Elevating Your Palate: Perfect Tequila Food Pairings for Every Occasion

At CWS, we absolutely love tequila. It has become one of the world’s favorite spirits in recent years. The market is flooded with incredible products that you can get all over the globe. Every corner of the world has fantastic tequila options for you to choose from. It has never been easier to get wonderful tequila.

The great thing about tequila is that it is rare to find bad tequila. Due to the rigorous production process and finite resources of baseline ingredients, tequila tends to have a fantastic standard. There are many elements that you have to fulfil as a producer to end up with certified, Mexican, Blue Weber Agave. These elements help to maintain such a high standard.

Tequila is probably considered the most fun of all the spirits. Though it is refined and delicious, it is also closely associated with fun and partying. You can just as easily sit around and taste the finer notes of tequila as you can take shots at the bar and let loose. This is one of the biggest draws of tequila and why it has such a wide market!

One thing that gets often overlooked is using it as a food pairing. Tequila food pairings are not as often considered as they are with whiskey, rum, vodka, and more. We have some fantastic tequila pairing dinner ideas with some lovely food that pairs with tequila. The best food to pair with tequila could be below!

We have got some lovely Mexican ideas, as well as a few Tex-Mex as expected. In addition to these, we have included some lovely ideas you might not have thought of! The best food to pair with tequila will depend on your mood and the crowd you’re inviting, but we hope to offer an option for all!

1. Chips and Salsa

When the ultimate snacking food meets the ultimate drink what do you get? This tequila pairing is as old as time in certain regions of Mexico. Crispy, salty, slightly oily chips with some spicy, fresh, zingy salsa. The pairing works so well together that it is hard to stop yourself from continuously dipping in!

Salsa normally comes in two varieties. There's roja (red) and verde (green). They often both possess some lightly smoky element as well as a delectable spice. Tequila works really nicely with all of these flavors and adds some lovely pepperiness to this balance as well. Depending on how it is served, we think simply on the rocks is the best accompaniment for chips and salsa.

2. Tacos

Tacos are one of the best foods in the world. They are so varied and come in so many varieties with so many ingredients. Different regions across the great nation of Mexico will do things wildly differently. The general format is a corn-based tortilla, some sort of protein, some sort of fresh element, served with a lime wedge.

Tacos that are rich and deep in flavor can always benefit from some tequila. Whether you use some red meat in a carne asada, or some stewed pork in a carnitas, the combo of the punchy tequila supports the balance of the taco really nicely. A taco followed by a sip of some nice peppery, blanco tequila is a match made in heaven. 

3. Quilsadilla

Though quesadillas are more prominently found in Tex-Mex and international Mexican adaptation restaurants, they actually have roots in traditional Mexican cooking. Stringy Oaxacan cheese finds itself stuffed into some lovely, soft flour tortillas and toasted until it is warm, gooey, and stringy.

This is a mouthwatering flavor combination and it is often served with a little bit of guacamole to add some flavor dimension. We love serving this rich, fatty dish with a fresh, zingy margarita. Something classic that utilizes a blanco to promote a peppery profile. Adding salt is a personal preference but this can add a whole new flavor dimension as well!

4. Calamari

We are going to stray a little bit away from the Mexican-inspired dishes to give you some wider options for food that pairs with tequila. We think that calamari is some of the best food to pair with tequila. This fried delight has a lovely, soft, chewy texture with a crispy, crunchy texture. It is often served with an aioli and a lemon.

A Tommy’s Margarita would be an ideal pairing for this fantastic appetizer. The Tommy’s Margarita is the smoothest, most supply sweet of all margaritas in our opinion. This would support the calamari texture and flavor wonderfully well. This is a great snack to serve up while drinking and catching up at home.

5. Sushi

Sushi is one of the hardest foods to pair in our opinion. Sake or beer are great ideas in general, though many people either dislike sake or avoid beer for a number of reasons. The delicate, subtle flavors and divine textures of the sushi are not to be overpowered, but enhanced with a pairing.

We love drinking a clean, balanced reposado with our sushi. The fatty fish, lightly tangy rice, and savory soy sauce only benefit from the floral, sweet, honey moments from the reposado. Best served at room temperature but it also works really well on ice.

6. Satay

One of the more bold, flavorful dishes on this list. Satay is a peanut-based sauce the is often used as a coating/dipping sauce for chicken, tofu, fish, and other mains in Thai cuisine. This rich peanut sauce is elevated by punchy fish sauce, tangy lime, flavorful galangal, and sweet palm sugar.

We think a lovely Paloma cocktail would work really nicely with satay dishes. The crisp, freshness of the cold soda water will pair beautifully and serve as a refreshing side element to this dish.

7. Pizza

Probably the world’s favorite food. Pizza comes in a plethora of different styles but it often boasts rich, heartwarming cheese, and lovely tomato sauce, with either crispy or soft base. This is a warm hug, a hangover cure, a party starter, a party saver, or just a fine food to appreciate regularly and deeply.

We love pairing classic margaritas with pizza. This is a surefire way to keep a party going while fueling up for the night ahead.

Also Read - How to Pair Whiskey with Food?

We hope you have enjoyed reading a bit about some of our tequila food pairings. We know tequila is such a surprisingly versatile spirit and the best food to pair with tequila could be anything! Enjoy finding your favorite food that pairs with tequila by choosing some wonderful bottles across our website.