Ranch water is a classic low calorie cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and Topo Chico. It's a crisp, refreshing drink that's perfect for hot summer days.
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Recipe Highlights
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 5 minutes
- 🧊 Serves: 1 cocktail
- 👩🏽🍳 Difficulty: Easy
- 🎯 End Result: A cold, bubbly tequila cocktail with fresh lime flavor
This Texas-inspired cocktail is the perfect drink for summer. Think backyard barbecues, taco Tuesday, or just relaxing on the patio! It's replaced the skinny margarita cocktail I typically drink.
If you're thinking about what to cook, it pairs perfectly with our reverse sear porterhouse steaks and reverse sear ribeye steaks.
This tequila cocktail also goes good with these smokehouse burgers and blackstone smash burgers, this Texas-style smoked brisket, and my favorite smoked queso recipe.
Why You'll Love This Cocktail
- It's refreshing: Made with just tequila, lime juice, and sparkling mineral water, it's super light, bubbly, and great for a hot day.
- It's made with only three ingredients: This classic cocktail comes together in minutes using simple ingredients you can find at the grocery store.
- It's easy to customize: Enjoy it as is, make a spicy version with jalapeños, or swap in flavored sparkling water.
Ingredients
- Tequila: Blanco tequila is the traditional choice. Marrekus chose G4 Tequila after reading reviews online. It's smooth and doesn't have a strong aftertaste.
- Lime juice: I love Santa Cruz Organic 100% Organic Lime Juice in the glass bottle. Freshly squeezed lime juice also works well.
- Sparkling mineral water: Topo Chico is the classic choice, but if you can't find it, any sparkling mineral water will work. Make sure it's chilled!
See the recipe card below for full information on the ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Ranch Water (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Pour tequila over ice.
Step 2: Add lime juice.
Step 3: Add sparkling mineral water.
Step 4: Garnish with lime wedges and enjoy!
Tip: A quick stir is all you need to combine the ingredients while keeping the bubbles intact.
Optional: Spicy Ranch Water
To make spicy ranch water, add 2–4 fresh jalapeño slices to the glass and gently muddle them 3–4 times to release their flavor before adding the ice, tequila, lime juice, and Topo Chico.
Ranch Water Calories
A classic ranch water is one of the lowest-calorie tequila cocktails you can make! Since it's made with tequila, lime juice, and sparkling mineral water, this recipe has about 143 calories per serving with very little sugar.
Compared to our watermelon margarita recipe, for example, which has 300 to 400 calories, this is a lighter, refreshing option that's perfect for sipping all summer long.
Recipe FAQs
Ranch water is a classic Texas cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and sparkling mineral water, usually Topo Chico. It's known for being light, crisp, and refreshing.
Blanco tequila is the traditional choice.
Yes! It's typically lower in calories than both a traditional margarita and many skinny margaritas. This cocktail is made with just tequila, fresh lime juice, and sparkling mineral water, so it doesn't contain the added sugar found in many margarita mixes or simple syrups.
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📖 Recipe
Ranch Water Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ½ ounces lime juice
- 4 to 6 ounces sparkling mineral water such as Topo Chico, chilled
- Ice
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a mason jar or highball glass with ice.
- Pour the tequila and fresh lime juice over the ice and stir to combine.
- Top with the sparkling mineral water and gently stir once more.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and serve immediately.
Notes
- Start with chilled sparkling mineral water. Ice cold Topo Chico (or another brand of sparkling mineral water) helps keep this drink crisp and bubbly without melting the ice too quickly.
- Adjust the fizz to your taste. Use 4 ounces of sparkling water for a stronger tequila flavor or 6 ounces for a lighter, more refreshing drink.
- Don't over-stir. A quick stir is all you need to combine the ingredients while keeping the bubbles intact.
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