Blue Margarita

This blue margarita recipe is brilliantly colored with Blue Curacao liqueur! It’s refreshingly sweet tart and always impresses.

Here’s a brilliantly colored margarita that always impresses: the Blue Margarita! This cocktail looks as bright as the waters of the Caribbean, doesn’t it? Blue Curacao liqueur is the secret to the jewel-toned color, an orange liqueur that’s been manufactured on the island of Curacao since 1896. It gives this margarita an infusion of bittersweet citrus flavor that pairs perfectly with tequila and lime. Maybe blue drinks are considered low brow by the craft bartender, but this blue margarita is utterly delicious.

What’s in a blue margarita?

The margarita is one of the most popular classic cocktails in history. It was invented in Mexico in the 1930’s and has stood the test of time. In fact, it’s hard to find a drink that’s more universally loved. The drink has spawned many, many variations that have diluted the classic way to make it. For our perfect margarita we use the International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails definition: just tequila, Cointreau (or Triple Sec) and lime juice. The blue margarita just swaps out the orange liqueur! The ingredients in this blue margarita recipe are:

• Tequila (reposado or blanco)
• Blue curacao
• Lime juice

More about blue curacao

What is blue curacao? This orange liqueur is what makes the blue margarita: you absolutely cannot get away with not buying a bottle! Here’s more about this popular liqueur:

• Blue curacao is an artificially-colored orange liqueur invented in the 19th century by Dutch settlers on the island of Curaçao. There are several colors of Curaçao: the most popular today are clear and blue. Blue curacao is flavored with the Laraha orange peel, a type of orange that grows on the island.
• How to pronounce Curaçao? Say it Cure-ah-souw.
• Curaçao is actually one of two types of orange liqueurs: Curaçao and Triple Sec. Curaçao is the original orange liqueur and is typically sweeter than a Triple Sec, a dryer style of orange liqueur and what’s typically used in a margarita.
• What does blue curacao taste like? It has a sweet orange peel flavor, with subtle bitter finish.
• How much does it cost? Blue curacao is inexpensive; a 750 ml bottle costs about $10. Try to buy a mid-range bottle; we like Drillaud brand (avoid DeKuyper). Steer away from blue curacao syrup, which is another product altogether.
• What other cocktails can you make with it? Try the Blue Hawaii, Blue Lagoon, or Blue Long Island.

For best flavor, use tequila reposado

What’s the best tequila for this blue curacao margarita? We like using tequila resposado, which means “rested”. This means that it’s been aged for 2 to 12 months, which gives it a nuanced, more interesting flavor. But you can use tequila blanco if it’s all you have! Here are a few notes on the flavor differences between the two:

• Tequila reposado: Aged from 2 to 12 months. It has a complex flavor, with notes of oak and vanilla.
• Tequila blanco: Unaged tequila. It is agave forward, with notes of pepper and citrus with a spicy finish.

How to make a blue margarita: single drink

Got your blue curaco and tequila? Let’s get mixing! The blue margarita is a standard shaken cocktail: just shake it in a cocktail shaker! If you’re serving lots of people at once, make a pitcher (see below).

• Make the salt rim. The best salt to use is kosher salt or flaky sea salt: it has the best texture. Place it in a single layer on a plate. Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run it around the glass. Dip the outside rim of the glass in the salt.
• Shake up the ingredients. Place the tequila, blue curacao and lime in a shaker with 2 handfuls of ice and shake!
• Strain and garnish. Strain it into the glass and garnish with a lime wedge. To take it over the top, try clear ice! It’s crystal clear artisan style ice that looks just like a fancy bar.

Or, make a blue curacao margarita pitcher!

Serving lots of blue margarita drinks at once? Make a pitcher instead! Combine the ingredients as noted below, making sure to add the specific amount of ice to help dilute the drink like a shaker would. Here’s how to make a blue margarita pitcher that makes 8 servings:

• 2 cups tequila
• 1 cup blue curacao
• 1 cup lime juice
• 3 handfuls ice

Add the ice and stir until cold. That’s it!

This blue margarita recipe is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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More margarita recipes

Want more margaritas? There are so many to choose from! Here are our favorite margarita recipes:

• Classic: Simple Margarita, Patron Margarita, Casamigos Margarita, Agave Margarita, Texas Margarita or Cointreau Margarita
• Light: Skinny Margarita, Virgin Margarita, Vodka Margarita or Frozen Margarita
• Boozy: Mezcal, Grand Marnier, Hennessy, or Cadillac Margarita
• Fruity: Mango, Peach, Blackberry, Raspberry, Watermelon, Pineapple, Orange Margarita or Grapefruit Margarita
• Spicy: Jalapeno Margarita, Cucumber Jalapeno, or Pineapple Jalapeno
• Unique: Italian, Blue, Coconut, Prickly Pear, Hibiscus, Cucumber or Beer Margarita