Keto Margarita: A 3g-Carb Low-Carb Recipe
A keto margarita with about 3g net carbs — tequila, fresh lime, and a sugar-free sweetener. How to make a low-carb margarita and why the regular one has 30g+.
Nutrition Writer · July 14, 2026 · 2 min read
A keto margarita has about 3g of net carbs — tequila (0g), fresh lime juice (~1.5g), water or soda, and a sugar-free sweetener — versus 24–36g for the bar version. The tequila was never the problem; the carbs live in the sweet-and-sour mix. Here's how to make one.
Keto margarita recipe (~3g net carbs)
Makes 1 drink:
- 1.5 oz tequila (blanco or reposado) — 0g
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (about 1 lime) — ~1.5g
- 1–2 oz water or soda water — 0g
- Sugar-free sweetener to taste (monk fruit, allulose, or erythritol) — 0g
- Ice, plus a salt rim and a lime wheel
Rim a glass with salt, fill with ice, add the tequila, lime juice, water, and sweetener, and stir. That's roughly 3g of net carbs, almost all from the lime.
On the rocks vs frozen: for a frozen keto margarita, blend the same ingredients with extra ice. Skip store-bought frozen mixes — they're sugar.
Why a regular margarita isn't keto
| Margarita | Net carbs |
|---|---|
| Keto (tequila + lime + sweetener) | ~3g |
| "Skinny" margarita (agave) | ~10–15g |
| Classic (sweet-and-sour mix) | ~24g |
| Frozen / mix-based | ~30–36g |
A standard margarita gets its carbs from margarita mix, sweet-and-sour, triple sec, or agave syrup — each can add 15–30g of sugar. Even a "skinny" margarita usually uses agave, which is still sugar. Swapping the sweetener for monk fruit or allulose is what drops it to keto range.
How to order one at a bar
Bartenders can make this even without a keto menu. Ask for:
"Tequila on the rocks with fresh lime juice and soda water, salt rim — no margarita mix or sweet-and-sour."
If they have a sugar-free sweetener or simple syrup, add a splash. You'll get a drink around 3g of carbs instead of 30g.
Keep the rest of the night keto
A keto margarita fits your carbs, but the alcohol still pauses fat-burning while it's processed and tends to hit harder in ketosis — so go slow and hydrate. The easiest way to stay on plan is to track your drinks: CarbMeNot logs the net carbs for cocktails, tequila, and mixers from a photo — free on iOS and Android. See keto cocktails, carbs in vodka, and check any drink with the free Is It Keto? tool.
Frequently asked questions
- How many carbs are in a keto margarita?
- A keto margarita made with tequila, fresh lime juice, water or soda water, and a sugar-free sweetener has about 3g of net carbs — nearly all from the fresh lime juice. A regular margarita has 24–36g because of the sweet-and-sour mix or margarita mix.
- Can you drink a margarita on keto?
- Not the standard bar version — it's loaded with sugar (24–36g of carbs). But a keto margarita made with tequila, fresh lime, and a sugar-free sweetener comes in around 3g, which fits a keto day. Order tequila, lime, and soda at a bar and ask them to skip the mix.
- What sweetener is best for a keto margarita?
- Monk fruit, allulose, and erythritol all work and add zero net carbs. Allulose dissolves best in cold drinks and tastes closest to sugar. A liquid sugar-free simple syrup or a sugar-free margarita mix also works.
- How do I order a keto margarita at a bar?
- Ask for tequila on the rocks with fresh lime juice and soda water — no margarita mix, no sweet-and-sour, no simple syrup. Add a salt rim. If they have it, a sugar-free sweetener or agave-free option keeps it near 3g of carbs.
- Is the tequila the problem in a margarita?
- No — tequila has zero carbs. The carbs in a margarita come almost entirely from the sweet-and-sour mix, margarita mix, agave syrup, or triple sec. Remove those and the drink is keto-friendly.
Sources
Keep reading
Free tools: Is It Keto? checker · macro calculator · protein calculator · 7-day meal plan PDF