Mexican Sangrita Recipe

This Mexican sangrita recipe is the perfect tequila chaser. Made with tomato juice, fresh orange and lime juice, Valentina hot sauce, onion, and Worcestershire sauce, it is tangy, spicy, and refreshing. Serve it ice cold to pair with your tequila or use it to make a traditional bandera.

What is Sangrita?

If you’ve only ever chased tequila with lime and salt, let me introduce you to sangrita. Sangrita is a tomato based citrus drink served as a chaser for tequila. The original recipe, according to the Larousse Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana, was made with sour orange and pomegranate juice. The modern version is closer to a bloody mary base, mixing tomato juice and orange juice. Although, there’s another regional variation made with orange juice, grenadine, salt, and chile piquín. My version is more similar to a bloody mary cocktail.

You can buy sangrita already prepared, the most popular brand is Viuda de Sánchez, but homemade sangrita is incredibly easy to make and you can adjust the heat according to your preferences.

Ingredients

Tomato juice: This makes up the savory base of the sangrita. Since it’s the main ingredient, use a good-quality tomato juice that you enjoy drinking on its own.

Fresh orange juice: Freshly squeezed is best.

Fresh lime juice: If possible use key limes for an extra tart flavor.

White onion: You only need a small amount of finely minced onion to add a savory bite.

Vegan Worcestershire sauce: Be sure to use a vegan version, since traditional Worcestershire sauce usually contains anchovies. You can find it a specialty food stores or online.

Valentina hot sauce: One of my favorite hot sauces! You can find it at your local Mexican grocery store, the Mexican section of your local grocery, or online.

Tips for the Best Sangrita

Use fresh citrus juice. Using freshly squeezed juice makes a noticeable difference.

Use good tomato juice. Tomato juice is the base so it’s really important that you use a good quality tomato juice.

Adjust the heat. Four teaspoons of Valentina gives the sangrita a nice kick, but you can add more or less depending on how spicy you like it.

Give it time to chill. Sangrita is best served very cold, and a little time in the refrigerator also allows the flavors to come together.

Ways to Drink Tequila

Now, let me introduce you to the many wonderful ways in which Mexicans drink their tequila. First there’s the bandera (flag), it consists of 3 shots, one of lime juice, one of tequila, and one of sangrita. It’s meant to be sipped but can also be shot. It’s called a flag because of the colors reflect those of the Mexican flag: green, white, and red. The shot glasses are not your regular shot glasses either, they are tall and narrow, and hold one and half fluid ounces of liquid. They are known as “caballitos” or little horses.

Another way to drink tequila is with lime and salt, lick the space between your thumb and your forefinger, add some salt, lick the salt, take shot, and suck on a lime. Please don’t call it training wheels, it drives me crazy, yes it’s supposed to lessen the harshness of the alcohol, but tequila shouldn’t be harsh. Surprised? This leads me to the final way of drinking tequila, which is, served in a snifter and sipped, usually reserved for high quality tequilas.

What Tequila Should I Buy?

First, look for a bottle labeled 100% agave or 100% de agave. This means all of the fermentable sugars used to make the tequila came from blue agave. Also look for the NOM (Norma Oficial Mexicana) number. It’s a four digit code that indicates the certified distillery where the tequila was made. If the bottle doesn’t say “hecho en Mexico” it’s not real tequila from Jalisco.

I also recommend looking for a tequila made without additives, especially if you’re going to sip it on its own. Unfortunately, it’s becoming more common for tequilas to have additives. This doesn’t automatically make a tequila bad, but I prefer tequila where the flavor comes from the agave, fermentation, and aging.

My Tequila Recommendations

Here are some of my favorite Tequilas that are free of additives:

• Fortaleza
• El Tesoro
• El Tequileno
• Siete Leguas
• Codigo 1530
• Cazcanes

How to Make a Bandera

To make a traditional bandera, you’ll need three caballitos or shot glasses. Fill the first with fresh lime juice, the second with tequila, and the third with sangrita. Line them up in that order and you have the colors of the Mexican flag: green, white, and red. Sip your way through all three, alternating between the tart lime, tequila, and the spicy sangrita.

Storage

Store homemade sangrita in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir or shake well before serving, since some of the ingredients may settle as it sits.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Tequila Cocktail Recipes

• Mangonada Margarita
• Strawberry Frose Margarita
• Frozen Prickly Pear Margarita
• Spicy Hibiscus Margarita
• Pineapple Chile Margarita