Minty Mango Margarita Punch — refreshing, bright and perfect for sharing.
I don’t think it’s possible to ever get tired of margaritas. Whether blended in a frosty or served on the rocks, they’re endlessly satisfying.
Last year I made mango margarita frostys and loved them (I even sprinkled chili powder on top). They were fun to make and drink, but I’m really a rocks-and-salt margarita person — unless it’s sweltering outside. For this punch I went with rocks plus a salty chili sugar rim.
We’ve been on a mango kick while our kitchen is being renovated. I’ve been buying pre-cut fruit and we’ve had some of the best mango — Max can’t decide between pineapple and mango and calls them both by the other name, which is the cutest thing.
For a crowd, this is the perfect pitcher of boozy minty mango margaritas. The mango puree, bright lime and mint syrup come together with tequila and Grand Marnier to make a punch that’s fresh, balanced and festive.
This recipe pairs well with lots of Cinco de Mayo-worthy dishes. For cocktails, a rosé sangria or pineapple sangria are favorites, and there are countless margarita variations to try — watermelon rosé, blueberry hibiscus, key lime beergaritas, strawberry, kiwi, mango-jalapeño and coconut creamsicle, to name a few. For a mojito twist, try mojito margaritas or pink grapefruit margaritas with chili salt.
When it comes to snacks and mains, think nachos, tacos and enchiladas. Slow-cooker carne asada nachos, green chile beef sheet pan nachos, green chile queso dip, and a caramelized pineapple, bacon and goat cheese guacamole are party-ready choices. Crispy carnitas nachos and copycat Chipotle corn salsa also make great accompaniments.
Tacos are always the answer. Favorites include slow-cooker barbacoa beef tacos, puffy tacos and summer breakfast tacos. Chicken tinga tacos, easy weeknight chicken tacos, beer-battered fish tacos with margarita mango salsa, slow-cooker short rib tacos and smoky brisket tacos are all excellent options. Salads like tequila shrimp salad, crunchy taco kale salad and tequila-lime flank steak fajita salad can round out the menu, and enchiladas — cheese enchiladas, lightened-up beef enchiladas or beer-braised lime chicken enchiladas — are always crowd-pleasers.
Now onto the punch. This makes about six servings and takes roughly 30 minutes to prepare. Serve over ice with a chili-salt rim and fresh mint for garnish.
Mint Mango Margarita Punch
6
30 mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped fresh mango
- 8 ounces lime juice
- 10 ounces silver tequila
- 8 ounces Grand Marnier
- 6 ounces mint simple syrup (recipe below)
- 4 ounces club soda
- Lime wedges for serving
- Fresh mint for garnish
mint syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- A big bunch of fresh mint leaves
salty chili sugar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Instructions
- Place the fresh mango and lime juice in a blender and puree until smooth. The mixture will be thick; if needed, add a little extra lime juice to loosen it, keeping in mind it will be combined with alcohol and soda.
- In a large pitcher, stir together the mango puree, tequila, Grand Marnier, mint syrup and club soda. Add lime slices and large handfuls of fresh mint. Taste and adjust with more mint syrup, lime juice or tequila to your preference.
- For the rims, mix sugar, salt and chipotle powder on a plate. Rub a lime wedge around the glass rim, dip into the chili-salt, fill with ice and pour the punch into each glass. Garnish with mint and serve.
mint syrup
- Combine water, sugar and mint leaves in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and bring to a gentle boil. Let it bubble for a minute, then remove from heat and cool. Strain out the mint leaves and refrigerate the syrup; it keeps well overnight.
salty chili sugar
- Combine the sugar, salt and chipotle powder on a plate and mix thoroughly before using to rim glasses.
With so many options on the table, I’m officially ready for tacos. What’s on your menu?