Virgin Dirty Margarita (Savory Olive Mocktail)
If you love a dirty martini and a margarita, this Virgin Dirty Margarita is for you. It’s the savory mocktail lovechild of these two classic cocktails, and I can’t get enough.
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Virgin Dirty Margarita (Savory Olive Mocktail)
If you’re craving a bright, savory style drink, this one is tart and perfectly briny. I love an extra dirty martini, so I added a good amount of olive juice, which made the drink overtly salty and olivey… which I loved. Feel free to play around with the quantity of the olive juice.
Recipe Ingredients
- Olive brine: I used castelvetrano olives, which I feel have a milder and less vinegary flavor. They worked perfectly to balance the tartness of the lime juice. If using other olives, you may want to play around with the portions of olive and lime to get your perfect balance.
- Non-alcoholic tequila: Ritual Zero Proof has a smoky, botanical character that mimics and tastes really close to real tequila!
- Lime juice: For the sunniest flavor, squeeze it fresh before making the dirty margarita mocktail.
- Agave syrup: I love the balance it brings to the lime and olive flavors.
- Black sea salt (for rim): Black sea salt makes the prettiest edge to your glass and adds a mineral-rich salinity.
- Olive oil: A little olive oil adds a silky mouthfeel, adding a lux consistency to your olive mocktail.
- Olives: I used castelvetrano olives, which I feel have a milder, less vinegary flavor. They worked perfectly to balance the tartness of the lime juice. If using other olives, you may want to play around with the portions of olive and lime to get your perfect balance. I used olives from Mezzetta.
- Rosemary: Lightly rolling the rosemary before garnishing will release its fragrant oils.
Tools & Equipment List
Check out my favorite glasses here!
How to Make It
- Brush agave on the rim, then dip it in black sea salt.
- In a shaker, combine olive brine, non-alcoholic tequila, lime juice, agave, and ice. Shake well.
- Fill the glass with ice, strain in the drink, drizzle with olive oil, and garnish with olives and rosemary.
Watch How to Make It
Sipping Tips & FAQs
Can I use a different olive brine?
Yes, you can. For a more pungent briny taste, use brine from green or kalamata olives.
What makes this margarita “dirty”?
The “dirty” comes from the olive brine, similar to a dirty martini.
Is non-alcoholic tequila necessary?
Not at all! You can still enjoy a flavorful drink by increasing the lime juice and brine or adding club soda.
Can I make a pitcher version?
Yes. Multiply the ingredients by four, mix everything except the olive oil, and serve over ice in salt-rimmed glasses.
Make Ahead and Storage Notes
To save time, mix the olive brine, non-alcoholic tequila, lime juice, and agave in a sealed jar or pitcher up to 24 hours in advance in the fridge.
You can also rim the glasses and store them at room temperature until ready to use.
This savory mocktail is best enjoyed fresh, but leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a day. Remember to stir or shake before serving.
More Margaritas to Try
- Midnight margarita
- Maple fig margarita
- Frozen honey peach margarita
- Fiery pineapple margarita
- Popsicle margaritas
- Creamy dragon fruit margarita
More Savory Recipes to Try
- Caprese Tomatini (Savory Gin Martini)
- Spicy Pickle Bloody Mary
- Pizza Negroni: A Savory Twist on a Classic Cocktail
- Pickle 75 (Best Pickle Juice Cocktail)
- Pickle Martini
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Virgin Dirty Margarita (Savory Olive Mocktail)
Ingredients
- 1 oz olive brine I used castelvetrano olives
- 1 1/2 oz non-alcoholic tequila I used Ritual Zero Proof
- 1 lime juiced
- 1/4 oz agave
- Black sea salt for rim
- Barspoon olive oil
- Olives for garnish
- Rosemary for garnish
Instructions
- Prepare glass: Add black sea salt to a shallow dish. Brush agave along the rim of a cocktail glass. Submerge in sea salt until coated.
- Add olive brine, non-alcoholic tequila, lime juice, agave and ice to a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled.
- Fill prepared glass with ice. Strain mocktail mixture into glass. Drizzle olive oil over the cocktail. Garnish with olives and a rosemary sprig.
