Olive Garden’s Italian Margarita features an extra shot of amaretto served in its shot glass on the side so it can be mixed into your drink or enjoyed as an independent beverage.
This cocktail offers an exquisite twist on a classic margarita and features amaretto for an added sweet note. Perfect for any special occasion and easily made at home!
Tequila
Margaritas are one of the world’s most beloved cocktails, usually composed of tequila, triple sec, orange juice, and fresh lime juice – with optional salt or sugar rim. Variations of this classic drink, such as strawberry mango and watermelons, also exist.
Olive Garden has added an Italian flair to its margaritas using amaretto liqueur. Amaretto is a sweet almond-flavored alcohol used in cocktails or added as a dessert topping. Olive Garden’s amaretto margarita recipe provides an exciting change from traditional tequila drinks yet still packs two and a half ounces of alcohol per serving!
The Olive Garden Italian Margarita features orange juice, tequila, and amaretto in equal proportions. Blanco or reposado varieties of tequila should be used. Jose Cuervo Especial Silver Tequila can be found at most restaurants; however, you may prefer another premium brand. Freshly squeezed orange juice may also be substituted with triple sec or an orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau in place of lime juice for optimal results. In addition, other components like sour mix or simple syrup may complete your combination.
Amaretto liqueur sets this margarita apart from others. Often served on the rocks, and with many brands available in the US – Disaronno being one of many options, Sambuca Savory Lazzaroni is also a worthy alternative.
Ingredients in this Italian margarita recipe are straightforward, and its scalability allows multiple drinks to be made simultaneously. Enjoy yours either on the rocks or frozen to suit your personal preference; either way, it makes for a great alternative to store-bought mixes – perfect for formal dinner parties and casual barbecues and pairing well with spicy foods, Italian cuisine, as well as cheese and charcuterie boards!
Triple Sec
Margaritas are the perfect drink to sip while relaxing outdoors on a warm and sunny day, whether served chilled or on the rocks! There are so many variations available! This Olive Garden, Italian Margarita recipe adds amaretto for an irresistibly sweet and nutty flavor – sure to impress guests when served at any summer get-together! This straightforward process won’t disappoint either!
Triple Sec is an orange-flavored liqueur from France that originated as an orange peel extract blended with neutral spirits for optimal results. When added to this Olive Garden dish, Triple Sec adds bright citrus notes while helping balance the sweet and sour tastes in this beverage. You can find Triple Sec at most liquor stores or grocery stores.
Mix tequila, amaretto, lime juice, orange juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker until thoroughly combined. Next, pour into tall glasses and garnish with lime wedges or orange slices as desired.
Make time for an Italian Margarita when dining or snacking! This delicious beverage pairs perfectly with any Italian cuisine – pasta dishes, pizza, or antipasti! Blend it in the blender with some ice to simplify its preparation for an enjoyable slushy beverage!
For optimal results, use high-grade tequila such as Jose Cuervo Blanco or reposado; freshly squeezed lime juice and simple syrup may also be added for flavoring purposes. Rim the glass using classic margarita salt or those featuring spicy or citrus notes for an eye-catching presentation; don’t forget a cocktail shaker and margarita glasses, too!
Orange Juice
The Italian Margarita is an exquisite twist on the classic margarita, made with amaretto liqueur and sweet orange juice. Perfect for outdoor barbecues or summer parties, this cocktail is simple at home, with just three ingredients needed, making this drink sure to bring smiles at any gathering!
Use a lime or lemon wedge to rim your glass before dipping the edge in kosher or flaky sea salt for an added crunch. Next, fill up a cocktail shaker with ice and combine tequila, orange juice, and amaretto before stirring together and straining into your prepared glass adorned with slices of lime or orange and enjoy!
For maximum effectiveness, use a high-grade blanco tequila in this cocktail. This lighter and crisper variant pairs well with amaretto and orange juice; additionally, try different varieties until you find what suits you best!
This recipe calls for equal parts tequila, amaretto or limoncello, and lime juice; however, you may adjust the ratios according to your tastes – for instance, if you like sweeter drinks, then increase amaretto/limoncello while for tartier drinks, decrease lime juice usage.
Interested in cutting down the calories in your cocktails? Try replacing lime or lemon juice with club soda to lower carbohydrate intake and make your drink fizzier! For easy tracking of this cocktail’s nutrition facts, use MyFitnessPal or beverage trackers.
Sour Mix
A classic margarita is typically composed of tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lime juice mixed and served with salt on the rim of a glass. There are various variations on this drink, but all use similar essential ingredients – some use less or more tequila while others switch up their orange liqueur or even have no alcohol! Olive Garden Italian Margarita adds amaretto for an interesting sweet twist that remains refreshing and tasty!
This Olive Garden-inspired cocktail can easily be made at home. First, prepare a margarita glass by layering a mixture of salt and finely grated lemon zest – you could purchase premade margarita salt mixes from stores, but making your own is always preferable. Next, pour tequila, triple sec, and orange juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake for about 15 seconds until well mixed before straining into your margarita glass and garnishing with lime wedges. Strain into glass before garnishing with lime wedges as garnishings!
One significant distinction between this and traditional margarita recipes is the absence of simple syrup or sour mix – making it easier to customize to your preferences and experimenting with various Italian liqueurs and tequilas to find what suits you best!
Olive Garden serves its Italian Margarita with a shot of amaretto on the side, but you can add it directly to your drink. Amaretto is an Italian sweet liquor reminiscent of apricots and sugar with a hint of nuttiness; the most common variant is Disaronno, which can be found across most countries and liquor stores.
Amaretto
Olive Garden’s margaritas go beyond traditional margaritas by including amaretto for added sweetness and depth. Amaretto is a sweet liquor from Italy made from bitter almonds, apricot pits, or peach stones (depending on brand). Amaretto adds depth of flavor and creates a smooth consistency ideal for cocktails.
This recipe requires a standard margarita glass with either salt or sugar for the rim, available from most stores. You may want to experiment with using different margarita glasses, such as classic crystal margarita glasses and stemless margarita glasses, or get creative and use spicy or citrus margarita salt on the rim – for quicker and simpler preparation, consider investing in a bar glass rimmer.
This recipe’s ratios are intended to resemble those used in Olive Garden Italian Margaritas closely; however, you are free to alter them according to your tastes and preferences. If you like more spicy cocktails, increase tequila content. Or if tarter drinks are your preference, add additional lime juice.
Always start with quality Blanco or reposado tequila to create the ideal margarita. Each type has distinct flavors; Blanco tends to be lighter and less intense than its reposado counterpart. Otherwise, this recipe should be easy. Combine all your ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake well, pour into chilled glasses, and serve.
