Nojito Slush (Virgin Mojito)
An alcohol-free frozen mojito with mint, lime and lemon-lime soda, adapted from the Tahiti manual’s Frozen Mojito Slush.
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Illustrative photo: minchephoto photography / Pexels
Everything great about a frozen mojito — cold, minty, limey — without the rum. Based on the Tahiti manual’s Frozen Mojito Slush, with the rum swapped for soda.
Lemon-lime soda makes it sweeter and kid-friendly; soda water makes it crisper for adults.
Nojito Slush recipe
Ingredients (2 drinks)
- 9 leaves fresh mint (8–10)
- 2 oz sweetened lime juice (paid link)
- 1½ oz simple syrup (paid link)
- 5 oz lemon-lime soda or soda water
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Mint sprig, lime wheel. Glass: Highball.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add mint, lime and syrup to the jar; add soda last.
- Run the cycle.
- Garnish with mint and lime.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fresh mint (8–10) | 10 leaves | 13½ leaves | 9 leaves | 11½ leaves | 23 leaves |
| sweetened lime juice | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 5 oz |
| simple syrup | 1⅔ oz | 2¼ oz | 1½ oz | 2 oz | 3¾ oz |
| lemon-lime soda or soda water | 5⅔ oz | 7½ oz | 5 oz | 6⅓ oz | 12⅔ oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- A carbonated ingredient foams when blended. Pour it into the jar last, down the side, and stay well under the fill line — or blend without it and top each glass with soda instead.
- This batch uses about 8.5 fl oz of liquid for 2 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Blended mint is intensely aromatic, so the drink doesn’t need alcohol to taste complex.
About mocktails & kid-friendly
Without alcohol, frozen drinks set firmer, so most of our mocktails replace the spirit with an equal volume of juice, soda or water to keep the liquid-to-ice ratio right. Remember the manuals’ warning: the appliance itself should not be used by children — let an adult run the machine.
Tips for the best texture
- Spearmint is best.
- Add soda last to avoid foaming.
- Cucumber slices make it spa-fresh.
- Use fresh lime + extra syrup if you don’t have sweetened lime.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with mint sprig, lime wheel and serve in a highball. Make mocktails look as special as the grown-up drinks: colored sugar rims, fruit skewers and fun straws. Label pitchers clearly at mixed parties so alcoholic and alcohol-free batches never get confused, and blend the kids’ batch first in a freshly rinsed jar.
Variations
- Berry nojito: Add ½ cup frozen raspberries.
- Watermelon: Add 1 cup frozen watermelon.
- Ginger: Use ginger ale.
Make it with (or without) alcohol
Already alcohol-free. For adults: add 2⅔ oz light rum per 24 oz jar (see Frozen Mojito Slush).
Shop the ingredients
- Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice (paid link)
- Monin Pure Cane Syrup (simple syrup), 750 ml (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Does blended mint taste bitter?
Not in a short blend; over-blending can make it grassy.
Sugar-free?
Use diet soda and a sugar-free syrup.
Can kids make it?
Adults should run the machine.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
