Say hello to your new favorite summer cocktail: this refreshing, salted and spiced watermelon margarita. This clever recipe combines everything magical about margaritas (tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and a salt rim), with a kick of heat from the fresh jalapeños and refreshing sweetness from the watermelon juice. Salt accentuates watermelon's sweet taste and accentuates the tangy margarita base. The lime zest rim is part sugar and part salt for a balanced twist on the original.
These margaritas pair well with whatever you may be serving for dinner. Try them with chicken tacos and guacamole for a laid-back Mexican-inspired meal, or pour them out poolside while a rack of ribs gets ultra tender on the grill.
Looking for more ways to make the most of peak-summer watermelon? Chop it up into a refreshing, savory salad, whiz it into a tangy batch of gazpacho, or layer it with mozzarella in our watermelon Caprese salad.
granulated sugar
finely grated lime zest
plus 1/8 tsp. kosher salt
lime wedge
store-bought or homemade watermelon juice
tequila
fresh lime juice
triple sec
Ice
thinly sliced jalapeño rounds, divided
Watermelon wedges and lime rounds, for serving
Laura Rege is a Food Stylist and Recipe Developer who regularly contributes recipes and styles videos and photos for Delish. If she isn't in the Delish kitchens, you'll most likely find her out on the town looking for the next food trends in the US and on her travels abroad.
