This Tamarind Margarita is my favorite oh-so refreshing margarita. Añejo tequila shaken with fresh lime juice and a sweet-tart simple syrup made from fresh tamarind. Serve over ice with a spicy chipotle chili rim, this is the perfect cocktail to sip on with friends and family all summer long.
This recipe was first posted on October 31, 2014 and last updated with clearer instructions on April 30, 2024.
Can you believe the first time I ever posted these tamarind margaritas was way back in 2014?!
I still remember stumbling across fresh tamarind pods at an Asian market in Fargo all those years ago when we were living in North Dakota and immediately thought about how delicious they’d be in a margarita.
With Cinco de Mayo coming up on Sunday, I thought it’d be a great time to revisit one of my favorite margaritas of all time.
It’s everything I really love most all shaken together in a cocktail glass. And geez, it’s good. A little smoky, spicy, tart, and sweet. I can’t wait for you to try this recipe!
If you’re looking for Cinco de Mayo dinner ideas, please please check out these Instant Pot Barbacoa Tacos, this Chile Colorado, or this Pork Pozole.
If you’re in need of a damn good cocktail…stay right here.
✨ Looking for more fun recipes for Cinco de Mayo? Check out my 7 Best Taco Recipes + party ideas! ✨
What Is Tamarind?
Tamarind is a tropical tree that is grows brown pods with a papery outer-husk and sweet-tart pulp inside.
The fruit from the tamarind tree is used all over the world to make sauces like Worcestershire sauce, desserts, candy, and delicious drinks like my tamarind rum punch and this margarita.
Tamarind pods are sold in the produce aisle in Asian and Latin markets.
If you can’t find the pods, look for tamarind paste which what I use to make my Tamarind Micheladas and is sold in blocks next to the spices in Latin and Asian markets as well.
You may also find tamarind concentrate which is the tamarind pulp that has been cooked down and preservatives may be added. The concentrate will do in a pinch, but not ideal.
There’s not a good substitute for tamarind. It has a very distinctive sweet, acidic, earthy flavor. If you can’t find tamarind near you and you really want to give this cocktail a try, purchase it online. The pods will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for months.
Ingredients To Make This Classic Cocktail
Now that we’ve covered tamarind, let’s take a look at the other ingredients you’ll need for this tequila cocktail:
- Tequila: I like to use the richer aged Añejo tequila for this drink to play off the sultry sweetness of the tamarind. Second choice would be reposado tequila, last choice would be silver tequila or blanco tequila. If you have some Añejo tequila leftover you can use it to make my tequila brown sugar bacon—yum!
- Fresh limes: Like my honey grapefruit margarita and this apple lime margarita, this drink requires freshly squeezed lime juice. Limes are also necessary for rimming the cocktail glass and for garnish if you’d like.
- Chipotle chili powder: Totally optional, but I love the smoky-spicy rim it adds. Other options would be Tajin seasoning which is a chili lime seasoning.
How To Make A Spicy Tamarind Margarita
step one
Make the tamarind simple syrup.
The heart of this recipe lies with two ingredients, the tamarind syrup, and that añejo tequila. For the syrup, you can use the whole pods or the paste—I’m using the pods here.
Remove the papery outer skin from the tamarind pods. Place the pods with water and sugar in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stir until the sugar dissolves until the pulp is really soft.
Let it cool a little bit. Pour into a blender and blend until liquified.
Warning: there are seeds inside the pods which will produce a very loud noise while blending. It’s okay, the seeds will stay whole and won’t break your blender.
Strain out the seeds and voilá, tamarind simple syrup! Let it cool to room temperature before making the tamarind margarita cocktail.
step two
Make the drink. On a small plate combine the kosher salt, sugar and chipotle chili powder. Wet rim of the glass with a lime wedge then dip in the chipotle chili salt.
In a cocktail shaker, or even just a glass jar with a lid (use what you have), combine a shot – or two of tequila, tamarind syrup, and lime juice. Now add ice and shake.
Then pour into your glass and serve! Garnish with a lime slice if you’d like.
This margarita goes great with grilled pork chops or grilled chicken.
Why No Triple Sec?
While most margarita recipes, like my blackberry limonada margarita, has some type of orange liqueur like Grand Marnier or Cointreau, these tamarindo margaritas are so full of tangy flavors they really don’t need it. The upside? Once you have made the syrup, they are an easy-peasy 3 ingredient drink!
Variations
- For a zero-proof drink you can serve the simple syrup with some sparkling water over ice like a fizzy tamarind agua fresca (agua de tamarindo).
- To make a pitcher margarita, combine 3 cups of the tequila with 2 cups of the syrup and 1 cup of fresh lime juice. This makes 8-10 drinks.
More Margaritas You’ll Love
- Super Easy Spicy Margarita
- The Original Cadillac Classic Margarita
- Spicy Raspberry Margarita
- Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita
- Cucumber Mezcal Margarita
I Want To Hear From You!
One last thing, I want to make sure I’m providing you with the recipes you want. If you have a moment, please drop me a comment below and let me know if you prefer concise recipes with key steps, or detailed explanations with background information? Thanks so much, I really appreciate the feedback! xx, Kate
Real Tamarind Margarita with Spicy Chili Rim
This Tamarind Margarita is my favorite oh-so refreshing margarita. Añejo tequila shaken with fresh lime juice and a sweet-tart simple syrup made from fresh tamarind. Serve over ice with a spicy chipotle chili rim, this is the perfect cocktail to sip on with friends and family all summer long.
Ingredients
For the Tamarind Syrup:
- 5 ounces tamarind pods (about 6 pods)
- 3 cups water
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
For the Cocktail:
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
- 2 limes
- 1/2 cup dark anejo tequila
- 1/4 cup tamarind simple syrup
Instructions
- To make the syrup: remove the outer husk and stem from the 5 ounces of tamarind pods. Combine the pods, 3 cups of water, and 1 1/2 cups sugar in a medium saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and then bring to a boil. Boil gently until the pulp around the seeds of the pods are soft, about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly.
- Blend: Pour tamarind mixture into the blender and blend until liquified. The seeds will make a very loud noise but will not break your blender. Strain out the seeds and discard. Syrup can be made up to a week in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- To make the cocktail: Cut one of the limes in half then slice one half into wedges. Cut a slit in a lime wedge then rub it around the outer rim of your glass. Combine the 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder on a small plate then dip the glass in the mixture to coat (you can use as much as you'd like to make it spicy for your tastes).
- Shake: Combine 1/2 cup tequila, 1/4 cup simple syrup, and the juice from the remaining 1 1/2 limes in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosty. Pour into the prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge if you'd like. ¡Salúd!
Notes
- Serving size: This makes enough for 1 large drink or two small margaritas.
- Tamarind syrup: There should be enough syrup for 10-12 drinks. Syrup will keep in the fridge for up to a month or see the post for how to make a pitcher of margaritas.
- Spicier Option: For a spicier chili rim, increase the chipotle chili powder. Or omit the sugar.
- Pairing Ideas: This margarita is fantastic with chicken fajitas, shrimp ceviche, or any of your favorite Mexican dishes.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 875Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 62mgCarbohydrates: 173gFiber: 2gSugar: 166gProtein: 1g
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I have not ordered my Halloween costume so far but would love to celebrate the date with this tamarind cocktail. Cheers to your creation!
Ahh, I think you’d make a very convincing Cinderella Denise. 🙂 But yes, to tamarind margaritas too!
Hi Kate. Your recipes are always fabulous, and when we are here in Huatulco during the Winter months of Canada I’m able to do even more of the recipes that I can’t do back home (the dried chillis especially are hard for me to find, as well as Tamarind) Anyhow I wanted to ask about the Tamarind marg recipe, you mentioned chipotle chilli powder but I can’t find it here in Huatulco, only regular Mexican chilli powder, when I look up your link to Amazon on the recipe it’s just regular chilli powder that comes up. Maybe you can help. thanks for the great work you do
Hi Kay, thank you so much for your kind words. I’m sorry you are having trouble finding the chipotle chili powder. Here is the correct link for it on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4tKis1A. I’ve changed the link in the recipe too, if you want to click on it there. Thanks for letting me know that it was leading you astray. Let me know how the margaritas turn out!