21 Delicious cocktails made with tequila or mezcal

This cocktail is called verde paloma and was created by Mexico City mixologist Ricardo Sandoval.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 oz. Don Julio Blanco tequila 
• 2/3 oz. fresh lime juice   
• 1/2 oz. agave nectar 
• a pinch of salt  
• 5 mint leaves 
• some San Pellegrino Pompelmo  
• cucumber and mint leaves for garnishing

Directions:

1. Mix the tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, salt, mint leaves, and some ice in a shaker.  
2. Pour the mix over ice in a short glass. 
3. Add a dash of San Pellegrino Pompelmo.
4. Garnish with some cucumber slices and mint leaves.

What better cocktail to celebrate the Mexican culture and history than one created as an allusion to the withdrawal of the French troops from Mexico! 

Get the full recipe from SeriousEats.com.

If you love watermelon agua fresca (I know I do!), then this concoction is for you. It is extremely refreshing, which makes it the perfect drink for a hot summer day. And, if you prefer another flavor, you can just replace the watermelon in this recipe with the fruit of your choice.  

Get the full recipe at Food & Wine.

The Mexican 75 mixes tequila silver with fresh lime juice, champagne, or sparkling wine and agave nectar, and it's served in a champagne flute. This is a really chic drink that can easily replace the traditional mimosa at your next brunch. 

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. lime juice, fresh 
• 4 oz. tequila silver 
• 4 tsp. agave nectar 
• Ice
• Champagne or sparkling wine

Directions:

1. In a shaker, place lime juice, tequila, and agave nectar.  
2. Fill shaker halfway with ice. Shake ingredients for 15-20 seconds, or until chilled.
3. Strain tequila mixture evenly between two 8 oz. champagne flutes.
4. Fill each flute three-fourths full with champagne or sparkling wine.
5. Garnish with salt or sugar and a lime and enjoy!

(Recipe courtesy of Evolving Table)

This cocktail was created by New York City mixologist Alex Valencia. The name was inspired by the Tequila Express, a train service that operates between Guadalajara and a tequila distillery in another municipality of the state of Jalisco. 

Ingredients:

• 2 parts tequila silver, such as Tres Agaves Blanco 
• 3/4 parts fresh lime juice
• 3/4 parts agave nectar
• 1 jalapeño slice (no seeds)
• 2 cucumber slices   
• 6 to 8 basil leaves
• 2 Tbsp. Tajín

Directions: 

1. Place basil first, then jalapeno and cucumber slices in a shaker.
2. Add agave syrup and muddle.
3. Add in the rest of the ingredients and ice.
4. Shake, double strain and serve over ice in lowball glass.
5. Garnish with a Tajín rim.

This drink pairs some serious spiciness with an aged tequila (our recommendation below!) for an amazing and delicious kick.

Ingredients:

• 2 parts Tres Agaves Reposado Tequila
• 2 parts pear puree
• 2 dashes habanero bitters
• 1 part agave nectar
• Seeds of 1 jalapeno pepper, muddled

Directions:

1. Rim the glass with black pepper and salt.
2. Muddle seeds of Jalapeno pepper in the pre-rimmed margarita glass.
3. Pour the remaining ingredients into the glass.
4. Top off with ice and stir.

Give the classic mojito a Mexican twist with some tequila. 

Get the full recipe at MyRecipes.com.

This delicious cocktail is a creation of Mexico City's mixologist Mica Rousseau.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 oz. Tequila Don Julio Blanco  
• 1/4 oz. Ancho Reyes Verde Chile Liqueur 
• 1 oz. fresh pink grapefruit juice  
• 1/2 oz. simple syrup  
• 8 to 10 fresh cilantro leaves  
• A dash of San Pellegrino sparkling water   
• Cilantro leaves to garnish

Directions:

1. Place the Tequila Don Julio Blanco, the Ancho Reyes Verde, fresh pink grapefruit juice, the simple syrup, and the cilantro leaves in a shaker with some ice. Shake well.
2. Pour over fresh ice. 
3. Add a dash of San Pellegrino sparkling water. 
4. Garnish with some cilantro leaves.

This glorious cocktail mixes two of Tiffani Thiessen's favorite foods: passion fruit and ginger.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup tequila 
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 
• 8-10 passion fruits, pulp and seeds only 
• 3 Tbsp. ginger shrub 
• Fresh mint for garnish 
• Seltzer water

Directions:  

1. Combine orange juice, tequila, passion fruit and ginger shrub in a large pitcher.
2. Serve on the rocks with a splash of seltzer and garnish with fresh mint.

Recipe, which serves 4, courtesy of Tiffani Thiessen.

Rum punch made with tequila? I'm in!

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. tequila 
• 1 oz. coconut rum 
• 1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice 
• 1/4 oz. lemon juice 
• 3 oz. seltzer

Directions:

1. In a large cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, coconut rum, pineapple juice, and lemon juice.
2. Shake well.
3. Pour over ice and top with seltzer and a lemon wedge.

(Recipe courtesy of BeyondFrosting.com)

Ingredients:

• 2 orange slices
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• Dash of angostura bitters
• 1/2 oz. Herradura Añejo Tequila
• 2 cherries

Directions: 

1. In a short glass, place the orange slices, the sugar, and a dash of Angostura bitters.
2. Put some ice in the glass and pour the tequila over it.
3. Garnish with the two cherries.

If you love white sangria and you also like tequila, then I am sure you will love this recipe, courtesy of renowned chef Bobby Flay. 

Ingredients:

• 2 lemons, sliced into thin rounds  
• 2 limes, sliced into thin rounds  
• 1 navel orange, halved and sliced into thin rounds  
• 12 large fresh mint leaves, torn  
• 2/3 cup agave nectar syrup 
• 1/2 cup silver tequila 
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice 
• 1 bottle white wine, chilled, such as a Sauvignon Blanc 
• 2 cups lemon-lime soda, chilled

Directions: 

1. Place the sliced fruit and mint in a large pitcher and use a muddler to mash them together.
2. Add the agave syrup, tequila, and lime juice.
3. Stir, and then stir in the white wine.
4. Cover and refrigerate at least four hours and up to 24 hours.

This drink was also created by mixologist Alex Valencia from New York City's La Contenta Restaurant. 

Ingredients:

• 2 parts tequila reposado, such as Tres Agaves Reposado  
• 1/2 part grapefruit juice  
• 3/4 parts lime juice  
• 3/4 parts demerara syrup  
• A dash Angostura bitters  
• Mexican grapefruit soda (such as Squirt or Jarritos)

Directions:

1. Add all ingredients except soda in the shaker.
2. Add ice, shake, and strain over ice.
3. Top off with Mexican soda and garnish with lime wheel in a highball glass.

With a name like that, I so wanna try this drink. 

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Don Julio Añejo Tequila
• 1/2 oz. dry vermouth
• 1/2 oz. Pineau de Charentes wine
• A dash of champagne

Directions:

1. Pour the tequila, vermouth, and wine in a shaker or tall glass, and add some ice.
2. Mix well using a bar spoon.
3. Pour into a champagne glass and add a dash of champagne.

Pomegranate juice mixed with tequila is simply delicious, and if you throw in some jalapeño, you have a winning concoction.  

Get the full recipe at FreutCake.com.

Blood orange is so good and the color just makes it so perfect for the season. Besides the orange, this drink is made with gold tequila, lime simple syrup, and ginger ale. 

Get the full recipe at HowSweetEats.com.

This elegant cocktail was created by mixologist Elliot Clark for an event for fashion designer Monique Lhuillier. It contains some reposado tequila, fresh lime juice, spiced pear liqueur, organic maple syrup, and Angostura bitters.

Get the full recipe at Pottery Barn.

Ingredients: 

• 1/2 oz. honey
• 1/2 oz. lime juice
• 1 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1 oz. pineapple juice
• 2 small slices of jalapeño 
• 2 oz. tequila silver
• Slices of jalapeño
• Lime juice
• Salt for garnishing

Directions:

1. Place two slices of jalapeño in a shaker and muddle.
2. Add the honey first and then the rest of the ingredients (except for the salt and jalapeño slices for garnishing).
3. Add some ice and shake well for 10 seconds.
4. Garnish the rim of a glass with lime and salt and add some fresh ice.
5. Strain the mix and pour in the glass.
6. Add two jalapeño slices.

This is the second watermelon cocktail I've shown you, so make sure to include this delicious fruit on your grocery list. 

Get the full recipe at Food & Wine.

If you are not Mexican, you might be surprised to learn that margarita is not the most popular drink in Mexico. There, people prefer la paloma de tequila, which is made with tequila silver and grapefruit soda. 

Get the full recipe at Bon Appétit.

This drink brings me back to my college years, when I had just started drinking alcohol and this was one of the first cocktails I had. I used to love it back then, and still love it today. It is one of my drinks of choice when I go on vacation. 

Get the full recipe at AllRecipes.com.