Put down the margarita and try your hand at a new tequila cocktail. Made with freshly muddled grapefruit, orange, lime and mint, this triple citrus tequila smash is bursting with bright summer flavors for one refreshing sipper. Grab a seat on the patio with a few friends and serve this fun tequila cocktail with a big bowl of chips and salsa for the quintessential summer night.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
OK, who loves margaritas?
That's what I thought, and I get it. Margaritas are easily one of my favorite cocktails, especially this time of year. I'm pretty much a permanent fixture on our patio once the warm weather hits, and finding a margarita in my hand is not uncommon. Considering the many margarita recipes on Burrata and Bubbles, like this jalepeno-mango margarita, coconut margarita and roasted strawberry margarita, that probably sounds on-brand.
But sometimes change is good as I discovered when I recently tried a tequila smash at the Rio, which is one of Denver's most popular Mexican restaurants known for its strong margaritas. Now I'll always love my margaritas, but the tequila smash was such a nice change of pace. I mean, who doesn't love a cocktail with lots of fresh mint, lime and tequila?
Naturally, I decided to try my own hand at making a tequila smash after falling in love with this cocktail, but rather than going with a simple lime variation like the one at the Rio, I had to put my own spin on this cocktail. With the warm weather returning, I can't get enough citrus in my life, so the idea of a triple citrus bomb sounded perfect.
And it is. It really is.
Bonus: If you'd like another tequila option beyond typical margaritas, my tequila sour is also delicious.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Let's jump into it. For this cocktail, we need a touch of simple syrup. You can buy simple syrup, but I prefer to make it. The process is quick and easy with ingredients you already have on hand, so to me, it seems silly to buy it. But you do you.
To make the simple syrup, we bring equal parts water and sugar to a low boil and stir to dissolve the sugar. Once the sugar dissolves, which doesn't take long at this point, we remove the simple syrup from the heat and chill. See? How easy is that?
Now we can start on the rest of our triple citrus tequila smash. We begin by cutting grapefruit, orange and lime slices and throwing them into a cocktail shaker with fresh mint and our simple syrup. Grab a muddler and start breaking down the citrus until the trio releases all those bright juices.
From here, we add in our anejo tequila with a handful of ice and shake until the mixture is perfectly chilled. Strain that perfectly sweet and citrusy tequila smash into ice-filled glasses and add a mint sprig for garnish to make our drink even prettier. Sip away!
What Is Anejo Tequila?
You may have noticed that I specified anejo tequila in the recipe. There's a reason behind that.
Unlike typical silver tequila, anejo tequila is aged in oak barrels for one to three years, which adds more complexity with vanilla and fruity notes. You'll find the flavor of anejo tequila is much more nuanced than silver tequila and makes for a tastier drink.
Could you use a silver tequila in this recipe? Sure, but the end result won't be the same. I highly recommend adding a bottle of anejo tequila to your liquor cabinet. Trust me --- you'll be happy you did.
Perfect Pairing
Obviously, you can't go wrong with a little Tex-Mex when enjoying this triple citrus tequila smash, so I'm sure you'll love this cocktail with my beer-braised Mexican shredded beef. This shredded beef slowly cooks in a rich four-chile sauce until it's melt-in-your-mouth tender, and it's perfect for tacos, nachos, enchiladas or any other Tex-Mex dish you fancy. With a triple citrus tequila smash on the side, you'll have one delicious Tex-Mex meal that everyone will love.
Oh, and you won't regret serving this tequila smash with a little tropical pico de gallo on the side for good measure.
If you're ready for something a little different from your typical summer margarita, I hope you try this triple citrus tequila smash.
Cheers!
Love a Good Smash Cocktail?
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Triple Citrus Tequila Smash
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Muddler
- Jigger or small measuring cup
Ingredients
- 1 orange wedge
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 grapefruit wedge halved
- 8 mint leaves plus more for garnish if desired
- .75 ounce simple syrup homemade or store-bought (see note)
- 2 ounces anéjo tequila see note
- Ice
Instructions
- Add the orange wedge, lime wedge, grapefruit wedges, mint leaves and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Muddle until the fruits break down and release their juices.
- Pour in the tequila with a handful of ice. Put on the top and shake until chilled, about 15-30 seconds. Strain into ice-filled glasses and garnish with mint sprigs if desired. If using mint leaves for garnish, place the sprigs in one hand and clap the other hand on top of the sprigs to release their aromatic oils before adding to the glass. Enjoy!
Notes
- If making homemade simple syrup, simmer the 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to dissolve the sugar. As soon as the sugar dissolves, remove from heat. Allow to cool and store until chilled.
- Anejo tequila is aged in oak barrels for one to three years, which gives it a more nuanced taste. While you could use silver tequila, it wouldn't be the same drink because the flavors are so different. Anejo tequila is preferred in this recipe.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Erin Gierhart says
The flavors of citrus and mint are such a refreshing combination!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I love them together too!
Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life says
Margaritas are my favorite summertime drink, so I'm sure I'd love these! I'll definitely have to save this recipe for the next time we have a BBQ with friends.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
If you love margs, I'm sure you'll love this!
Anne Lawton says
THis is such a refreshing cocktail! Perfect to serve at our next outdoor party, thanks for sharing!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
You're welcome -- hope you love it!
Loreto and Nicoletta Nardelli says
Triple citrus tequila smash sounds like our favorite new summer cocktail, so refreshing and delicious!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I think it will be -- cheers!
Marisa F. Stewart says
What a pretty drink and I love a good citrus based beverage. With summer here I believe I should make a nice pitcher full for our next gathering. In fact, we have almost all of the ingredients. Triple Citrus Tequila Smash, here we come.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Yes! That sounds like a great plan.
Kylee from Kylee Cooks says
Oh yessssss. I love citrus in anything (I mean ANYTHING) but then you went and added tequila and took me right to my happy place. These look so refreshing - perfect for the Phoenix summer!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Hahaha, I think we're kindred spirits. Hope you make lots of them this summer!
Lindsey Pine says
This is my kind of cocktail! Love how fresh it is with all of that freshly squeezed citrus!
Tammy says
I love the combo of citrus fruits in here...sounds refreshingly delicious!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you --- it definitely is!
Colleen says
We love margaritas too, but this drink looks incredibly refreshing with all that citrus plus mint. I think a big batch of these will be a hit at our BBQ next weekend!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
I'm sure everyone will love it!
Liz Shaw says
Just added Anejo Tequila to my shopping list. Looks very refreshing for a hot summer day. Can't wait to try it! Pinned
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Yes! You won't regret it!
Elaine Benoit says
I love tequila cocktails and my hand is raised real high when you asked who loves margaritas. It's my favorite cocktail, but this tequila smash looks outstanding! I have to make this asap to see if it's as delicious as it looks!!
Rebecca Blackwell says
First of all, I'm in Denver too (hello neighbor!) and my husband and I go to the Rio (the one in Boulder) ALL THE TIME. We always get a margarita (duh!), and must be in a margarita rut, because I don't know how long it's been since I've actually looked at their other cocktail options. But this looks fabulous! I just might have to try it the next time we're there. Better yet, since you've generously shared this recipe, I'll just have to make these at home.
Sara says
Yessss. I'm all about any kind of tequila drink when it's hot outside! I made palomas last week (ugh, so good) ... and there is something so incredibly delicious about citrus juice and tequila coming together. I made mine with reposado, but your anejo for this recipe sounds like perfection! Cannot wait to add this to my lineup this summer!
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Reposado is usually my go-to tequila, but I do love anejo with these! Love a good paloma! ?