Super Skinny Margarita Recipe: My Version of Ranch Water

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This 3 ingredient recipe creates a SUPER Skinny Margarita. With fresh lime and Casamigos Blanco tequila, this simple tequila cocktail totally hits the spot. It’s just about 100 calories and is refreshing as heck.

A skinny margarita on a marble cutting board with a bottle of tequila in the background. — This is my go-to Skinny Margarita recipe.

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Why I love this recipe

A Skinny Margarita is the perfect thing to sip when the weather turns warm! And this one is SUPER skinny. Like, it’s almost a Tequila Soda. It’s super flavorful and totally refreshing.

Like restaurants have house margaritas, this lightened-up, skinny version is my go-to when I want a delicious tequila drink at home.

It has all the basic flavors you want from a margarita without all the extras. And while this recipe might be too basic for you, you can add back in whatever you are comfortable with.

In fact, I just got a comment on this post that said this is actually called “Ranch Water”. So call it whatever you want. I think it tastes like a margarita but without the sugar.

You know I love easy cocktails to make at home and this one is SO easy! It’s just 3 ingredients and no fancy techniques are needed. And I like to consider this my diet drink. It’s what I like to sip on whilst wearing a bathing suit.

Although I don’t typically look at the nutrition content of my cocktails (I do not drink Pina Coladas or the like very often – because holy sugar bomb!), I like to drink margaritas often.

So I need my house margarita to be a skinny margarita. This clean margarita is super easy to make and I know you’ll love it!

I prefer to make my house margarita on the rocks, but if you like yours blended just grab your blender and mix it up!

Ingredients

tequila
sparkling water, chilled
fresh lime

I sometimes call this my Casa Margarita (which means house in Spanish). That name totally fits especially since I typically use Casamigos Tequila.

I like Casamigos because of the hint of vanilla flavor. It’s not so in your face that you will probably even pick it out, but it’s smooth and goes great in a cocktail.

You can use a different brand of tequila if you prefer. You can even use an anjeo or reposado if you like something with a little more flavor.

Fresh lime juice is a MUST! Bottled lime juice just doesn’t have the same flavor. And since that is where all the flavor is coming from in this drink, you need fresh limes.

In a typical margarita, you use orange liqueur. To keep this skinny, we take that out. You can use a little bit of fresh orange juice if you want to get some of that extra flavor in there. Just remember that when you start adding things back in, you’re making this drink less skinny.

I really prefer to use sparkling spring water in this easy margarita recipe and not club soda.

Club Soda is too bubbly. This spring water helps bring out natural sweetness (no sugars or calories in spring water) from the lime with just a touch of sparkle. But like, just barely. It dilutes the tequila and lime a bit to make it more like a cocktail than just tequila and soda.

*Update: I’ve made this with club soda several times and it’s still delicious. Also, as I mentioned above about someone telling me this is called Ranch Water – they use Topo Chico (which I do NOT enjoy).

There are tons of options. Do what feels right to you!

If you need a little bit of sweetness, you can add in a touch of agave. But, again, this will add more calories.

Directions

A cocktail shaker, citrus squeezer and cut limes on a marble cutting board next to a bottle of tequila.

Step 1

To a cocktail shaker, add the tequila and lime juice.

I’ve since replaced the citrus squeezer shown in the photo with this one from OXO. It’s really well made and holds up in the dishwasher. It’s my fave!

An overhead view of ice in a cocktail shaker on a marble cutting board.

Step 2

Add ice and shake well.

You could just pour the tequila and lime over ice in a short glass, but using a cocktail shaker gets everything cold and frosty when you shake it with ice which I prefer.

A cocktail glass on a marble cutting board with fresh lime juice and tequila next to a cocktail shaker.

Step 3

Strain into a lowball glass over fresh ice.

Of course, you can use a margarita glass (these are stemless and SO cute!) if you prefer. But I like to keep my barware simple.

I like to be able to use my glasses for several types of drinks. But if you think a margarita tastes better out of a margarita glass then by all means, do that!

Overhead shot of a tequila cocktail on a marble cutting board with a gold bar spoon.

Step 4

Top with the Sparkling Water. Give it a quick stir.

I love bar spoons, don’t you? They’re so classy looking. I think they make me look more like a legit bartender than I really am.

Garnish with a slice of lime. Or don’t. Whatever. I like to think of this as a perfect mom margarita.

Top tips

If you will be making a lot of these, pre-squeeze your lime juice and keep it in a pitcher in the refrigerator.
To get the most juice out of your limes, microwave them for about 8 seconds. Then, on a counter, apply pressure down on the lime with your palm and roll it back and forth.
You can easily make this spicy by muddling a few slices of jalapeno in the glass or cocktail shaker with lime juice and tequila.
Swap out the tequila for Mezcal to add a smoky flavor.
For more flavor, you can use flavored sparkling water, but again check for added ingredients that might make this margarita less skinny!
If you are missing the hint of orange that you traditionally get from Triple Sec, you can muddle some orange peel in the cocktail shaker.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between a margarita and a skinny margarita?

A skinny margarita is typically lower in calories and has less sugar than a margarita.
Skinny margs use fresh fruit and more natural sweeteners (if needed) to replace the mixers and extra liqueur in margaritas.

What’s the best tequila for margaritas?

If there is a tequila that you know you enjoy, use that! I prefer Silver or Platinum tequila over something aged, like a reposado (aged in oak barrels). One of my faves is Casamigos Silver Tequila. It has a hint of vanilla making it great on its own or in cocktails.

Deleon Platinum Tequila is another favorite. I was sent a bottle of this a few years ago. (See my Spicy Serrano Margarita recipe.) It was the smoothest, non-burning-your-throat-off tequila I’ve ever tasted.

Can you make a blended skinny margarita?

Yes! Just add the tequila and lime juice with ice in a high-powered blender. I would taste, then decide if you want to add in any agave or water. But because the ice will melt faster when blended, it might be enough dilution.

Overhead shot of my casa skinny margarita on a marble cutting board with a bar spoon laying next to it.

This super skinny margarita is quick and easy and won’t totally undo your diet (because if you’re like me, now that you are 40 your body stores food like a chipmunk stores nuts!)

I love making my house margarita when I have my girlfriends over. They all love sipping on them too.

More delicious margarita recipes

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