If you love a good spicy margarita, then you have to try this recipe that uses honeydew and fresh basil. A little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, this margarita on the rocks is a must make for summertime! For a quick overview of this recipe, check out my web story for this spicy margarita with honeydew!
This recipe was developed a few years back when I had a super ripe honeydew melon sitting on my counter that was about to go to waste. I blended it up, added some lime juice and tequila, and then decided to add in a little bit of fresh basil and cayenne. It has now become one of our favorite summer drinks!
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🌶 Ingredient notes
- Honeydew - Depending on your blender and the ripeness of the honeydew, the mixture may need to be strained of the larger pieces of honeydew. For extra sweetness, you can add a bit of agave syrup to the honeydew puree.
- Lime juice - As much as I hate squeezing limes, fresh lime juice really adds a nice bright flavor to these margaritas. You will need about 4 limes for 4 ounces of juice, but remember to grab a couple extra for garnish and for rubbing on the rim of each glass.
- Tajin Classico - Tajin Classico is a chili lime seasoning that goes really well with fruit and is perfect to rim the glasses of these spicy margaritas.
- Basil - The fresh basil leaves in this recipe add a subtle freshness to the honeydew puree that also helps to balance out the cayenne pepper. They also make a beautiful garnish to the drink!
- Cayenne pepper - This is what makes this margarita spicy and can be adjusted for your liking!
🍹 Step by step instructions
First, remove the peel and seeds from the honeydew half and cut the fruit into one inch pieces. You should have about 4 cups.
Puree the honeydew pieces in the blender on high until liquified. You should have about 2 cups of puree.
Add lime juice, tequila, basil leaves and cayenne pepper and blend until everything is combined and basil leaves are pureed. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings if you like.
Rub a lime wedge around the outside of each glass to wet the rim.
Dip the wet edge of each glass into the Tajin Classico seasoning.
Fill each glass with ice and evenly divide the margarita mixture between the four glasses.
Garnish with a lime wheel and fresh basil leaf and enjoy responsibly!
⭐ Top tip
A super-ripe honeydew will make blending easier and make a sweeter taste to your margarita. A ripe honeydew will have more of a yellow rind that is smooth and slightly soft when pressed.
📖 Recipe
Honeydew Basil Spicy Margarita
If you love a good spicy margarita, then you have to try this recipe that uses honeydew and fresh basil. A little bit sweet and a little bit spicy, this margarita on the rocks is a must make for summertime!
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Blender
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- ½ medium honeydew melon, approximately 4 cups chopped honeydew
- 4 ounces fresh lime juice, approximately 4 limes
- 4 ½ ounces tequila
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 large fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
- Lime wedges and wheels for garnish, optional
- Tajin Classico for garnish, optional
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Remove seeds and peel and cut honeydew into one inch cubes. It should be approximately 4 cups of honeydew pieces.
- Blend honeydew pieces in a blender on high until liquefied. Depending on the type of blender and ripeness of the honeydew, the mixture may need to be strained to remove larger chunks. You should have approximately 2 cups of honeydew puree.
- Add tequila, lime juice, basil leaves, and cayenne to the blender and blend until basil leaves are pureed and everything is well combined. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning as desired.
- Run a lime wedge around the edge of each glass to wet it and then dip all the edges of the glass in Tajin Classico seasoning to coat the rim.
- Fill prepared glasses with ice and pour margarita mixture over the ice. Garnish with a fresh lime wheel and fresh basil leaf.
Keywords: basil, cocktail, honeydew, margarita, tequila, spicy
📋 Variations
- Not spicy - Omit the cayenne pepper for a less spicy version of this cocktail.
- Non-alcoholic - Omit the tequila and after blending all of the ingredients stir in 2 cups of club soda or lemon lime soda before serving.
💭 Frequently asked questions
Tequila blanco or silver tequila is best for margaritas. It's only aged up to 60 days so the flavor is more pure and mixes well into margaritas.
🍹 More cocktail recipes
If you loved this recipe for my honeydew basil spicy margarita, check out these other fun cocktail recipes that I know you will love too!
Don't forget! If you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and give it a rating. I love to hear from each and every one of you! Tag me on Facebook and Instagram as well! It makes my day to see all of your photos of the food you have made.
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