I’m not much of a drinker, but I can tell you this Keto Margarita on the rocks is the bomb.
Keto Margarita Recipe on the Rocks
My Keto Margarita recipe is made with three low-carb ingredients:
Topo Chico Margarita
This is one incredibly tasty cocktail. Electrolytes are the perfect low-carb margarita mix because they taste amazing and prevent you from getting dehydrated.
Keto Margarita on the Rocks
Ingredients
- 1 ounce tequila
- 8 ounces sparkling water
- ½ teaspoon LMNT citrus salt
- 1 cup ice
- 1 slice lime
Instructions
- Gently mix tequila, sparkling water, and LMNT in a shaker
- Pour into glass of ice
- Add slice of lime
- Drink up
Equipment
Best Margarita Recipe
It’s good to have a great low-carb margarita recipe in your life, whether for Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthday celebrations, or everyday use.
Skinny Margarita
Better yet, why not celebrate low carb style with a skinny margarita?
That’s a low-carb margarita recipe using orange juice to replace high-carb liqueurs like Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Less alcohol, more vitamin C.
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How to Make a Keto Margarita Recipe
My Keto Margarita recipe is even easier to make than a Skinny Margarita, and lower in carbs too!
All you need to do to make my quick and easy margarita recipe is mix the tequila, soda water, and citrus salt electrolytes in a shaker and you’re off to the races.
Healthy Virgin Margarita On the Rocks
Because I don’t drink much, if ever, I’ve also created a virgin margarita, or margarita mocktail, for myself, and those of you who don’t drink.
As you read on I’ll share more with you about why I gave up alcohol twenty years ago, and how I realized this was something I needed to do for my health and well-being.
1 Fluid Oz | Carbs | Calories |
Tequila | 0g | 69 |
Vodka | 0g | 64 |
White Wine | 1g | 24 |
Red Wine | 1g | 24 |
Beer | 1g | 12 |
Can You Drink Alcohol On Keto?
But first, I’m often asked, can you drink alcohol on Keto?
I’m not one to give advice about these things, yet I love providing you with information that helps you make the best choice for yourself.
The short answer is yes, tequila is a keto alcohol.
What Is The Lowest Carb Alcohol?
I’m also asked, what is the lowest carb alcohol? That’s an easy answer.
The best low-carb alcohols are tequila, vodka, gin, whiskey, brandy, and other pure alcohols that have zero carbs –these are fine if you’re focused on counting carbs.
Cocktails with Low Carb Alcohol
As I mentioned above, drinking alcohol doesn’t agree with me. Additionally, I like to stick with nutrient-dense food and beverages, so any type of alcohol regardless of carbs is not really my thing.
But if you’re going to imbibe, and want to stick to a Low-Carb Diet, be sure to watch out for cocktails.
The problem with cocktails is not the alcohol, it’s typically the mixers that are filled with sugar and carbs which are not keto-friendly.
The Best Keto Margarita
My favorite mixer is LMNT electrolyte powder which I use in this Keto Margarita recipe.
It’s incredibly low-carb, packed with flavor. and on top of all that will keep you hydrated while you imbibe. Win-win!
Best Margarita Mix to Detox Retox
Healthy drinking? What are you talking about, Elana? Well, there’s a fun trend called detox-retox drinking. Have you heard of it? Yes, it’s a thing.
This is when you drink something healthy along with your alcohol. In this case, with my healthy Keto Margarita recipe, you’re getting electrolytes while you drink.
With my Keto Margarita on the rocks, you’re hydrating while you’re dehydrating and detoxing while you’re retoxing. Yes, life is all about balance 😜 my friends.
Dehydration Headache
We all know dehydration symptoms are nothing to mess around with. The symptoms include:
- Headache
- Muscle Cramps
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Thirst
Skinny Margarita Recipe
My recipe for this Keto Margarita is based on Robb Wolf’s NorCal Margarita. He created his healthy, low-carb margarita made of tequila, water (or soda water), and lime juice, a while back.
The low carb NorCal Margarita is perfect with good tequila and fresh lime juice.
LMNT Margarita Mix
If you want something just as amazing as Robb Wolf’s NorCal Margarita that requires less effort, make my Keto Margarita using LMNT electrolytes as your healthy margarita mix.
Hydrate with LMNT Electrolytes Citrus Salt
You’ll whip up easy on the rocks cocktail in less than a minute since you don’t have to squeeze limes for fresh juice. I’ve given you the perfect keto margarita mix.
LMNT Electrolytes
I’m in love with all of LMNT’s electrolyte flavors, not just the citrus salt which tastes like lime and makes the perfect margarita mix. LMNT has a bunch of other tasty flavors which I list below.
How to Rehydrate
I drink LMNT every day because I’m slightly sodium deficient, and I make tons of amazing mocktails with it.
Keto Flu Symptoms
By the way, have you heard of the Keto Flu? LMNT is fantastic if you’re in the process of trying to Kick the Keto Flu.
- Body Aches
- Headaches
- Brain Fog
- Dehydration
- Fatigue
Electrolyte Drinks
You can mix your LMNT with water, milk, or alcohol. It’s that versatile.
I have to confess though, my favorite way to use LMNT is to make chocolate milk.
Check out my Homemade Electrolyte Powder to make your own electrolyte drinks.
Watermelon Margarita
My husband is a huge fan of Watermelon Salt. Watermelon Margarita anyone? I haven’t tried this but I think it would be fantastic.
Keto Snacks For Margarita On the Rocks
Gluten Free Tortilla Chips
Now that you have my sugar-free homemade margarita, you’re going to need some low-carb snacks to go along with it. I’ve got you covered with my Gluten Free Tortilla Chips, serve with Salsa or Guacamole.
Virgin Margarita Mocktail
This Keto Margarita works just as well without tequila which is how I’ll be taking mine.
I can’t process 🍸 alcohol since I have that dang MTHFR genetic mutation.
The MTHFR Gene Mutation
I am heterozygous for the MTHFR genetic mutation which means I have two different alleles of this particular gene.
That’s bad because one of those alleles, or strands, is a mutation that makes me detox around 70% as effectively as the general population.
My doctors have told me this is likely the reason I have Celiac Disease, Hashimoto’s, Multiple Sclerosis, and am a cancer survivor. It’s good because I’m not homozygous for the mutation which would mean even more detoxification issues.
MTHFR and Alcohol
I wasn’t ever very good at processing alcohol. In college, I was a total lightweight. I remember once my friend Mary took me back to my dorm room cause I was sick after drinking three beers over a few hours.
As I aged, my ability to metabolize alcohol became even more compromised.
By the time I’d had my first child at age 30, I would become hungover, halfway into a glass of wine, and feel absolutely awful. So I gave up alcohol around the time I went grain-free, back in 2001.
On The Rocks Margarita
Let me know if you have questions about this homemade margarita recipe, the MTHFR mutation, my favorite ways to enjoy LMNT electrolytes or anything else!
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives. I first shared the Best Keto Margarita Recipe in May 2020.
Leonora says
What a mess! Your post has become unreadable. I can’t find your text with all those advertisements mixed in.
They/you? must be desperate for us to read them.
This kind of presentation cheapens and discredits your offerings. Too bad.
Elana says
Leonora, thanks so much for sharing your opinion here! I hope you have a lovely day -Elana
Jill says
This. Is. Magical. Thank you, Elana and Baby Pantry, who, like my baby, has never had a hangover.
Elana says
Thanks Jill!
J.J. says
Hi Elana
I’ve been following you for years: have all of your books. Although I still have to slightly modify many of the recipes they are really good. It gives me variety in my diet. I am not Keto, Vegan, Paleo, etc… but a blend of all due to my many intolerances and sensitivities.
I also have the mutated MTHFR gene. I find it interesting that I can drink red wine, but white wine gives me an instant hangover after just a couple of sips. As for other alcohols, I don’t drink much anymore since I can’t tolerate mixers and because it’s no longer that important to me. With that said, I’m eager to try your margarita recipe.
Thank you for all you do.
Elana says
JJ, thanks so much for your fantastic comment! For the wine red vs white –are you comparing different brands or the same brand for your control –would be interested to hear :-)
Renate Lapenat says
Hi Elana! Re: your statement
“I am heterozygous for the MTHFR genetic mutation which means I have two different alleles of this particular gene…my doctors have told me this is likely the reason I have Celiac Disease, Hashimoto’s, and Multiple Sclerosis…” Can you explain all this in “layman’s” language and bring in the detoxification angle? I have gluten sensitivity (shown in a genetic test) and Hashimoto’s. Also wondering about getting genetic testing as it sounds like that’s what you had. I’m in Canada and can seek out any testing you may recommend. Thanks!
Elana says
Renate, happy to hellp:
heterozygous = two different items in a pair
alleles = one of two or more of a given gene variant
The MTHFR gene is involved in detoxification and I have a mutation in one of the strands so do not detoxify as well as those that do not have this partial mutation. I hope this helps!
Elana