Fruity, sweet, and earthy, tequila contains tastes that include honey, caramel and oak depending on the age which tends to make it smoother and richer. Different than wine, tequila doesn’t necessarily pair with food to enjoy.
Made from agave cactus, the distilled spirit is typically served with salty and spicy dishes found in Latin America and Mexican food. There are three types of tequila including blanca, reposado, and anejo, which are better categorized by the age that differs the flavor.
What to eat with tequila? Tequila itself complements well with chilies and guacamole as well as bold savory dishes. But not all tequila tastes the same when paired with food.
The age of tequila varies the taste and serving purpose. In Mexico, blanca tequila, which is less than 2 months old is served before dinner. And after dinner, it is common to drink reposado, which spends 2 months to 1 year in oak, and anejo tequila, which spends more than a year in oak barrels.
Blanca goes well with tacos or spicy and greasy foods, while reposado pairs well with smoked meat, pork, and barbecue. On the other hand, anejo pairs well with red meat like steak, chocolate desserts and mushroom dishes.
Not only sweet and savory dishes, tequila is great alcoholic spirit to mix into cocktails with citrus fruit, fruit juice, and soda.
Tequila is a fairly versatile alcoholic spirit that pairs with most tacos for an ultimate culinary experience. Or better yet, pair this amazing drink with dark chocolate, nachos, pulled pork, or steak.
But what flavors, juice, soda, and fruits are perfect with tequila? Well, let’s find out!
Fruits that pair with tequila
When pairing tequila with fruits, consider using quality blanco tequila. It infuses well with amazing favor to create delicious cocktails
Berries and citrus fruits are excellent choices. In addition, adding a hint of chili kicks it to the next notch.
- lemon
- lime
- orange
- pomegranate
- watermelon
- strawberries
- peaches
- pineapples
What juice pairs well with tequila?
When fresh fruit is not available, replace with juice to create cocktail or margaritas. The bitterness from tequila blends well with natural sweetness to enhance the earthy tequila taste for an awesome culinary experience.
Here are juice options that pair well with tequila:
- pineapple juice
- aloe vera
- orange juice
- tomato juice
- grapefruit juice
- lime juice
- coconut juice
What soda to mix with tequila?
Not only fruits, but sparkling and natural sweet sodas help to make cocktails bubbly and refreshing. In fact, soda pairs effortlessly with tequila.
Kind of sodas to try with tequila include:
- club soda
- lemon-lime soda
- grapefruit soda
- orange soda
- coca-cola
- coconut soda
- ginger beer or ginger ale
- sprite
- seltzer
What flavor goes well with tequila?
To get the best flavor with tequila, try a series of mix-ups to get the perfect match for you. Lime and citrus fruits are known to add a tangy taste to tequila, while orange juice or chocolate can add a sweet flavor.
Pair blanco tequilas with lime and citrus flavors. For reposado, add some spicy or bold flavors, and anejos are perfect with sweet flavor profiles.
Eat with Tequila: Conclusion
Tequila is a favorite for many because it’s versatile to to pair with foods. This alcoholic spirit taste well with spicy chilies and buttery guacamole as well as salty dishes.
There are three types of tequila, blanca, reposado, and anejo. Each kind tastes different due to aging process in oak barrels. Blanca is aged for less than 2 months, reposada ranges between 2 months to a year and anejo is aged for longer than 1 year.
Therefore, blanca is typically served with tacos, reposado with smoked meat or in barbecue, and anejo with steak or chocolate desserts.
With fruits, soda, and juice, tequila is an excellent spirit to create margarita and cocktails to brighten up the party. So, try these amazing food pairings at the next occasion to elevate your culinary experience.