The ultimate fruity summer margarita is here! With the perfect balance of sweet and tart, this strawberry-kiwi margarita is everything you love in a summer cocktail. This easy margarita recipe features freshly muddled strawberries and kiwi with a healthy dose of tequila to keep the good times coming.
Is it even summer without a fruity cocktail in hand? Without a doubt, summer calls for all the fruit-forward drinks. Some of my favorites include this blueberry bourbon smash, coconut-watermelon mojito and strawberry-rhubarb gin fizz, and I'm officially adding this margarita to the list. After one sip, I'm sure you'll do the same.
While this strawberry-kiwi margarita certainly fits the fruity description, it's not overly sweet. This cocktail still has enough tart notes to keep the double dose of fruit from being cloying. We just get total refreshment that's perfect for patio sipping with friends.
Ingredients
Before we start mixing, let's get organized. For this extra fruity margarita, we'll need strawberries, kiwi, lime, tequila, orange liqueur and simple syrup.
To prep our fruit, we peel the kiwi and hull and half the strawberries. While you could throw in the strawberries whole, I find they break down even easier when muddling if they're already halved, and that means we can sip on our delicious drink that much sooner.
When I make my margaritas, I like to use reposado tequila, which is aged in oak barrels for at least two months. Reposado adds a depth of flavor that I love. That said, you're more than welcome to use blanco tequila if you prefer.
Triple sec is the common go-to for orange liqueur. It's affordable and works just fine in this recipe, but if you want to make this a top-shelf margarita, I recommend Grand Marnier or Cointreau.
While the fruit adds sweetness, both kiwis and strawberries are tart, so I find a touch of simple syrup smooths out the flavors. You can buy simple syrup, but it's so easy to make that I never bother. Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar together, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Just like that, you have homemade simple syrup that will last for weeks in the refrigerator.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now that we prepped our ingredients and picked our alcohol of choice, let's start mixing! We grab a cocktail shaker and add our strawberries, kiwi and freshly squeezed lime juice. To ensure we get all the lime goodness, I recommend using a handheld juicer. Now we muddle until the fruit breaks down and leaves us with its sweet and tart juice.
From here, we add our tequila, orange liqueur and a handful of ice. Put the top on and give it a good shake for 15-30 seconds. With all that mashed up fruit, we'll need to replace the standard cocktail shaker top with a cocktail strainer to prevent blockage. We strain into ice-filled glasses and garnish with fresh strawberries and kiwi slices if we're feeling extra fancy. Sip away, friends!
Perfect Pairing
Clearly, this margarita was made for Taco Tuesday, which always calls for fresh salsa. With that in mind, you'll love this fruity margarita with my tropical pico de gallo. This pico de gallo includes fresh ginger, and I love how that touch of spice works with our tart fruit.
For the ultimate fruity summer cocktail, I hope you try this strawberry-kiwi margarita. Please let me know how you enjoyed this strawberry-kiwi cocktail recipe in the comment section and don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter. You can also catch me on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
Cheers!
Love Margaritas?
- Italian margarita
- Raspberry-peach margarita
- Blood orange margarita
- Jalapeno-mango margarita
- Coconut margarita
Strawberry-Kiwi Margarita
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Muddler
- Jigger or small measuring cup
- Citrus juicer
Ingredients
- 2 strawberries hulled and halved
- ½ kiwi peeled
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice about 1 lime
- 2 ounces tequila preferably reposado
- 1 ounce orange liqueur preferably Grand Marnier or Cointreau
- 1 ounce simple syrup homemade or store-bought
- Ice
- Lime slices for garnish, optional
- Coarse sea salt for garnish, optional
- Strawberries for garnish, optional
- Kiwi slices for garnish, optional
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add the strawberries, kiwi and lime juice. Muddle until the fruit breaks down and is mostly liquified.
- Add the tequila, orange liqueur, simple syrup and a handful of ice. Put the cocktail shaker top on and shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds.
- If desired, run a lime slice along the rim of your serving glass. Pour coarse sea salt onto a small plate and swirl the moistened rim in the salt. Add ice to the serving glass.
- Replace the cocktail shaker top with a cocktail strainer. Strain into ice-filled glass. Garnish with a lime slice, strawberry and kiwi slice if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- If making your own simple syrup, add 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring often to dissolve the sugar. Allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several weeks.
- For full tips, please see blog post.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Emily says
This strawberry kiwi margarita was a huge hit! Such amazing flavor, and beautiful presentation too.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you so much, Emily! It makes me happy to hear that.
Seema says
How cool is this!! Love the perfect pairing that you have put together with the drink. Really enjoyed every sip.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Glad you enjoy that!
Alex says
I'm here for ANY spin on a margarita - they're my favorite, and this was so good! Adding fresh fruit rather than syrups is always the way to go too. So perfect for summer!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Absolutely! It’s one I enjoy over and over again during the summer.
Biana says
This margarita was so summery and fresh tasting. We enjoyed it so much. Such a great summer drink!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you! It’s one of my favorites.
Sarah Baumeister says
I feel like strawberry kiwi used to be THE flavor and then I didn't see it for a while. I'm so happy to see you bring it back. Yummy summer drink!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
It totally takes me back to the Snapple days! It’s such a great combo!
Sara says
Margaritas are my one of my favorite cocktails, and this strawberry kiwi margarita is DELICIOUS! Such an awesome, fruity twist! I am seriously going to make these through the rest of the summer!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I don't blame you! It's been my drink of the summer.
Veronika says
This is exactly what I needed! Loved the mix of strawberries and kiwi. They made the drink so refreshing and flavorful! I can't wait to make this again. Is it 5 o'clock yet? 😉
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You know what they say about 5 o'clock! Cheers!
Tammy says
Your photos are SO beautiful and this drink was lovely! It's a perfect summertime cocktail and I could go for one now 😀 Cheers!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you so much, Tammy!
Ramona says
This strawberry-kiwi margarita looks soo refreshing and perfect for summer when your craving a cold drink. Strawberry and kiwi are two of my favourite fruits so this is perfect!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I bet you'll love it!
Karen says
You're right - I think this margarita is what I will drink for the rest of the summer! Love the kiwi.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Totally! I think I may have to make another round myself this weekend. ?
Chef Dennis says
This strawberry-kiwi margarita looks deliciously refreshing! I can't wait to have a sip. Perfect for summer indeed!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I hope you love it, Dennis! It's a delight.
Kathryn Donangelo says
LOVED this margarita recipe! Strawberry and Kiwi makes a killer combo, wow!! 🙂
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Aren't they so tasty together?! Glad you enjoyed!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Aren't they great together? So glad you liked it!
Marta says
I love that you're using reposado in this margarita instead of the blanco. This is going to be a huge hit with my friends.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I really think it adds a more interesting flavor! It's my favorite.