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This salt air margarita is topped with a later of salty foam that provides just the right amount of saltiness with each tangy grapefruit margarita sip.

Salt air margarita

When was your last memorable meal? We have many, but a recent meal that sticks out in my mind is one we enjoyed in Las Vegas a few months ago. At China Poblano, a Chinese and Mexican small plates restaurant by one of our favorite chefs, the exuberant Jose Andres, we enjoyed imaginative dishes like tuna ceviche with crispy amaranth (which actually inspired the crispy topping on this soup), dancing eggplant (with bonito flakes that “danced” in the breeze), and margaritas with salt air. So of course we had to recreate the salt air margarita for you! Keep reading for the recipe.

How to make a salt air margarita

So what’s salt air? Salt air is a layer of salty foam on the top of the margarita, and it provides just the right amount of saltiness with each tangy margarita sip. It’s a creation by Chef Jose Andres for his restaurant, and of course we were smitten. Upon our return from Las Vegas, Alex was hot to recreate salt air. Some internet research showed it called for an interesting ingredient called texturas sucro.

Making the salt air margarita at home was just as fun as drinking it in the restaurant. It’s quite easy to make, as long as you have an immersion blender. And you’ll have to pick up some of that texturas sucro, available at the link above. If you’re not into texturas sucro, these grapefruit margaritas are mighty tasty on their own. They’re the perfect amount of tang, sweetened naturally with honey. Just make them up and add a little salt to the rim.

We’ve included a few of our favorite Instagram shots from our Vegas trip below. Enjoy!

Las vegans

Views of Las Vegas: right to left, top to bottom:

  • View from the strip, Bellagio water show, our niece Julia, inside the Venetian
  • Hoover dam (times 2), palm trees at the Hoover dam, Lake Mead
  • Inside the Venetian, our meal at Otto, Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich’s restaurant, outside Caesar’s Palace, Chihuly glass in the Bellagio lobby
  • Bellagio water show, outside the Venetian, game time in the hotel, the Venetian
  • Gravalax at Bouchon, Bouchon dining room, French bread at Bouchon, our sweet niece and nephew
  • Caesar’s Palace (times 2), view from the plane, the strip at night
  • Inside China Poblano, nephew Colby ready to party, inside the Cosmopolitan, Vegas lights

Looking for easy cocktail recipes?

Outside of this salt air margarita, here are a few of our favorite drink recipes:

Looking for drink recipes?

And for when you’re looking for “mocktail” recipes — we’ve got you covered too!

This lemon spritzer recipe is…

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

Print
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Salt Air Margarita


  • Author: a Couple Cooks
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 large, 4 medium 1x

Description

This salt air margarita is topped with a later of salty foam that provides just the right amount of saltiness with each tangy grapefruit margarita sip.


Ingredients

Scale

For the salt air margarita

  • 1 cup tequila
  • 1 cup fresh red ruby grapefruit juice (about 2 grapefruits, depending on size)
  • ¼ cup fresh lime juice (2 limes)
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup water

For the salt foam


Instructions

  1. Cut the grapefruit in half and squeeze the juice into a large bowl. Strain out any pulp and seeds.
  2. Make the salt foam: Combine all ingredients and blend with an immersion blender until foam forms and volume is about doubled. Allow the foam to sit for about 2 minutes, and then carefully scoop out the foam and spoon over margarita.
  3. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail mixer with ice. Shake, and serve immediately with salt foam on top.

Notes

Salt foam adapted from Jose Andres via Food and Wine

  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Mixed
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Salt foam margarita, Margarita recipe

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

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12 Comments

  1. Oh vegas! I have only been there once and only for a few hours, but wow! it is the place to see! Looks like you guys had a lot of fun. These margs are beautiful. I love grapefruit!

    1. Yes, we had a great time, thanks! You’ll have to go back and try out a little more Vegas when you have the chance.

    1. Thank you, Jessica! Yes, the tequila blends quite nicely with the grapefruit — maybe you wouldn’t notice :)

  2. This sounds so good!!!!! I just forwarded the recipe to my son in law. He is our family bartender. We have been to Vegas many times and enjoyed each trip.

  3. Cal and I are headed to Vegas on Wednesday. Any other suggestions on where to eat (or what to do)? I haven’t been since I was 14 and I’m thinking it might have changed since then… :) Thanks in advance!