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.
Catherine Sills says
Have you tried margaritas with LMNT new Mango Chili? Delicious!
Elana says
Yes, amazing!
Kate says
Your carb count per 100g for wines is incorrect…..its 3.6g per 100g/ml for beer, 2.6 for Wine red or white, not 1g
Correct as of November 2020
Elana says
Kate, thank you. As the table states, these numbers are for 1 fl ounce, not 100g :-)
Nick says
Wow, this looks awesome, will try this recipe soon! Quite a few margarita recipes also use orange liquor as well, have you experimented at all with adding some of the orange electrolyte powder from LMNT?
Elana says
Nick, that is a fantastic idea!
erin witt says
Thank you so much! I ordered the electrolytes after reading this and we just made our first batch of margaritas. They are excellent! Thank you so much for everything you do!
Elana says
Erin, I think it’s one of the best margaritas ever, so glad you tried it and are enjoying too!
Brandi says
How did you find out you had the MTHFR gene mutation? In have ulcerative colitis and am trying everything I can right now to get to the root of my inflammation with a functional medicine approach. I have read a little about this but am curious as to whether or not there are symptoms of this mutation to be on the lookout for and what may prompt a test for this? Also, have you ever tried low dose LDN? If so, what is your take on it?
Thanks for sharing!
Elana says
Brandi, thanks for your great question. I had a blood test as I suspected I had the MTHFR genetic mutation. It can lead to systemic inflammation due to impaired detoxification. There are many things I do to ameliorate it but it is a constant thing to try to stay ahead of it, especially given the number of pollutants that are unavoidable in our environment today. I started taking LDN in 2006 and wrote about it here:
https://elanaspantry.com/low-dose-naltrexone/
Take care,
Elana
Celeste Sorrentino says
Thank you for the recipe. Do you supplement with anything due to your MTHFER Gene mutation?
Elana says
Celeste, here’s a link to a photo of my supplement regimen:
https://www.instagram.com/p/B4V5eYlBlcR/
It includes a B complex, NAC, glutathione, and curcumin.
LMK if you have any other questions,
Elana
MamaCass says
I’ve gotten mixed reviews on DIM as it lowers histamine AND estrogen. Functional medicine dr said DIM, female hormone dr said sulfuraphane for women around menopause. Love the supplement picture! Food and then supplements saved my life.
Elana says
MamaCass, I take both as they do slightly different things, as you point out above :-)
Laura Smith says
I am so going to try this virgin. I am doing chemo for breast cancer and drinking is no no, so yay for a virgin margarita With the new warm weather and upcoming change of the season it will be so refreshing! Thank you so much.
Elana says
Laura, so sorry to hear about the cancer and cheers to you for moving through it with an incredible attitude. I can see it from the words in your comment. Please keep me posted on how you do :-)
Edna Ross says
I did not see the recipe for the VIRGIN KETO MARGARITA MOCKTAIL. I cannot drink any alcohol and would love to try this mocktail.
Elana says
Edna, same recipe, but no tequila :-)
Laura says
You go girl!!!! Bahahahaha………….Good for you!
Elana says
Laura, I hope you like this drink as much as we do :-)
Alexandria Cannito says
I love margaritas and am always looking for ways to make healthy cocktails. Thank you for sharing this! I will definitely will be making my own mix instead of buying one from the store next time. Also, thank you for sharing about the MTHFR genetic mutation. That was very insightful into how people process, or don’t process, alcohol. Your posts are always fun and knowledgeable. Thank you!
Elana says
Alexandria, thanks for you comment and for being on this healing path with me!