Margarita sorbet with sweet and spicy lime-infused sea salt

Nothing says Cinco de Mayo like a margarita, but how about something a little different? This refreshing sorbet features fresh lime juice, agave syrup, tequila blanco, and a sweetly spicy salt topping. My healthy Cinco de Mayo menu is below.

Adding a small amount of alcohol to sorbets improves their texture and keeps them from freezing rock-solid. The texture of this is creamy and smooth and the tequila adds a lovely flavor but it’s such a small amount that it’s still family-friendly.

When I was in Thailand years ago, dessert was very simple: super-fresh tropical fruit served with a mixture of large-crystal salt, sugar, and hot pepper flakes to dip it in. The combination really brought out the flavor in the mango and pineapple. For this sorbet topping, I thought back to that idea, and also used a technique from Joy the Baker’s cookbook to infuse the salt with more of the lime flavor.

Margarita sorbet with sweet and spicy lime-infused sea salt
Makes 8 servings

3 C. (750 ml) filtered water
3/4 C. (750 ml) agave syrup
3 T. (45 ml) tequila blanco
juice and zest from 4 limes (1/2 C./125 ml), divided
1 t. (2 g) flaked sea salt
1 t. (2 g) large-crystal organic sugar
1/2 t. (1 g) red pepper flakes

Warm the water and agave syrup in a medium saucepan, stirring until syrup is dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool for 10-15 minutes.

Use a Microplane grater to get just the green part of the lime peels. You can also use a peeler and sharp paring knife or the fine side of a box grater for this step.

Set aside one teaspoon of the zest, add the remaining lime zest to the mixture.

Juice the limes and add the juice to the mixture. Stir in the tequila, then refrigerate until very cold.

Pour into an ice cream maker and follow the instructions to freeze it. If you do not have an ice cream maker, follow these directions to create an Italian-style ice or granita.

Pour out the salt and sugar onto a piece of waxed paper. Add the remaining lime zest. With the back of a spoon, rub the zest into the crystals until you smell the lime, this helps release the oils. Add the red pepper flakes and mix thoroughly. Serve in a small bowl with a spoon, allowing people to add as much as they like.

My healthy Cinco de Mayo menu
Mango nectarine salsa
Roasted tomatillo salsa
“Fish” tacos
Stuffed chile peppers with cilantro-lime cream sauce
Massaged kale salad
Salsa rice
Margarita sorbet

All of our recipes are gluten-free, sugar-free, and made with plant-based ingredients to help you build a healthy life. We support Meatless Monday. Look for midweek posts on meditation, service, and life lessons, helping you create inner balance.

Tagged as: agave syrup, lime, red pepper flakes, sea salt, sugar crystals, tequila blanco