• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Sips, Nibbles & Bites

A FOOD BLOG

  • Sips
  • Nibbles
  • Bites
  • Desserts
  • About Steven
You are here: Home / SIPS / West Texas Ranch Water

West Texas Ranch Water

April 30, 2022 By Steven 14 Comments

Ranch Water is a 3-ingredient cowboy thirst quencher born in the miserably hot, dry dusty summers of West Texas. The ingredients for Ranch Water are simple: Topo Chico mineral water, lime juice, and tequila are all you need for this low-calorie favorite of house parties and dive bars.

Topo Chico is the key ingredient to a great ranch water recipe. These mineral waters of an inactive volcano are rumored to have cured an Aztec Princess of a mysterious illness back in the 1400s. Surely if the waters themselves have magical properties, then the addition of tequila and lime juice will only make them that much more magical. As a fanboy, I have to admit, this sparkling mineral water does seem to have a life of its own and elevates this simple ranch water recipe beyond its three simple ingredients.

Now that Topo Chico and Ranch Water is gaining popularity and is more widely available across the USA, do you want my advice? Quit ordering those crappy Skinny Margaritas and have a West Texas Ranch Water instead.

Ranch Water is a favorite drink of Texas house parties and dive bars!

West Texas Ranch Water

Ranch Water Ingredients

  • Topo Chico: The main ingredient in my West Texas Ranch Water recipe, this sparkling mineral water has been sourced and bottled in Monterrey, Mexico since 1895, has to be Topo Chico to be Ranch Water.
  • Lime Juice: 1/2 of lime is the perfect amount, more than that can be a little too citrusy. You want Ranch Water to have a nice balance between the lime and Tequila.
  • Tequila: No good ever came from a bottle of cheap Tequila! A good quality Tequila is always a good idea no matter what the cocktail, Ranch Water is no exception.
  • Salt: Originally, people paired cheap Tequila with limes and salt to disguise the burning intensity of the bad Tequila. For the Ranch Water recipe, these ingredients are just part of the charm. Rub a little lime juice on the rim of the glass and dip it in salt, I only dip half the rim, that way you can choose to have the salt or not. Ranch Water should be refreshing, not just salty.

Here’s my version of the rapidly growing cult favorite Ranch Water cocktail recipe. This is how to make West Texas Ranch Water:

West Texas Ranch Water
Pin Recipe Print Recipe
4.45 from 118 votes

West Texas Ranch Water

Ranch Water is a 3-ingredient cowboy thirst quencher born in the miserably hot, dry dusty summers of West Texas. Topo Chico mineral water, lime juice, and tequila are all you need for this low-calorie favorite of house parties and dive bars.
Prep Time5 minutes mins
Cook Time0 minutes mins
Total Time5 minutes mins
I would be so happy if you followed me on Pinterest!Follow @SipsNibblesBites
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cocktail, Ranch, West Texas
Servings: 1
Calories: 141kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 Ounces Tequila
  • 1/2 Lime Juice Only
  • 4 Ounces Topo Chico

Garnish

  • Lime Wedges

Instructions

  • Salt the rim of a Collins or Highball glass
  • Fill with ice
  • Add tequila and lime juice, top off with Topo Chico
  • Serve with slices of lime and the remaining bottle of Topo Chico
Nutrition Facts
West Texas Ranch Water
Amount Per Serving
Calories 141 Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Sodium 1mg0%
Carbohydrates 4g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin C 10mg12%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

They have begun making canned ranch water. I’ve tried a couple, and it is not the same. If you’re going to drink ranch water, make it yourself. Ranch water is a super easy cocktail recipe, and this recipe is way better than canned ranch water.

Tall, cool ranch water is what you need in the hot, Texas summer.

West Texas Ranch Water

Thank you for visiting my Food Blog. I hope you enjoy my West Texas Ranch Water recipe. Please come back and visit again soon! Bon appetit and cheers, Steven

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: SIPS Tagged With: ranch water, Ranch Water Ingredients, tequila ranch water, West Texas Ranch Water

Previous Post: « Cuban Mojo Chicken
Next Post: Ginger Sage Butternut Squash Soup »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Los Caffe

    September 17, 2019 at 12:26 pm

    Thank you so much Steven Thompson.

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. Josey Gamett

    September 29, 2020 at 9:52 pm

    4 stars
    I accidentally added double the tequila and I wasn’t dissatisfied

    Loading...
    Reply
    • Steven

      September 29, 2020 at 9:56 pm

      Now that’s my kind of accident!

      Loading...
      Reply
  3. Amy

    December 12, 2020 at 10:00 pm

    I was curious if this is best made with the original Topo Chico. There are lime and grapefruit Topo Chicos so I wasn’t sure which one to buy.

    Loading...
    Reply
    • Steven

      December 13, 2020 at 9:00 am

      Hi Amy, the original Ranch Water recipe is made with Topo Chico, before the flavored varieties were created. Although, I bet the flavored Topo Chico recipes would be really good as well. If you want to experiment, make Ranch Water with all of them and see which one is your personal favorite.

      Loading...
      Reply
  4. Shel

    January 2, 2021 at 11:08 am

    Where did you get these beautiful glasses?
    Thanks for sharing this recipe!

    Loading...
    Reply
    • Steven

      January 2, 2021 at 2:17 pm

      Hello, Shel. The glasses are beautiful, aren’t they? These are called ‘footed pilsner’ glasses, and they are the last two of a set my parents had from the 1960s. Although designed for pilsner beer, I love them with the ranch water. I’m glad you enjoy the recipe and the glasses! Cheers!

      Loading...
      Reply
  5. Priscilla Rochin

    July 24, 2023 at 3:00 pm

    This Ranch Water sounds so refreshing. Unfortunately my husband is not a lime lover. Can I substitute something else?

    Loading...
    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. My New Fitness Journey: Lose Weight and Get Fit Fast – Searching High with Lo says:
    March 4, 2021 at 3:02 pm

    […] It’s important to note that I still consumed alcohol. I stopped having a glass of wine every night. Instead, I drank hard seltzers or low-calorie cocktails like a Skinny Margarita or Ranch Water.  […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  2. 11 Easy Tequila Cocktails – The Kitchen Community says:
    December 31, 2021 at 6:51 am

    […] 8. Ranch Water […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  3. Topo Chico’s New Hard Seltzer Flavor Is Perfect For Taco Tuesdays – Food and Beverage Reporter says:
    January 4, 2022 at 9:49 am

    […] of folks living through hot Texas summers consists of Topo Chico, tequila, and lime juice (per Sips, Nibbles & Bites). The refreshingly simple cocktail is gaining popularity nationwide, and Topo Chico has now […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  4. 27 Best Tequila Cocktails (Easy Tequila Drink Recipes) - IzzyCooking says:
    February 3, 2022 at 10:26 am

    […] Texas Ranch Water (Tequila Summer Cocktail): This simple mix was once enjoyed by cowboys and it’s sure to be your new after-work refresher. All you need is tequila, lime juice and Topo Chico. […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  5. Top 25 Tequila Cocktails - Best & Easy Recipes says:
    March 2, 2022 at 5:03 pm

    […] 8. West Texas Ranch Water […]

    Loading...
    Reply
  6. 36 Easy Summer Cocktails – The Kitchen Community says:
    July 31, 2022 at 8:06 am

    […] 35. Ranch Water […]

    Loading...
    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Translate To Any Language

Follow Me!!!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent Posts

  • Layered Chili Con Queso | Bob Armstrong Dip
  • Chocolate Pecan Pumpkin Bread
  • Hummingbird Food Recipe
  • Homemade Buttermilk Pancakes
  • Ginger Sage Butternut Squash Soup
  • West Texas Ranch Water
  • Cuban Mojo Chicken
  • Standing Rib Roast
  • Herb Buttermilk Marinated Turkey Breast
  • My Mom’s Cornbread Dressing

Go To The Blog

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

About me

Hi, my name is Steven Thompson welcome to my Food Blog. I am a graduate of the French Culinary Institute in New York City where I studied Pastry Arts. Throughout the years, I've worked in some of the best restaurants and hotels in the world. Although I have moved on from the world of the professional kitchen, I still have a great love and passion for cooking and food photography, which is why I've become a food blogger. I hope you enjoy reading and making some of these recipes as much as I do. Cheers and bon appetit! Read More…

Steven: View My Blog Posts

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Copyright Steven Thompson© 2025 · Foodie Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

%d