Cucumber Margarita with Mezcal

The most refreshing Cucumber Margarita made with fresh-pressed cucumber juice, smoky mezcal, and lots of lime juice. Make a big pitcher next time you are serving a crowd! 

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Right now as you are reading this my family and I are riding in our tiny car across the state of Minnesota (or Wisconsin, depending on the hour).

It is August and that means…..roooaaaadddd trip!

We are taking an epic family road trip (cue the sandwich dance) to Lake Michigan that will include a ferry ride, lots of beach time, all the Italian Ice we can possibly handle, and very little sleep.

I’m buying Armando a Member’s Only jacket just for the trip, so follow along on Instagram for all the latest updates.

the ultimate cucumber margarita

Today will be our longest driving day, maxing out at 10 hours (if all goes well) so that means someone better have a Big Gulp-sized margarita for me when we stop.

This cucumber version first caught my eye when Kasey wrote about having them in Tulum; the bright green color, smoke from Mezcal, and fresh-cut grassiness of it just screamed summer.

Seems to me like this has got to be up there as one of the best mezcal cocktails!

what you need

To make this refreshing cocktail you can opt to go all the way and buy a juicer (if you don’t already have one) or keep it simple with a blender, cucumbers, lime, and good mezcal. Either way here’s what you’ll need:

ingredients

Cucumber. I like to use the long English cucumbers.

Mezcal. Scroll down for my favorite brands. You could also make this with silver tequila.

Limes. 4 of them if making a pitcher, plus a few more for rimming the cocktail glasses and garnish.

Grand Mariner. This is my preferred brand of orange liqueur.

Agave Syrup. Or homemade simple syrup would be good too.

equipment

Juicer. This makes the purest, fresh-pressed cucumber juice but if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy one use a blender.

Blender. Instead of the juicer combine the cucumber and mezcal in a blender until finely pureed.

Fine Mesh Strainer. Strain the blended mixture through a strainer. If using a juicer, you can skip this step.

Pitcher. For making a big-batch cocktail.

Wooden Spoon. For stirring!

what’s the best mezcal for cocktails?

Lucky for us Mezcal has boomed in popularity, which means it is much more widely available than even a few years ago.

If you are unfamiliar with mezcal, it is a liquor distilled from agave similar to tequila. The agave for mezcal is roasted before it is distilled which gives it a smoky flavor.

Check out this article over on Salt and Wind for more info on the differences between tequila and mezcal.

My favorite mezcals for mixing up cocktails are:

• Del Maguey Vida Mezcal
• Koch Espadin Mezcal
• El Jolgorio Espadin Mezcal
• Rey Campero Espadin Mezcal

how to make cucumber mezcal margaritas by the pitcher

They looked so good that, guess what? I made a pitcher!

You can cut the recipe down to only make one or two drinks or but why would you go through the trouble of hauling out the juicer for one measly drink?

That being said, you certainly don’t have to make these cucumber mezcal margaritas with a juicer.

You can also chop up the cucumbers and blend them with the mezcal in a blender, then strain out any bits that might be left over through a fine mesh strainer—or leave them in (fiber!).

Combine the cucumber juice with the remaining ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine.

Invite some friends and make a round, just don’t drink them while you’re driving and stuff.

how to make one or two drinks

If you want to make this margarita recipe just for yourself, you can absolutely do that too. Here’s how:

1. Make the cucumber juice like described above.
2. Rim your cocktail glass by rubbing a lime wedge around the edge of a rocks glass or margarita glass and dipping it in kosher salt.
3. Combine 1/2 cup of the cucumber juice, 1/4 cup mezcal, the juice of 1 squeezed lime, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (like triple sec or my favorite, Grand Mariner), and 1 teaspoon agave syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
4. Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds then pour into the prepared glass. Garnish with cucumber slices and enjoy!
5. Save any leftover cucumber juice covered in the refrigerator for another cocktail, green juice, or smoothie. It will last 2-3 days.

more summer cocktail recipes to try!

• Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Margarita
• Tequila Sunrise with Homemade Grenadine
• Blackberry Limonada Margarita
• Tequila Libre Cocktail
• Pineapple Hibiscus Margarita
• Fresh Tomato Michelada with Tamarind
• Strawberry Hibiscus Paloma

make a pitcher for cinco de mayo

These Cucumber Mezcal Margaritas are the best for parties like Cinco de Mayo because it makes a whole pitcher!

Please let me know when you make them by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) !

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