5 Simple Garnishes For Margaritas

Margaritas are perfect for the summertime, or any time really. Margaritas can be made in so many different ways too.

You can enjoy a traditional lime margarita or you can try some other flavor – like peach, mango, strawberry, watermelon, or something else. There are so many options. 

One of the best parts about making or enjoying a tasty margarita is adding a little bit of garnish.

The garnish really perfects the drink, especially if it is something that is fun and edible at the same time. The trick is finding something that will be simple to add! 

What is the best garnish for a margarita? The most popular garnish for a margarita is lime, as its acidic flavors tend to go well with most margarita flavors. However, many other fruits work well too, such as strawberries, oranges, and kiwis, as well as herbs like thyme and rosemary.

In this guide, we will share with you the best simple garnishes for margaritas. We’ve got some really great options to try and they are all simple and easy to use.

Most of the time, they are versatile and can be used with any flavor to make a statement and perfectly finish the margarita to perfection. 

Keep reading to learn more about 5 simple garnishes for margaritas. 

Choosing A Margarita Garnish

Before you pick out a garnish, we have a few little tidbits to share with you. While most garnish options are definitely versatile and can be used for just about any margarita flavor, it doesn’t mean that every garnish option is suitable for all. 

Consider some of this information before choosing your margarita garnish so you can ensure that you really choose an awesome option in the end!

Taste

In your recipe, you’re probably going for a specific flavor so take the time to choose your garnish based on the tastes you are going for.

Lime is probably one of the most popular choices and it pairs nicely with just about any flavor of margarita. 

However, maybe you don’t care for lime or you’re looking for something different from the traditional solution. Go for a taste that you and your guests will love and try to keep it fun and maybe slightly sassy while you’re doing it! 

Look

Are you going for a certain look? Some people use garnish specifically for an edible addition to their drink but that is not always the case. In many instances, the garnish is added to complete the look. 

If your garnish is meant to really create a great looking margarita, you will want to consider what you use for a garnish but also how you cut it or add it to the drink.

Does the color blend with the color of the drink? Is it cut pretty? Does it really look nice on the rim? All of these things are questions you might ask in this scenario. 

The 5 Best Simple Garnishes for Margaritas

Choosing a garnish for a margarita really can be simple. You can be creative and fun and choose from just about anything you like really but we’ve narrowed it down to these 5 really great options. 

Below, you will find our top 5 picks for simple garnishes for margaritas. 

1. Lime

Lime is probably the most popular garnish for margaritas, as well as other types of cocktails.

It’s simple and easy to add and you can cut it in different ways if you want to. 

When you use a lime to garnish your margarita, it gives the drink a little something sour and the lime accompanies the flavor of the margarita just fine in most cases.

It can be used for looks or it can be used to add a bit of zest and sour flavor as well – really whatever you prefer here! 

There are a couple of different ways to use lime as garnishment and it really depends on how you want to do it or how many garnishments you want to be able to make out of the lime.

Some people prefer to slice it in wedges because it’s just a simple slice. With wedges, you can get anywhere from 4-6 wedge cuts on any lime. You may be able to get 8 if you slice them really thin but we would estimate about 6. 

The other way to slice limes for garnishment is to slice them in rounds. In this case, you will simply cut off the ends and then cut small slices from the whole lime.

A small slice in the lime round will allow you to set it on the rim. How many rounds you get depends on how thinly you slice them but you will probably get 6-8 from this method on average. 

2. Orange

Citrus always pairs really well with a margarita, particularly when triple sec or Cointreau is in the margarita, which is how most margarita recipes are made.

Orange slices or wedges can work with a variety of margarita flavors but may clash with some options, like peach. 

However, orange is typically complementary to the flavors of a margarita simply because of the splash of triple sec, which is a citrus addition as well.

Just like with lime, there is more than one way that you can slice the orange to add it. Oranges are usually larger than limes so you have a few more options. 

Some people prefer to slice slim orange wedges for the rim.

You can absolutely do this but if it is a large orange it may seem a bit awkward or overly large for the rim. You can also do rounds with an orange, or perhaps even a half-round, which is the same but the orange is sliced in half first. 

Using a round almost gives it a bit of a spiral look and it is pretty cool on the side of the glass. We love the pop of color that using an orange adds and it works really well and adds that hint of flavor and citrus people really love as well. 

3. Strawberry

Strawberries are perhaps one of our favorite garnishes to add to a margarita. It’s almost like a tasty little treat right along with the tasty little drink.

Strawberries are a bright red color so they really pop when added to the rim of a margarita.

Just like with the other fruits we have mentioned, there is also more than one way that you can use a strawberry. It really depends on the look you are going for and what you’re trying to accomplish. 

You can also pair a strawberry piece with another garnishment as well and this works wonderfully. We recommend a strawberry with a lime or perhaps even maybe with an herb like rosemary or thyme. It’s so pretty! 

You can use a whole strawberry, a half of a strawberry, or maybe even a strawberry wedge or round. These are pretty versatile to cut them how you like. 

4. Herbs

Herbs are another popular option to garnish drinks with. It’s a great option for margaritas but can also be used with a ton of other cocktails as well.

Herbs usually work best when you pair them with something else, just because they can be hard to place and get to stay at the top of the drink. 

With that in mind, it doesn’t mean you can’t use a fresh herb by itself. We love the way an herb can finish the look and make it a bit earthy. The flavors of certain herbs typically will complement the flavors of the drink as well. 

We recommend using either rosemary or thyme for the most part. Depending on your flavor of margarita, you might also be able to use parsley or mint as well.

Herbs are fresh and flavorful and they will also add aroma to the drink. 

5. Kiwi

Finally, consider using kiwi for your margarita garnish. Kiwi should be peeled and just sliced in rounds for this purpose. Not everyone likes the flavor or taste of kiwi but it sure looks nice when used as a garnishment. 

When you slice it into rounds, the different color shades and the seeds really stand out and they look awesome on the rim of a glass.

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