Garden Margarita Recipe

Prepare herbs and jalapeño

Rinse cilantro and pat dry. Roughly bruise the cilantro leaves and stems by clapping them between your hands or gently pressing with a spoon to release aromatics. Thinly slice the jalapeño; keep seeds if you want noticeable heat, remove seeds for milder infusion.

Combine with tequila

In a clean glass jar with a tight lid, add 2 cups blanco tequila, the bruised cilantro, and the sliced jalapeño. Seal the jar.

Infuse

Let the mixture infuse at room temperature for 4–12 hours for a bright, balanced flavor. Taste after 4 hours; for more pronounced heat and herb character, leave up to 24 hours but check every few hours to avoid overbitting. (If you prefer quick infusion, gently muddle cilantro and jalapeño in the tequila and rest 1–2 hours.)

Strain and store

When the infusion reaches the desired flavor, strain through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Discard solids. Refrigerate the infused tequila and use within 2–3 weeks for best freshness.

Prepare glass

Rub the lime wedge around the rim of a rocks or coupe glass. Dip the rim into a shallow dish of coarse salt or Tajín to coat. Fill the glass with fresh ice (if serving on the rocks) or leave chilled if serving straight up.

Mix

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz jalapeño–cilantro infused tequila, 1 oz fresh lime juice, 1 oz fresh orange juice, 0.5 oz agave syrup, and 0.5 oz Cointreau or triple sec (optional). Add about 1 cup of ice to the shaker.

Shake

Shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty and the ingredients are well-chilled and slightly diluted.

Double strain and serve

Double strain the cocktail into the prepared glass (over fresh ice for a rocks presentation or neat in a chilled coupe). This removes small ice shards and any herb bits.

Garnish

Garnish with a small sprig of cilantro and a thin jalapeño slice floated on top. Serve immediately.