Sweet & Spicy with a refreshing twist describes these Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas perfectly!
I love a good margarita, the problem is, they are hard to find! Every once in a while, Jeff and I will go to a Mexican restaurant that really knows how to make a good margarita. One that isn't too sour, isn't too sweet, and isn't too acidic!
I can't say that I've ever had a margarita that is as good as this recipe though. We had a friend over for dinner and I whipped up a batch. He politely told me that he wasn't a fan of margaritas, but would try one.
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Well, not only did we finish off two batches, the next time he came over, he brought a bottle of Tequila and requested me to make the Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas for him!
That's when I knew this recipe had earned a place on my blog.
I'm using the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender to make this margarita mix, but you can use any blender and a food processor might work too!
What is the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender?
It's the BEST blender I've ever owned! I absolutely love it! Not only does it whip up fantastic frozen drinks, it also makes hot dips/sauces, soups, and more.
I've had blenders in the past that couldn't crush a piece of ice if I begged and pleaded. I remember many a pool party where my plan was to make frozen drink concoctions and they failed because the ice was not blended smooth.
The Cold & Hot Blender makes the smoothest frozen drinks, just like a professional frozen drink machine does. It's incredible.
If you want to check out all the recipes I've made so far using the blender, here is the link: Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender Recipes
I simply can't say enough good things about the blender, but you can make this recipe with any high speed blender!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! I've made this recipe with and without the jalapeño and it is great either way. You can also decide how much spice you want by adding in less jalapeño and removing the seeds.
Yep! I would make up the basic mix without the alcohol and freeze in ice cube trays, then transfer to a freezer bag or other freezer container until you want to make up a batch. You can also freeze the mix with the alcohol, but keep in mind that alcohol doesn't freeze, so you will have a slushy mix. In this instance, I would simply freeze in a freezer bag.
I haven't tested the recipe that way, but I don't see why not. Simply adjust the sugar substitute for the level of sweetness you want.
I really encourage you to use fresh lime juice for the best flavor, but in a pinch bottled lime juice will work. You may need to adjust the sweetness by adding more sugar.
Of course! Simply make the mix as instructed and leave out the Tequila. You can replace it with a carbonated flavored club soda if you want, but add that in AFTER you blend the mix!
You can use any kind of tequila you like. The one I use and love in this recipe is Camareno Silver. It's smooth and yummy!
What to serve with Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas
These margaritas go perfectly with any Mexican themed dinner and they are great all by themselves, too!
Depending on whether you want a full meal or some yummy appetizers, here are some of my suggestions.
Appetizers
Taquitos: Simply make up a batch of this Mexican Shredded Chicken and roll up some corn tortillas with the shredded chicken and cheese of your choice. Then you can either fry them in oil or use your air fryer to air fry them until they are golden brown. You will have to spritz them with oil if using the air fryer.
This Mexican Shredded Chicken is so easy to make and can be used in tons of different ways. It can be made ahead of time and frozen, so you can whip up appetizers or dinner in no time at all!
Corn tortillas can be fussy to roll, they tend to break, but I have found that if you spritz them with oil first and air fry on 450℉/230℃ for 3-5 minutes, flipping half way, they are so much easier to roll!
You can also fry them longer to get them crispy and pile them up with all the fixings for Tostadas!
Flautas
These are probably my favorite appetizer of all! I'm not sure why I haven't made them homemade, that is going to have to change. I think you can even buy them frozen and just reheat for a quick appetizer.
Chips & Salsa
Put out a bowl of chips with your favorite salsa and call it a day. Sit back, relax and sip on your Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita!
Dinner
If you want to whip up a dinner to eat while sipping on your margaritas, here are my suggestions!
Beef or Chicken Enchiladas made with a Homemade Enchilada Sauce can't be beat. Simple and delicious!
Chimichangas are probably my favorite. I love making them in the air fryer!
Don't skip the rice and refried beans either! Both are made homemade and they are incredible!
If you want something a little less common, try out either of these recipes!
Mexican Pot Roast with rice and beans
Mexican Pot Roast Mexican Manicotti
Or, if want a lighter dinner, why not whip up a soup in the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender!
Both of these soups are super easy to make and they are delicious! Don't forget the tortillas on top, like I did when making the chicken tortilla soup!
Enchilada Soup Chicken Tortilla Soup
Whatever you choose to serve with your Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas you are going to love this drink!
Frozen or On The Rocks?
That is up to you! I will go over both ways to serve your margaritas in this recipe and you can make it however you like.
You can even do half and half. Simply make the mix and pour out the amount you want for making an on the rocks margarita and then make the rest frozen.
Salt or No Salt?
I always order my margaritas without salt, but when I was taking the photos for this recipe, I tried one with the salt and I might be a convert!
I really enjoyed that bit of saltiness with my cucumber jalapeño margarita!
I have a cocktail rimmer that I used from Pampered Chef, but they no longer carry it.
There is one on Amazon that looks pretty cool because it has a place for the lime juice, sugar, and salt. I might have to pick on up!
If you are interested in checking it out, here is the link: 3 tiered drink rimmer
How to make Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas
The base recipe is the same whether you want frozen or on the rocks, so I'll start with that.
Basic Mix
Add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of sugar to the Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender. Put the lid on and select the manual cook function on high for 5-10 minutes or until the sugar has melted. Use the pulse button to mix the sugar and water together.
Add ½ jalapeño pepper to the blender. You can decide if you want to keep the seeds in or remove them depending on how spicy you want your margarita. You can also add in the entire jalapeño if you want. Or omit it if you don't want any spice.
Cut the limes in half. Save ½ of a lime for garnish. Peel the skin off of the remaining limes. I use the pulp and the juice, but you can simple squeeze the lime juice into the blender if you want. Add the peeled limes to the blender.
Peel the orange, making sure to get most of the white pith off because it is bitter and will make your margarita a bit bitter. Add the flesh of the orange to the blender.
Cut up the cucumber into large chunks, you can keep the skin on, and add to the blender.
Put the lid on the blender and hit the extract button.
If you don't have the extract button, use this guide to manually recreate it as best as you can.
Ninja Foodi Cold & Hot Blender Guide
That is the basic mix. You can either strain it or leave the pulp in. I usually strain it for on the rocks margaritas and leave the pulp in for the frozen ones.
On the Rocks Margarita
If you want a clear looking margarita, you will want to strain out the pulp. Then, you can either chill the margarita mix for a few hours or shake with ice to cool it faster. Put ice in your glass, add the desired amount of tequila, and pour in the cucumber and jalapeño margarita mix.
Serve & Enjoy!
Frozen Margarita
I recommend making the frozen margaritas in batches because you need a good amount of ice and if you don't add enough ice because you run out of room in the blender, your drink won't have the right consistency.
I removed all of the margarita mix from the blender and then made the frozen margarita by adding 2 cups of ice, ¼ cup of the pulp, ¼ cup of tequila, and ¾ cup of the strained margarita mix. This made two good size drinks that were a really nice consistency.
This frozen margarita was not heavy on the alcohol at all, so if you wanted a boozier drink, then I would add in more tequila (of course) AND add in another ½-1 cup of ice, depending on much tequila you added.
Select the frozen drink function and serve!
Whether you are a fan of frozen margaritas or prefer them on the rocks, these Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas are sure to please!
Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita
Print Recipe Pin RecipeEquipment
- Ninja Foodi Cold and Hot Blender
Ingredients
Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita Basic Mix
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 limes divided in recipe
- 1 orange
- ½ jalapeño pepper
- ½ cucumber
Instructions
Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita Mix
- Add the sugar and the water to the cold & hot blender and select the manual cook function on high. Cook for 10 minutes and pulse x 2 to get the mixture well blended. If you don't have the Cold & Hot Blender, make the simple syrup on the stove in a small saucepan and then pour into your high speed blender.
- While the sugar and water is heating, cut the limes in half and reserve 1 half for garnish. Peel the skin off of the remaining limes, make sure to get the white part (pith) because it is bitter. You should be left with the flesh of the lime only. Peel the orange the same way, you will only use the flesh of the orange. Cut the cucumber into chunks
- Add the jalapeño, cucumber, flesh from the limes and orange to the blender. Put the lid on and select the extract function. If you don't have the C&H Blender, then use the highest speed on your blender for about 45-60 seconds.
- Strain the liquid through a fine sieve strainer to remove the pulp (reserve the pulp for frozen margaritas) and refrigerate until ready to mix up your margaritas. You can also freeze this mix for use later.
Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita On The Rocks
- Add ice to your glass, pour in the desired about of tequila and top with margarita mix. Stir and Enjoy!
Frozen Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas
- Add 2 cups of ice, ¼ cup tequila, ¼ cup of the pulp (optional) and ¾ cup of the margarita mix. Select the frozen drink button. Pour into glasses and serve. This will make about 2 frozen margaritas, depending on the size of your glass.
- Cheers!
Notes
Nutrition
ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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