It's time for delicious Mexican-inspired cocktails! Why not try a tamarind margarita recipe? The tart, fruity flavor of the tamarind is perfect for spring and summertime drinks and Cinco de Mayo. I'll show you how to make one yourself.
This sweet and sour Tamarind Margarita is tasty and easy to make. I will give you step-by-step instructions for making this unique cocktail with tamarind paste, tequila, triple sec, and maple syrup. You can now create and enjoy this refreshing tamarind margarita recipe at home!
With summer fast approaching, there's no better way to get the party started than with a deliciously refreshing tamarind margarita!
Whether you're hosting a big bash for Cinco de Mayo or having dinner at home with loved ones, this tart twist on the classic Margarita will surely be a crowd-pleaser.
Dive into the world of tequila and fresh lime juice as I give you all the tips for mastering an unforgettable tamarind margarita that everyone will rave about!
Inspiration
A few years ago, we visited Costa Rica and enjoyed Tamarind Margaritas or Margaritas de Tamarindo at a fantastic hotel we were staying at with an ocean view. The bartender made this cocktail with fresh tamarind juice and a plain salt rim.
When I thought about recreating this recipe, I didn't have tamarind pods or a wet tamarind pulp block. However, I recently had tamarind paste in the fridge. So, I created tamarind syrup by mixing the tamarind paste with water.
I'm not claiming that this recipe is the authentic way to make tamarind syrup or Tamarind Margaritas, but my husband and I enjoyed this sweet and sour margarita with tangy flavors, and I know you will, too. My husband said, "This is your best margarita yet." And he doesn't say that lightly!
For more refreshing cocktails, try this Blood Orange Margarita, Blood Orange French 75, Strawberry Elderflower Gin Fizz, or Strawberry Lemon Gin Granita, perfect for sipping by the pool. If you like sour with a hint of sweetness, have you tried this Classic Sidecar Cocktail?
Want another tasty recipe with Tajin Seasoning? Try this Southwest Quinoa Bowl.
What is tamarind?
Tamarind is a fruit from the tamarind tree and can be used in soups, chutneys, juices, or carbonated drinks to create flavorful dishes such as pad thai.
The texture of this date-like dark brown fruit ranges depending on whether it's crushed for paste or diluted concentrate. The fruit is contained within seed pods and can be extracted from the pods or purchased in chunks. Tamarind is a staple in Mexico, the Caribbean, Thailand, and Indian cuisine.
Ingredients
- Tamarind paste - This tamarind concentrate has a consistency similar to blackstrap molasses. It is 100% organic tamarind and is concentrated; it is not watery like juice. You can find this in Asian markets, in the Asian section of your grocery store, at an Indian market, online, or in a Latin market. It might be labeled tamarind concentrate - be sure to ask if you don't see it. It's shelf-stable in a glass jar.
- Tequila - I used Blanco tequila.
- Triple sec - I used Cointreau.
- Agave syrup - Although I haven't tried it, organic sugar cane syrup would be a great choice (especially when in Costa Rica). Let me know if you do!
- You'll need half a lime or a lime wedge for the rim of the glass, followed by a chili salt rim (a mix of chili lime seasoning and Himalayan sea salt).
How to make a Tamarind Margarita with a Spicy Rim
This recipe for Tamarind Margaritas is easy to make and fun! It's a different and delicious take on the margarita! Accent these cocktails with a Tajin Seasoning and sea salt rim to give them an exciting twist.
First, I mix the storebought tamarind concentrate with water to thin it to make tamarind syrup:
- Mix the tamarind paste and water in a pot and boil, stirring with a whisk. Immediately turn off the heat, take it off the heat, cover it, and let it sit for 30 minutes.
- Stir the mixture and strain into a bowl, discarding any solids. Let cool to room temperature.
Mix the chili lime seasoning (I used Tajin Clasico Seasoning) with the Himalayan Sea Salt and place it on a small plate.
Make the tamarind margarita cocktail:
- Prepare two glasses by running the edge of half a lime against the edges. Gently press the edges of the glasses into the salt mixture, and refrigerate the glasses while you mix the drinks.
- Combine the tamarind syrup, Blanco tequila, triple sec, agave syrup, and ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.
- Shake and pour into the prepared glasses with salted rims. If you're using glasses similar to double old-fashioned glasses, include the ice. Cheers!
Equipment
- small saucepan
- whisk
- coupe glasses, martini glasses, double old-fashioned glasses, or margarita glasses
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- cocktail shaker
To keep an elegant feel, I chose coupe glasses for this tamarind margarita without ice. However, I would have preferred a traditional margarita glass if this were a blended frozen fruit margarita.
In an informal setting, feel free to serve the margaritas any way you like, such as on ice in an old-fashioned glass or lowball glass, typically a short glass used to serve whisky or cocktails containing whisky.
Substitutions
- Agave syrup - You can use maple syrup or simple syrup. Organic sugar cane syrup would be a great choice (especially when in Costa Rica), although I haven't tried it. Let me know if you do!
- Lime - You can use fresh lemon instead.
- I do not have a substitute for Tamarind concentrate or Tamarind paste concentrate; this is usually available at the grocery store, online, or at your local Indian or Latin market. Try my friend Ana's recipe for making tamarind paste if you want to try making it!
Expert Tips
- Make the tamarind syrup far enough ahead of time so that it has time to cool before you need it.
- You can use sea salt to rim the cocktail glass, but I highly recommend combining chili lime seasoning and sea salt. It takes it to the next level!
- Try a quality orange liqueur such as Grand Marnier instead of triple sec. Quality makes all the difference!
More cocktail recipes
Looking for more cocktail recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Tamarind Margarita cocktail:
I hope you give these Tamarindo Margaritas a try. They're perfect for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday, or anytime!
If you make this recipe, please take a moment to ★★★★★ star-rate it and leave a comment below. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook, and share your creation with me! Tag me @resplendentkitchen and hashtag #resplendentkitchenrecipes.
Recipe
Tamarind Margarita Recipe with Spicy Rim
Equipment
- coupe glasses or martini glasses or margarita glasses
Ingredients
For the Tamarind Syrup
- 2 oz tamarind paste also called tamarind concentrate
- 1 ¾ cup water
For the Tamarind Margarita
- 1 teaspoon Tajin Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
- Lime halved
- 4 oz Tamarind Syrup
- 4 oz Blanco tequila
- 2 oz triple sec I like to use Cointreau
- 2 teaspoons agave syrup or maple syrup, simple syrup, or sugar cane syrup
- 4 large ice cubes
Instructions
To make the Tamarind Syrup
- Combine the tamarind paste and water in a pot and bring to a boil, stirring with a whisk. Immediately turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 30 minutes on the counter.2 oz tamarind paste, 1 ¾ cup water
- Stir and strain the mixture into a bowl, discarding any solids. Let cool to room temperature.
To make the Tamarind Margarita
- Mix Tajin Seasoning with the Himalayan sea salt and place on a small flat plate. Prepare two coupe glasses by running the edge of half a lime against the edges. Gently press the edges of the glasses into the salt mixture, and refrigerate the glasses.1 teaspoon Tajin Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, Lime
- Combine the tamarind syrup, Blanco tequila, triple sec, maple syrup, and ice cubes in a cocktail shaker.4 oz Tamarind Syrup, 4 oz Blanco tequila, 2 oz triple sec, 2 teaspoons agave syrup, 4 large ice cubes
- Shake and pour into the glasses with salted rims. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Marinela
These tamarind margaritas are so enjoyable! The most perfect homemade drink with a delicately sweet and sour flavor. It's super refreshing and tastes like summer! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Emily!
Emily
Thank you for your review, Marinela! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed the tamarind margaritas. This recipe is one of my favorites; it's a great drink on a hot day and perfect for summer!
Kayla DiMaggio
This tamarind margarita was so delicious! I just bought some tamarind to make pad thai so I gave this a try too! So good!
Emily
Thanks for your review of my tamarind margarita, Kayla. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! This is one of my favorite drinks too and I'm happy to hear that you're interested in cooking with tamarind as well!
Lucy
I've never tried making my own margaritas before but I will be regularly now. Your recipe is so flavoursome and your instructions are so clear and easy to follow. Thank you for sharing.
Emily
Thank you for the five star rating, Lucy! I'm so happy to hear that you were able to make a delicious margarita with my recipe and instructions. Cheers!
Anaiah
Wow! I never tried tamarind this way before. In my culture, we use tamarind to give a nice tart flavor in our soups and that's the only way I've had it. This was new to me and so great to try!
Emily
Thank you, Anaiah, for your review of my tamarind margarita. I'm glad to hear that it was a new experience and you enjoyed the flavor!
Daniela
I was intrigued by the Tamarind but oh my, this might be my new favorite margarita flavor! So good!
Emily
Thanks for the review, Daniela! I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed my Tamarind Margarita. It's one of my favorite margaritas!
Joshua
Tamarind margaritas?? Count me in! This was a great recipe and a creative way to use tamarind.
Emily
Thank you for your review Joshua! I'm glad you enjoyed the recipe and found it creative. We love to share new recipes with our readers so we're happy that this one worked out well.
Julia
This was a welcome drink at the end of a hot summer's day. It looked so elegant too. I've only ever used tamarind in curries before so this was quite different. Thank you.
Emily
Hi Julia, Thank you for your review and feedback. We're glad to hear that the drink was a welcome refreshment on this hot summer day! The tamarind is one of my favorite flavors for a margarita - I'm so glad you enjoyed this creative cocktail!
Choclette
Oh my! It's been far too long since I had a cocktail. So excited by your use of tamarind in this one. I've only ever used it in curries.
Emily
Thank you so much for your review, Choclette! It's been a while since I've had this cocktail; tamarind is such an interesting ingredient to use. I hope you give it a try and let me know how it turns out!
Caroline
I've been wanting to try making a drink with tamarind after having one at a local taco bar - this sounds a perfect place to start! I love the flavor tamarind adds to things.
Emily
Hi Caroline! Thank you for your review. I'm so glad to hear that you are interested in trying tamarind in this drink! Tamarind is a delicious ingredient, with a tart-sweet flavor and sour notes. Cheers!
Kris
This was so unique and delicious! Will definitely make again. Thank you!
Emily
Thank you for the wonderful feedback, Kris! I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed it and thank you for taking the time to review the recipe.
Mirlene
Now this is a great idea! Never thought of using tamarind in a cocktail. So tempting and delicious.
Emily
Thanks for the review, Mirlene. Tamarind is a great ingredient to add to cocktails!
Catherine
This is so exotic and delicious. A perfect cocktail for the warm weather and so elegant too!
Emily
Thank you so much for your review, Catherine! It's always a joy when someone tries something different and enjoys it 🙂
Alison
I love a good sweet and sour cocktail and this one hits all the notes!
Emily
Thank you for the review, Alison! I'm so glad to hear that you enjoyed this cocktail recipe!
Jeff
I bought Goya Tamarind pulp. It all I could find in my area. I'm confused on all the descriptions I find online, pulp, paste, juice, tamarind water. It came frozen and the ingredients on the package say, water and tamarind. Once thawed it more like slightly creamy coffee consistency, not a pulpy block like pictures I've seen online of tamarind pulp. Do I just use this straight from the package to make Tamarindo Margaritas?
TIA
Jeff
Emily
Hi Jeff, thanks for your question. My suggestion is to try it straight from the package, thawed, to make the Tamarindo Margaritas. If that is too strong, then I would dilute it with water to thin it to make a "juice" consistency and try again. The Tamararind Paste I use is 100% organic tamarind and has a syrupy consistency, which I water down a bit and cook briefly to make a "juice" although it's not really juice, it's just water and tamarind paste. Please let me know how it turns out.