Best Margarita Salt Recipe (2024)

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This margarita salt recipe makes the best margarita salt rim! This zesty garnish takes any co*cktail from meh to a masterpiece. Here’s how to make it.

Best Margarita Salt Recipe (1)

Looking to amp up your margaritas? This margarita salt is the best way to transform your glass from meh to marvelous. And it’s seriously simple too! Alex and I made this margarita salt as part of our Frozen Margaritas, but we realized that it would be just about perfect for any you decide to make. From now on, we’ll be adding it to our Classic Margarita and Lemon Margarita (and maybe even our Paloma, too). Keep reading for all there is to know about margarita salt!

Best Margarita Salt Recipe (2)

What is margarita salt?

Margarita salt is the salt added to the rim of a margarita glass. Why is a margarita served with salt? Well, salt intensifies the sweet and sour flavors in the drink. It makes the sour seem brighter, making the overall drink experience that much more pleasurable.

There are lots of store-bought brands of margarita salt out there. But why buy your own when you can make it at home? It’s seriously easy to make, and you don’t end up with random half-used containers lying around.

Best Margarita Salt Recipe (3)

How to make margarita salt

This recipe could not be simpler (literally). Here’s how to make margarita salt:

  1. Place kosher salt, lime zest and orange zest on a cutting board. (Scroll down to the recipe for the exact quantities).
  2. Crush them together using a rolling pin.

That’s it! Now, some recipes will call for drying out the citrus zest in the oven or doing other fancy things. In our testing, we found it’s not necessary: it really is this simple. Store your margarita salt in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 month. (It will probably last longer than that; we’re being conservative here.)

Best Margarita Salt Recipe (4)

How to make the perfect margarita salt rim

You might think that making a margarita salt rim wouldn’t have tips and tricks: but like anything in food and drink, it does! Here are our tips to making the perfect rim:

  1. Spread the salt on a plate in an even layer.
  2. Take a lime wedge and cut a notch in the middle: then slide it around the rim of the glass. This perfectly moistens the glass rim without having to use your fingers!
  3. To rim the glass, you’ll want the salt on the outside of the glass only, not the inside where it can fall into the drink. To do this, tilt the glass so that only the outside edge goes into the salt.
  4. Shake off any loose salt into the sink.

What kind of salt for a margarita is best?

The best type of salt to use for a margarita we’ve found is kosher salt. We like the size of the grains and the flavor that it brings. If you’d like to use sea salt for this recipe, you can do this as well. However, do not even think about using iodized table salt! The flavor of this type of salt is much too intense for rimming your drinks.

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Best Margarita Salt Recipe (5)

This recipe is…

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

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Best Margarita Salt Recipe (6)

Best Margarita Salt Recipe

★★★★★5 from 2 reviews
  • Author: Sonja
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: ¼ cup 1x
Print Recipe

Description

This margarita salt recipe makes the best margarita salt rim! This zesty garnish takes any co*cktail from meh to a masterpiece. Here’s how to make it.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 2 tablespoons kosher salt
  • Zest of 1 lime
  • Zest of 1/2 orange

Instructions

  1. Zest the lime. Zest the orange.
  2. Place all ingredients on a cutting board and crush them together using a rolling pin. Break any large pieces of zest with your fingers.
  3. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: Raw
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Margarita Salt, Margarita salt rim, What is margarita salt, What kind of salt for margarita

Looking for other drink recipes?

And a few more popular drink recipes over here, sans alcohol:

  • Lemon Herb Cucumber Water Recipe
  • Pomegranate Non Alcoholic Spritzer
  • Lavender Lemon Spritzer
  • Sparkling Blood Orange Rosemary Water
  • Best Pourover Coffee
  • Cold Brew Coffee
  • How to Make Kombucha
  • Fruit Infused Water Recipe
  • Lemon Water Recipe
  • Easy Mint Water Recipe
  • Cucumber Lemon Water Recipe
  • Lime Water Recipe with Mint

vegan vegetarian gluten free

Published on / Last updated on

Categorized In:

  • co*cktails
  • Drink Recipes
  • Recipes

Tagged with:

  • co*cktail
  • Dairy-Free
  • Drinks
  • Gluten-Free Recipes
  • Margarita
  • Plant-Based
  • Recipe
  • Salt
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegetarian Recipes

About the authors

Best Margarita Salt Recipe (7)

Sonja & Alex

Hi, we’re Alex and Sonja Overhiser, married cookbook authors, food bloggers, and recipe developers. We founded A Couple Cooks to share fresh, seasonal recipes for memorable kitchen moments! Our recipes are made by two real people and work every time.

About Us

Best Margarita Salt Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the best kind of salt for margaritas? ›

The best salt to use is kosher salt, which is more coarse and won't dissolve quickly as table salt will. However, several variations from spicy salt to flavored salt are available today, giving the kosher standard a run for its money.

How to color salt for margaritas? ›

Measure salt or sugar into a clear jar with a tight fitting lid. Add food coloring one drop at a time and screw the cap on tightly. SHAKE to combine. Repeat until desired color is reached.

What do you line margarita glasses with? ›

The most familiar item to rim a glass with is probably the salt you find on a margarita, but you can use the same principle with sugar, cocoa powder or nibs, chili powder, dried or fresh herbs, or wherever your imagination takes you.

Why is margarita salt so good? ›

Second, the saltiness can help to cut through the sweetness of any fruit-flavored margaritas, providing a savory contrast that elevates the overall drinking experience. Finally, the salt rim adds a textural element, offering a delightful crunch with every sip.

Do you lick salt before margarita? ›

Lick the salt off the rim as you drink your margarita.

Since tequila can be kind of bitter, it's fine to cut that with a mouthful of salt. Grab some with your tongue as you drink your margarita and enjoy the flavor combination of the lime, salt, and alcohol.

How to get sugar rim to stick? ›

A liquid: This is what will make the sugar stick to the rim of your glass. Citrus juices such as lime juice, lemon juice, and orange juice are common rim moisteners. For a sweeter taste, you can try simple syrup, agave, honey, caramel, or chocolate sauce.

Do you refrigerate margarita salt? ›

Store margarita salt in its original container and in a cool and dark place. Don't store it on the fridge as it may cake up.

How to get salt to stick to rim without lime? ›

Fill a saucer or shallow bowl with a pile of salt or sugar. Hold the wet-rimmed glass at about a 45-degree angle to the saucer. Dab the rim into the salt or sugar while slowly turning the glass so that only the outer edge is covered. Shake off any excess salt or sugar over a sink or wastebasket.

Is pink salt good for margaritas? ›

Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt goes perfectly with your margaritas as well as so many other dishes. Sprinkle it on your seafood, hearty tomato based stews, quesadillas, spanish flavored dishes, vegetables, and chicken. The lime compliments so many foods and the Himalayan has a distinct salty flavor you will love.

How to make pink sugar rim? ›

Pour some granulated sugar into your food processor and begin adding drops of food coloring until desired colored is achieved. Pour the colored sugar onto a plate. Add the egg white to a second plate and dip the co*cktail rim into it. Dip the co*cktail glass into the colored sugar and put aside to set and harden.

What is the best margarita salt? ›

Maldon Sea Salt Flakes: Maldon is a classic salt with beautiful flakes. Sal de Gusano: Worm salt! If you're having a Mezcal Margarita, try rimming your glass with this salt made from the worms that live in the plant. Aleppo Chile Pepper Sea Salt: sweet and mildly spicy, it's a great salt for a tangy Margarita.

How do you make salt stick to a margarita glass? ›

To put salt on a Margarita glass, first and foremost cut a lime in half and then in quarters (wedges). With the flesh side of a lime wedge, gently rub the rim of your glass, enough for the surface to be aromatized and slightly wet but avoiding for the pulp of the lime to remain on the glass.

What kind of salt do you use for tequila shots? ›

Ingredients for a Shot of Tequila

Here's our easy but delightful recipe: Pinch of kosher salt or sea salt. 1 1/2 ounces of Olmeca Gold Tequila. Lime or lemon wedge.

What is the difference between kosher and sea salt? ›

Size: Kosher salt is large, and because it's industrially processed, it's more uniform in size. Sea salt crystals can be fine, flaky, chunky or coarse. Appearance: Kosher salt crystals are coarse and pebble-shaped, whereas sea salt is more delicate and crystals can take on a flaky or pyramid-like shape.

How to get salt to stay on the rim of a glass? ›

Simply moisten a co*cktail napkin or paper towel and wipe it along the outside of the rim. Next, pour some of your salt/sugar mixture into a small plate or bowl. Take your moistened glass, tilt it at a 45-degree angle, and lightly roll the outside of it through the mix.

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