Mexican Martini

The Mexican Martini is the margarita-martini mash-up you never knew you needed. This savory yet slightly sweet cocktail is a must to mix up your next taco night.

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Mexican Martini recipe

I love a good fusion drink. There’s the beermosa, a beer crossed with a mimosa. And there’s a champagne mule, a Moscow mule crossed with champagne. Then there’s the Corona sunrise, a tequila sunrise mixed with a beer.

I’ve got another one for you to try: the Mexican Martini. It’s not a martini, and it’s not quite a margarita either. It falls somewhere in the middle.

If you love, margaritas and martinis, (and by martinis, I mean the original kind with gin or vodka, not the versions with sweet liqueurs), then you will love the Mexican Martini.

This mashup of a margarita and a martini is unconventional, but it’s actually quite delicious.

More savory drink recipes: Cucumber Martini • Dill Pickle Martini • Bloody Caesar

Why you’ll love this recipe

Martini lovers who are also margarita lovers, you’re going to love this best-of-both-worlds cocktail:

• It’s savory but with a slightly sweet edge. It’s good, I promise.
• With just five ingredients, it’s easy to shake up.
• You can customize it how you like! Try it with more or less olive brine, different types of tequila or non-alcoholic spirits.

What is a Mexican Martini?

The Mexican Martini is a mashup cocktail consisting of some martini ingredients mixed with classic margarita elements.

It’s more similar to a classic martini, but made with tequila instead of the typical gin or vodka, plus lime juice, orange liqueur, orange juice and olive brine. But you could also say it’s a margarita served in a martini glass.

The drink was invented in Austin, Texas in the 1980s, but where in Austin is another story. Austin’s Cedar Door bar claims to have invented the drink, but some say it hails from the famous Trudy’s Tex-Mex restaurant. Trudy’s Mexican Martini is — in true Texan fashion — big. It serves four and comes in a giant cocktail shaker.

The drink has grown popular throughout Austin, Texas and beyond. According to Food & Wine, this Tex-Mex Martini goes by a few other names at other locales: Matt’s Knockout Martini at Matt’s El Rancho, the Almatini at El Alma and the Perfect Texas ‘Tini at Chuy’s.

Tools & glassware

Most martinis are made in a mixing glass, but the drink comes together in a cocktail shaker, so you’ll need a jigger and a strainer.

Serve the drink in a martini glass, of course. Or go for stemless martini glasses. Rocks glasses and margarita glasses could work too.

favorite martini glasses

gold-rimmed martini glasses

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stemless martini glasses

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crystal martini glasses

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Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:

• tequila: A blanco tequila, AKA silver tequila, is crisp and has a clear color, perfect for mixing in this cocktail. We like Tito’s and Lunazul lately. You can also use a reposado tequila or an añejo tequila.
• orange liqueur: Any clear orange liqueur will work. You can keep it simple with triple sec or go top shelf with Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
• lime juice: Fresh is best! Keep in mind the store-bought stuff is a bit more tart than fresh lime juice, but it will definitely work.
• orange juice: As splash of OJ gives this recipe a slightly sweet twist.
• olive brine: The things that make this most like a dirty martini are the olives and a splash of their salty brine from the jar. My faves are Castelvetrano olives, but you could also try blue-cheese stuffed olives.

Garnishes

Finish off the cocktail with the best of its predecessors: a pretty garnish of green olives and a lime wedge.

The drink can be served in a salt-rimmed martini glass, if you like. However, I think the olive brine adds enough salty flavor to the drink, but you do you!

Variations and substitutions

Mix things up with one of these variations:

Spicy Mexican Martini: Use jalapeño tequila instead of plain for a spicy margarita twist.

Dirty Mexican Martini: Add a little extra olive brine and a couple extra olives. A salty rim would make it just a tad saltier, too.

Sweeter Mexican Martini: If you like yours to have a little more sweetness, add ¼ to ½ ounce simple syrup or agave nectar.

Non-alcoholic Mexican Martini: Substitute a zero-proof spirit like Seedlip Agave or Ritual tequila alternative for the tequila, and omit the triple sec to make a mocktail version.

Instructions

Here’s how to make this Mexican martini recipe:

To an ice-filled shaker, add the tequila and lime juice.

Then add the orange juice, Cointreau and green olive brine.

Shake well to combine and chill the ingredients. Then strain the drink into a martini glass and garnish with green olives and a lime wedge.

Tips & tricks

Here are some tips and tricks for making this recipe:

• For more olive flavor, add the olives to the glass before pouring in the drink mixture.
• Experiment with different types of olives to find your favorite brine and garnish.
• To make Mexican martinis for a crowd, you can stir up a big batch and serve them from a large pitcher. You can also stash it in the fridge to have Mexican Martinis ready to drink all week long.

Food pairings

Martinis are a great happy hour drink before a meal, especially because they are savory cocktails. Enjoy them with appetizers like marinated cheese or a charcuterie board.

But since they’re Mexican, serve them for your next taco night with Texan-style pulled pork tacos or a casual snack of chips and pineapple salsa. A bowl of taco pasta salad would be perfect too.

FAQ

More tequila drink recipes

• Paloma
• Ranch Water
• Tequila Sunrise
• Mexican Mule