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Sweet and savory join forces for your new favorite summer cocktail! Basil provides an unexpected and refreshing take to the standard strawberry margarita.

Fresh ingredients from the garden!

Gluten-free!

Low-fat!

Low-calorie!

This is how I’m justifying drinking this all the time. Frankly, if you took out the tequila you could drink this for breakfast. Right? Right.

I never would have thought I would like the addition of herbs to my fruity summer cocktails, but I can thank a bartender friend of mine for making me one of these things years ago. These gorgeous, light, fresh liquidy things. I was hesitant at first, but after my first sip I was hooked.

Normally, I like my strawberry margaritas blended and as cold as you can get it. But for some reason, it’s not the same when I add basil. In my mind, frozen isn’t fresh – even if the ingredients are. A strawberry basil margarita needs to be muddled and served over ice. I’ve been trying to come up with a better word to describe this than “refreshing”. Because it is refreshing, but it’s more than that. Exhilarating? That’s overkill. Stimulating? Actually, for your taste buds – yes. They aren’t expecting the savory of the basil with the sweet of the strawberries.

I’ve written this as a single serving which makes it easy to multiply for whatever you need. I usually make these as single servings since it’s just for me, but if you make a pitcher’s worth it gets even better as it sits. The basil flavor becomes even more pronounced and it develops a nice rosy color. So basically, there’s no downside to making a pitcher and letting it hang out in your fridge (but no longer than 8 hours because then the basil leaves and strawberries turn into total mush – while it will still taste good, it won’t be the prettiest). Remember, that doesn’t mean I’m encouraging you to make a pitcher for yourself.

[whisper] Yes, I am.

Strawberry Basil Margarita

Prep Time: 5 mins
Total Time: 5 mins
Yield: 1 drink
Category: Drink

Print Recipe

Description

Sweet and savory join forces for your new favorite summer cocktail! Basil provides an unexpected and refreshing take to the standard strawberry margarita.

Ingredients

1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
4 strawberries, sliced or diced
4 basil leaves
1/2 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 tablespoon orange juice
2 ounces tequila
Salt or sugar, optional for rimming glass

Instructions

In a small saucepan, heat water and sugar until sugar dissolves and mixture is clear and no longer cloudy. This is your simple syrup! Set aside to cool or place in fridge to cool more quickly.
In a small bowl or glass, muddle strawberries, basil leaves, lime and orange juices.
Place in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well.
It’s optional, but now is when you’d want to rim your serving glass with salt or sugar and fill with ice. Pour mixture into prepared glass, sans ice from the shaker, and garnish with a strawberry and lime slice. Enjoy!