Red Pepper Sangrita Margarita

Red Pepper Sangrita Margarita - Tequila Cocktail Recipe
Tony Robins / Photolibrary / Getty Images
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

Is it a margarita, a bloody Mary, or a sangrita? This cocktail recipe is a fabulous concoction that brings in elements of all three drinks to create a savory, spicy tequila cocktail that's definitely worth trying.

The red pepper sangrita margarita was created for Cabo Wabo Tequila to showcase the brand's blanco tequila. The recipe is rather easy once you have the pepper mix perfected to your taste. It's a brilliant ingredient that begins with a tomato base, adds a touch of sour mix, then gives it a savory touch with a red pepper puree, and turns up the heat with habanero hot sauce.

Experiment with it a little, adding or subtracting some heat as you see fit. Once you have your ideal mix, make a larger batch, bottle it and you'll have a quick, spicy drink waiting for the tequila and a quick shake.

Ingredients

For the Pepper Mix:

  • 2 cups tomato juice

  • 1/3 cup sour mix

  • 1/3 cup roasted red pepper purée

  • 1 dash habanero hot sauce, or to taste

For the Margarita:

  • 1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila

  • 2 1/2 ounces pepper mix

  • Lime wedge, for garnish

  • Red bell pepper slice, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Pepper Mix

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a small bowl, stir the tomato juice, sour mix, and red pepper puree together.

  3. Add habanero hot sauce (1 dash at a time) to suit your taste.

  4. Store in the refrigerator in a sealed glass container. It will keep for about 1 week.

Make the Red Pepper Sangrita Margarita

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Combine the tequila and pepper mix with ice in a cocktail shaker.

  3. Roll the contents from one shaker into another five times. Alternatively, stir or shake the cocktail.

  4. Strain into a chilled margarita glass.

  5. Garnish with a lime wedge or red pepper slice. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • As written, the pepper mix recipe makes about 20 ounces, enough for 8 of these margaritas.
  • Increase or decrease the batch as needed. Keep the ratio at 3 parts tomato juice to 1 part each of the pepper puree and sour mix, add the hot sauce, then make adjustments to any of the ingredients.
  • The red pepper puree is not meant to be spicy (the Tabasco takes care of that). Instead, make it with red bell peppers (it may also be found at stores). If you want it a little spicier, toss in a chile pepper.
  • To make 1 cup of roasted red pepper puree, roast 2 red bell peppers on a foil-lined pan in a 500 F oven for 30 to 40 minutes, flipping the peppers every 10 minutes. Once the peppers collapse, remove from the oven and let cool. Remove the stem, skin, seeds, and core from each pepper, then place in a food processor. Blend with a pinch of salt and drizzle in about 1/4 cup of olive oil. It will store in the refrigerator for up to a week or the freezer for a month under a tight seal.
  • Plastic containers may soak up the spices and can leave behind residual odors or flavors. It's best to store this mix in a non-porous container like glass.
  • The pepper mix also makes a good bloody mary base and can be used as a sangrita chaser.

How Strong Is a Red Pepper Sangrita Margarita?

This margarita definitely packs more of a flavor punch than an alcohol bite. Its alcohol content is relatively mild, weighing in somewhere around 13 percent ABV (26 proof), or about the strength of a glass of wine.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
232 Calories
1g Fat
25g Carbs
3g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 232
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 71mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 9%
Dietary Fiber 6g 20%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 286mg 1,430%
Calcium 65mg 5%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 493mg 10%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)