These creative Tamarind Margaritas feature a vibrant Indian/Asian influence through the addition of tamarind. Tamarind is a fruit pod native to Asia and Northern Africa, but also very popular in Latin America where it's called tamarindo. These refreshing cocktails are sweet-tart and delightfully boozy with a hefty mix of tequila and triple sec!

Tamarind margarita in mason jar mug, with plate of tacos in the background

Over the years I have ordered tamarind margaritas at my favorite local Mexican and Indian restaurants. Tamarind is a common ingredient in many global cuisines including Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Mexican, and Caribbean to name a few.

Adding it to margaritas is TOTALLY brilliant, and something every tamarind-lover should try. Before we dive into how to make these incredible tamarind cocktails, I want to take a moment to discuss the star ingredient.

What is tamarind?

Tamarind is an edible pod-like fruit that grows on trees. India is the biggest producer of tamarind in the world, but it is very common throughout Southeast Asia and also Latin America.

A tamarind tree with tamarind pods hanging from branches — A tamarind tree at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park (only place I've seen one in person!)

You can purchase tamarind in a variety of ways. Tamarind pulp is quite popular, and is the actual compacted fruit pulp (sometimes with seeds) pressed into a block.

To use blocks of tamarind pulp, a bit of prep is required. Soak the pulp in boiling water until softened, and then strain, pressing out the tamarind puree, leaving the fibers and seeds behind.

You can also purchase tamarind puree concentrate (this link is for a Thai brand) or tamarind paste concentrate (this link is for an Indian brand) in bottles or jars. The texture can vary depending on the specific brand and preparation.

While tamarind puree may be more like applesauce in texture, tamarind paste can be extremely thick and pitch black. Depending on the type you use, I'm sharing different instructions for this margarita recipe so anyone can make it!

Overhead view of 2 tamarind margaritas with salt rims and lime wedge garnish

Ingredient notes

For this recipe you can use a small amount of super concentrated tamarind paste to make tamarind simple syrup. Because this tamarind paste concentrate is SO intense, it's much easier to make a tamarind simple syrup with it rather than shaking the paste directly into your cocktail where it may not fully dissolve. If you use the puree concentrate, you can easily shake it right in your cocktail shaker.

Just a note: I've made this tamarind margarita recipe with both a Thai style puree concentrate and an Indian style paste concentrate, and both are delicious! I'm sharing the process and measurements for both. The Thai style puree yields a more opaque margarita while the Indian paste-turned-simple-syrup is a clear cocktail like the ones in these photos.

Homemade tamarind simple syrup served in a tiny jar — Homemade tamarind simple syrup made with tamarind paste concentrate

How to make tamarind margaritas with tamarind paste

Making these refreshing tamarind margaritas is similar to any other margarita recipe. We begin by making simple syrup by combining equal parts water and sugar in a small saucepan.

If you are using a thick tamarind paste, add a tiny spoonful to this mixture. Heat until the sugar and tamarind are fully dissolved. Remove from the heat, and cool completely. You'll yield about 3 fluid ounces.

You have a couple options here. You can use the syrup to shake up individual cocktails or make a small pitcher of 4 servings at once.

2 tamarind margaritas with salt rims and lime wedge garnish, served in mason jar mugs

To make a single margarita:

Combine 2 ounces of tequila, 1 ½ ounces triple sec, 1 ounce fresh lime juice, and ¾ ounce of the tamarind simple syrup. Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice, and then strain into a salt-rimmed glass filled with ice.

To make ALL the margaritas:

Combine all the ingredients in a large measuring cup or small pitcher (1 quart capacity max). You can portion from here and shake up individual margaritas if you want. But if you're like me and make this mixture ahead of time, simply refrigerate it for a couple hours. It will get ice cold, and then all you have to do is give it a stir, and pour it into salt-rimmed ice-filled glasses. Easy peasy!

Overhead closeup view of 2 tamarind margaritas with salt rims and lime

How to make this recipe with tamarind puree

If you use tamarind puree, you don't need to add it to your simple syrup. You can just shake it in later when you are ready to serve your drinks (it's much more fluid than the paste, almost like applesauce in texture).

Simply add your tequila, triple sec, fresh lime juice, plain simple syrup, and tamarind puree to your cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and then strain into your ice-filled glasses.

Please note that although the tamarind margaritas will taste basically the same, the ones made with puree tend to be more opaque than the ones made with the paste. The cocktails featured in this photos are made with the paste.

Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe (in a printable recipe card) including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.

How to serve them

Margaritas traditionally feature a salt rim, although some people prefer sugar or a combination of salt and sugar. The easiest way to do this is to pour some kosher salt (or sugar if that's your jam) onto a flat plate. Then rub a lime wedge over the rim of each glass. Press the wet rim into the salt, rotating the glass as needed to cover the entire circumference.

I don't own any margarita glasses, so I usually serve mine in glass tumblers or even mason jars! Half-pint (8 ounce) jars should be a sufficient size for the recipe as it's written.

However, if you want to serve up bigger portions you can divide the tamarind margarita mix into 2 (for double margaritas) or 3 for slightly more generous pours. In Starbucks terms think of them as tall (4 servings), grande (3 servings) and venti (2 servings).

For grande and venti sizes you can serve these tamarind margaritas in pint-size (16 ounce) mason jars with plenty of ice.

Other cocktail recipes you may like

tamarind margarita in mason jar mug, with tacos in the background

Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also follow me on social media on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!