Pomegranate Margarita (Festive Cocktail with Mocktail Option)

Margaritas … but make it festive. That’s what this pomegranate margarita recipe is all about! These real-food holiday margaritas are so beautiful and delicious for the holidays, and our batch recipe means you can make multiples at once. 

It comes together with fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice, pomegranate juice, and tequila. You don’t need multiple liquors or simple syrup — just a dash of honey and some sparkling water to top them off. And just like our popular Real Food Margaritas and other low-sugar cocktail recipes, this stunning drink tastes super fresh. Oh, and teetotalers: We’ve included a mocktail option, too!

Health Benefits of Pomegranate Juice

The beautiful deep ruby red of the pomegranate seeds (known as arils) just screams holidays! We love the tart flavor of both pomegranate juice and pomegranate seeds for adding color and natural sweetness to so many recipes. 

All of us include pomegranates for our family on the regular for their wealth of nutritional benefits. Pomegranate juice is a good source of antioxidants and polyphenols, which provides anti-inflammatory effects. It’s also a heart-healthy food and drink with urinary and prostate health benefits similar to cranberry juice. Pomegranate may provide brain health benefits, too.

Ingredients To Make Pomegranate Margaritas

Gather these ingredients to get a batch of fruity pomegranate margaritas flowing for happy hour: 

• Limes
• Orange — fresh orange juice replaces the need for triple sec like Cointreau or an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier  
• Honey — may sub agave nectar or omit
• Tequila — most margaritas are made with silver tequila (or blanco), but reposado tequila is also popular — use what you prefer. For a mocktail, replace with a tequila alternative (see our favorites below) or with ginger kombucha
• Pomegranate juice —– or use cranberry juice 
• Fine salt
• Ice 
• Sparkling water
• Optional garnishes — turbinado sugar, lime wedges, pomegranate seeds (arils)

Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Equipment You’ll Need

For this batch cocktail, the margaritas are stirred, not shaken or blended, so there’s no cocktail shaker or blender needed. Instead, gather this simple equipment:

• A small pitcher or a quart-sized mason jar
• A long-handled spoon for stirring
• Margarita glasses, cocktail glasses, or stemless wine glasses 
• Shallow bowl or small plate for the sugar

How To Make Pomegranate Margaritas

You don’t need to be a trained bartender to make this easy festive drink recipe. Here are the basic steps, which results in 4 cocktails.

1. Make the cocktail mix: In a quart-sized mason jar or small pitcher, combine the ½ cup lime juice, ¼ cup orange juice, dash of honey, ¾ cup tequila, ½ cup pomegranate juice, and salt. Stir well and set aside.
2. Sugar the rims of the margarita glasses (an optional step): Spread out turbinado sugar in a small, shallow bowl or small plate. Press a lime wedge onto the rim of a glass and drag it all around the rim to add wetness (this is what the sugar sticks to). Turn the glass upside down and dip the rim into the sugar.
3. Fill the glasses: Fill each glass ¾ full with ice cubes. Pour ¼ of the margarita mixture into each glass.
4. Top with sparkling water and garnish: Top off each glass by pouring in sparkling water. Then garnish with lime wheels or wedges and a few pomegranate arils. 

For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), protein, carbohydrates/carb, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.

How To Serve Pomegranate Margaritas

This dark red cocktail is especially right for holiday and winter parties, which coincides with pomegranate season. Since this is a batch cocktail, it’s a great drink recipe for serving at gatherings and making the host’s job easier. 

Simply prepare the juice-tequila mixture and set it out with an ice bucket, sparkling water, and garnishes so guests can make their own drinks. These pom margs are especially good when served with a holiday appetizer or two and some homemade holiday treats. Then, all you’ve got left to do is set a cozy, festive atmosphere by getting a simmer pot going on the stovetop.

For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!