Vodka Margarita Recipe (aka Vodkarita)
A Vodka Margarita on the rocks is the perfect cocktail recipe for people who don’t like the taste of tequila.
This easy Margarita Recipe with vodka has that refreshing citrus flavor you expect in a margarita but is made without tequila. If you love to make cocktails at home, this one will quench your thirst and is ready in under 5 minutes!
QUICK LOOK: Vodka Margarita
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Servings: 1
- Calories: ~235 (based on nutrition panel in recipe card)
- Main Ingredients: vodka, triple sec or Cointreau, lime juice, orange juice, salt for the rim
- Equipment: cocktail shaker
- Elements of Taste: balanced citrus flavor with a smooth vodka finish
- Difficulty: Super Easy
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Why You’ll Love This Non-Tequila Margarita Recipe
A Vodka Margarita, also known as a Vodkarita, is the perfect quick and easy cocktail for you whether you love vodka or hate the taste of tequila. I love margaritas. But sometimes you want to get a little adventurous and change things up.
- This recipe is just as easy as a traditional margarita.
- It’s super simple to make in a cocktail shaker.
- The flavor is refreshing and citrusy and is great for vodka lovers.
- Adding a salted rim turns it into more of a margarita than a martini. (Learn how to salt a rim here).
- Adding a little orange juice plays up the citrus notes in the Triple Sec (or Cointreau).
Related: Vodka Gimlet
This Vodka Margarita with Cointreau is a great cocktail to serve any time of year but especially during margarita season (which in my house falls between March – September, then we switch gears into fall with a Pumpkin Margarita).
If you’re up on your vodka recipes, you may notice that this recipe is similar to a Kamikaze cocktail.
Ingredient Notes
- Vodka: Use your favorite vodka. Here’s what I think is the best vodka for Moscow Mules but would work perfectly here too.
- Fresh lime: fresh lime juice is essential to any good margarita recipe.
- Fresh orange juice: the fresh orange juice is a great compliment to the lime and gives it a smooth flavor rather than being too tart.
- Orange Liqueur: For the orange liqueur, you can use Triple Sec or another orange liqueur if you don’t have Cointreau.
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list.
Substitutions
Variations
How to Make a Vodka Margarita
If salting the rim: Use a wedge of fresh lime to rub on the rim of the glass. Dip the wet edge into a small pile of coarse margarita salt on a plate. Set aside until the cocktail is ready.
Step 1
Add vodka and Cointreau to a cocktail shaker.
This jigger, with one size measuring 1 ounce and the other side 2 ounces, is my favorite for making cocktails.
Step 2
Add fresh lime juice.
Step 3
Add fresh orange juice. Add ice to cocktail shaker and shake well.
Step 4
Strain the vodka margarita into the salt-rimmed cocktail glass, if using, over fresh ice.
I didn’t add a salt rim because I don’t prefer it. Even on a classic margarita.
TIP: If you find that the drink just isn’t tasting balanced, add a little bit of simple syrup (or cheater simple syrup). It always helps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use vodka instead of tequila in margaritas. A non-tequila margarita is delicious! While tequila is the traditional liquor for margaritas, you can easily swap it out for something else, like vodka.
A margarita made with vodka is called a vodkarita.
The best vodka for margaritas is whatever you have in the cupboard. Since you’ll be mixing the drink with fresh lime and orange liqueur, the flavor of the vodka isn’t as important as if you were making a drink that is mostly vodka. Plus vodka has a more neutral flavor than tequila.
Tito’s is a great brand to start with if you need to buy a new bottle.
To make this delicious recipe “frozen” simply add the ingredients into the pitcher of a high-powered blender. Add 1 cup of ice then blend well. Taste and adjust as needed. You may need a little more vodka to counteract any dilution. Serve immediately!
If you are out of fresh citrus or just want to speed up the process of making this cocktail, you can use a store-bought margarita mix or make a homemade margarita mix. Follow the recipe on the bottle and just use vodka in place of the tequila.
Related easy cocktails with vodka
More margarita recipes
Vodka Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 3/4 ounce orange juice
- Edible flowers or lime wedges for garnish
- Coarse salt to rim the glass, optional
Instructions
- If rimming the glass, use a piece of lime or orange and run it around the edge of the cocktail glass. Dip the wet area into a small pile of salt on a plate. Set aside.
- In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, Cointreau, lime juice and orange juice.
- Add ice and shake well.
- Strain into prepared glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and edible flower.
Notes
- You can easily make this a lemon vodka margarita by replacing the fresh lime and orange juices with lemon juice. Since lemon juice is more bitter, you may need to play around with the flavor a little.
- If you find that the drink just isn’t tasting balanced, add a little bit of simple syrup. It always helps!
- If you’re a fan of spicy margaritas, you can make this one bring the heat by muddling some fresh serrano peppers in the cocktail shaker then adding the rest of the ingredients as noted above.
- Want to turn this into a Strawberry Vodka Margarita? Muddle fresh strawberries in the cocktail shaker and then add the rest of the ingredients above. Or you can use some strawberry simple syrup as I do in my Strawberry Basil Margarita.
- You can use all kinds of spices and salts to rim a glass. Tajin is a classic rimmer, smoked salt would also be delicious. You can also use flavored salts and sugars. Just don’t use table salt.
- Use flavored vodkas like vanilla or marshmallow flavored to really change up the flavor of this drink!
Great flavor
Thank you! I’m glad you like it!