The simplest paloma recipe is just grapefruit soda with tequila. It’s classic, and deliciously rustic. But, while that pared down paloma tastes amazing on a beach in Mexico, but I always feel like it lacks magic when my husband and I sip them in our own backyard. Instead, these days when I crave a paloma cocktail at home, I dress it up by adding a few extras to the classic mix of blanco tequila and grapefruit soda. A salted rim, plus fresh lime and grapefruit juice make it taste so much better!
If the lime juice and tequila make you think of margaritas, you’re on the right track. Palomas and margaritas are cocktail cousins. Both are from Mexico, and they’re both made with lots of citrus and blanco tequila! Here’s an easy way to think about the difference between the two drinks:
- Margarita = tequila + lime juice + triple sec
- Paloma = tequila + lime juice + grapefruit soda + grapefruit juice
Paloma Ingredients
- Tequila: Clear and crisp blanco tequila is perfect for palomas, no need to use anything fancy.
- Grapefruit soda: Use Jarritos if you want a real Mexican vibe, but Squirt also works just fine.
- Fresh grapefruit juice: One grapefruit will make enough juice for two or three cocktails.
- Fresh lime juice: To be safe, I always plan on one lime per cocktail.
- Ice: Obviously, but also really important! You’ll need a shaker full of ice, and a glass filled with even more ice.
- Optional extras: I like a dash of bitters, and a salt rim, but they’re not required.
How To Make A Perfect Paloma
- Salt the rim of your favorite cocktail glass that’s big enough to include lots of ice! Rocks glasses or highballs work great.
- Juice all the citrus fruits.
- Grab your cocktail shaker! Shake together blanco tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, ice and bitters.
- Strain into an ice-filled glass and top it off with the grapefruit soda.
Serving A Crowd? Make A Pitcher
Simply multiply the ingredients by the number of servings needed. Then, mix everything except the soda in advance. Combine and strain into a pitcher. At this point, you can chill the pitcher until it’s time to serve the drink, up to a few hours or even all day, then add the soda and garnishes just before serving.
The Best Tequila for Palomas
I usually use decent blanco tequila for making palomas, but not top shelf since it gets mixed with a lot of big flavors in this cocktail recipe. I’ve had good luck with all of these blanco tequilas, and they’re all very widely available:
- Espolòn
- Don Julio
- Cazadores
- Herradura
- Olmeca Altos
Variations + Add Ins
- Want a spicy paloma? Instead of the salt rim, give the drink a kick by doing a Tajin® Clasico rim!
- For an even spicier paloma: Add a chopped jalapeño to your shaker before mixing.
- Sub in mezcal for tequila to give the drink a smoky flavor.
- Make it non-alcholic: Skip the tequila and double the grapefruit soda for a refreshing mocktail.
- Like it sweeter? Stir in a little simple syrup to taste. Simple syrup is easy to make, just warm up equal parts sugar and water until the sugar is dissolved.
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Palomas won’t keep you hydrated, but they do make for some mighty good porch sitting! Take this recipe for a spin and let us know how you like it! For more recipe inspiration, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest or order our cookbook. We love when you share your meals. Tag us on Instagram using #themodernproper, and we’d love to hear what you think of this recipe in the comments below. Happy cooking!
