Looking for a cucumber basil margarita recipe for your Cinco De Mayo, 4th or July, or taco Tuesday? You've come to the right place. These "martini-strength" cucumber basil margaritas are sweet, and are best served with a salty rim. Extra spice is optional. The best part? This is a batch drink, perfect entertaining a crowd.
My Uncle Fred spent years developing the recipe for the perfect margarita for his legendary "grown-up" parties. And unless your guests are either friends with my Uncle Fred or are still in college, they'll only need one or two to get the party started. To this very day, my mother claims she is "allergic" to tequila from having too many of these one New Years Eve...

Making the PERFECT Cucumber Basil Margarita
PSA: before we begin, a warning: these margaritas pack a punch. One will get you exactly where you want to be. The correct ratio of hydration:margarita is 2:1.
Let's break it down:
- Pineapple juice for sweetness
- Cucumber juice to cool down the tequila
- Basil because it goes SOOO well with cucumber, lime, and pineapple
- Minute Maid Limeade because it isn't a margarita without lime
- Good tequila
- Orange lacqueur, because why not
- Dilute with some water (this recipe is well over half spirits by volume...this is needed, do not skip)
- Lime and salt to garnish
- Spicy chipotle powder to make it into a spicy cucumber margarita
The real secret? Make this cucumber basil margarita recipe ahead of time and let the flavors meld together in the fridge for a couple hours.
But Eliza...
Are Margaritas vegan? Most margaritas are indeed vegan, given they don't typically contain dairy products. This one is no exception.
How long should I strain the juice out of the cucumber and pineapple? Any tips to make it go faster? Give them 30-45 minutes at least. If you're in a hurry, sprinkle with a little salt and stir to release the juices. Use your hands if you're REALLY impatient. I typically end up with 2-2.5 cups of pineapple and cucumber juice total.
How the do you slice a pineapple? This video does a good job, but if you're worried about it, just buy pre-sliced pineapple at the store, I won't judge you.
How do I salt the rim of my glass? First, prep your lacquer and salt. Pour a few drops of orange lacquer into a small bowl (or plate) - make sure the rim of your glass can reach the bottom where the liquid is. Pour a few tablespoons of salt onto a small plate. Next, lightly dip your glass into the liquid, and keep upside down while you transfer to the salt plate. Then roll the rim lightly in the salt - the idea is that the salt will freeze all of the lacquer in place on the rim so you don't have a sticky cup. Check out the video below to see more!
Cucumber Basil Margarita Recipe
Looking for more cocktails? Check out my grapefruit moscow mule. Want some tacos to go with your marg? Stay tuned for a mushroom taco recipe to accompany these margaritas (coming soon!)
Cucumber Basil Margarita Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: at least 10 strong margaritas 1x
- Category: Beverages
Ingredients
Alcohol:
- 24 oz Corralejo Reposado Tequila
- 6-8oz orange laqueur
Non-alcoholic:
- 12 oz Minute Maid Limeade (Frozen)
- 12 oz Water
Fruit:
- 1-2 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded
- 4-6 leaves fresh basil
- fresh pineapple juice - 1-2 cups
Optional:
- 1 tsp ground chipotle powder (leave out if you don’t like smoky/spicy)
- Salt for the rim
- Lime garnish
Instructions
- Blend fresh pineapple chunks in blender, then strain out pulp. Try to get 1-2 cups of pineapple juice (this can take a little while, so be patient!)
- Meanwhile, prep and blend your cucumber with basil leaves. Blended cucumber + pineapple juice = 18-24 oz (or 2.5-3 cups, about the same as the volume of tequila)
- Mix tequila, orange lacquer, limeade, water and blended fruits you prepared in steps 1 and 2 together. Add chipotle powder if desired.
- Serve in glass with salted rim and ice.
Notes
WARNING: though these cucumber basil margaritas are lots of fun, these are NOT your average margaritas. They are martini-strength. Please hydrate between servings. In my experience, the proper ratio of 8 oz glasses of water:margarita is 2:1. I recommend having only one, maybe two if you don't have anywhere to be tomorrow...
Keywords: Margaritas for a Crowd
Eric
The best margaritas ever! Made these last weekend for a group of friends, only need one or two, definitely strong but you wouldn’t know it! 10/10 would make again.
★★★★★