↑

Will Cook For Smiles

Classic and Original Homecooking Recipes

  • Home
    • About Me
    • Work With Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Subscribe!
  • Recipes
    • Popular Posts
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Healthy Dishes
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Sandwich
    • Cauliflower
    • Drink
    • Cocktail
  • How To
  • Instant Pot
    • Instant Pot Main Dishes
    • Instant Pot Side Dishes
    • Instant Pot Soups
  • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Chicken
    • Beef
    • Seafood
    • Pork
    • Chili
    • Pasta
    • Slow Cooker
    • Vegetarian
  • Dessert
    • Cheesecake
    • Cake
    • Cookies
    • Chocolate
  • Holidays
    • BBQ
    • Father’s Day
    • 4th Of July
    • Fall Recipes
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas Dinner
    • Christmas Baking
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Super Bowl Recipes
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Holiday Leftover Recipes
    • Cinco de Mayo
    • Mother’s Day
Home » Drink » Paloma

Paloma

Created: May 21, 2021 Updated: April 21, 2022 by Lyuba Brooke 2 Comments

1.7K shares
Jump to Recipe

Paloma is a delightfully refreshing tequila cocktail that’s made with only 4 simple ingredients. Grapefruit soda, tequila, fresh lime juice, and a little agave nectar come together to create an unforgettably delicious drink. This summer, refresh yourself with a Paloma cocktail!

A twist of lime garnishes a small glass full of paloma cocktail.

Paloma Cocktail

The Paloma is the most popular cocktail in all of Mexico, and after just one sip, it’s not hard to see why. While not much is known about the specifics of the origin of the cocktail, it’s widely recognized as being first created by Don Javier Delgado Corona, a very well known and highly respected bartender.

Ordering a Paloma on a beach in Mexico sounds like a dream right about now! It’s an equal parts bitter and sweet cocktail that is delightfully fruity and packs a punch with 2 oz of tequila… It’s a true summertime treat. However, if you’re not headed to Mexico anytime soon, no worries! This is a simple recipe that will give you all the pleasures of a Mexican Paloma in the comfort of your own home.

So whether you’re planning a pool party, a backyard barbecue, or any other type of fun summertime festivity, consider serving Palomas to your guests! While some may prefer a cold cerveza, there are always party guests who’d much rather have a refreshing cocktail like this one. They’re delicious, freshly flavored, perfectly boozy, and vibrantly picturesque!

Ingredients in a Paloma

The ingredients for a paloma are placed on a kitchen counter.

You only need 4 simple and inexpensive ingredients to create this classic Mexican cocktail. Oh, and don’t forget the salt for the rim!

  • Tequila Blanco – The rule of thumb for all cocktails is this – your cocktail will only be as good as the liquor you use! Luckily, when it comes to tequila blanco, there are so many good brands you can use. Try to avoid using anything from the bottom shelf, and you should be in the clear!
  • Grapefruit Soda – Grapefruit soda is really the best of both worlds. It has the carbonation and slight sweetness of a regular soda, while also having the bitterness and bite of a real grapefruit.
  • Lime Juice – Use fresh lime juice, not anything from concentrate at the grocery store. Fresh lime juice really does wonders to the Paloma! It’s a deliciously natural way to enhance the acidic taste of the grapefruit soda.
  • Agave Nectar – Agave adds a nice balance to the bitterness of the grapefruit soda, but if your soda is already sweet, you don’t need to add it. Taste your soda first, before deciding to add agave nectar.
  • Salt – There’s nothing better than a combination of tequila and a little salt! Coarse kosher salt or flaky sea salt is always the best way to go. If you’re a fan of salt rimmed tequila drinks, then you definitely need to also make a Margarita, too.
Two palomas are placed next to a few lime wedges on a counter.

What tequila should be used in a Paloma?

You should use tequila blanco because it’s young and fruity. It’s also works best because the flavor of tequila will not mast the natural flavor of the grapefruit.

What grapefruit soda should be used?

There are lots of grapefruit sodas to choose from on the market, but if you want to stay a little more authentic, use Jarritos grapefruit soda. It’s a Mexican soda brand that produces some seriously delicious sodas! I love using their grapefruit soda in my Palomas but it is not always available at all grocery stores.

Can I use grapefruit juice instead of grapefruit soda?

Absolutely! If you love fresh grapefruit, use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice and club soda instead of grapefruit soda. You will need about 2 oz of fresh grapefruit juice and about 2 ounces of club soda. Make sure to mix all the ingredients together before adding the soda, then top the cocktail off with club soda and very gently stir.

How to Make a Paloma

A glass is being rimmed with salt.

Start off by rimming the glasses, that way they’re prepared for pouring. It’s always annoying to pour a drink into your glass, only to realize you forgot to rim it!

Simply rub a lime wedge along the rim of the glass, coating it with fresh lime juice. Then, dip the rim of the glass into the salt.

A shot of tequila blanco is being poured into a rimmed glass.

You can make this cocktail in a shaker, or right in the glass!

To make it in the glass, just pour the tequila blanco, lime juice, and agave nectar into a glass and give it a stir to fully combine everything.

Paloma is being poured into a glass.

To make this cocktail in a shaker, pour the tequila blanco, lime juice, and agave nectar into a shaker with a few ice cubes and give it a shake. Then, pour it directly into the glass.

No matter which method you prefer, shaken or stirred, you’re going to have a delicious drink. Once the three ingredients are combined, top the glass off with grapefruit soda and give it a final gentle stir.

You don’t want to pour the grapefruit soda into the shaker, as it will ruin the carbonation of the drink.

A pink paloma is garnished with lime.

How should I garnish a Paloma?

Besides a twist of lime and a salt rim, there are a few other tasty ways to garnish your Paloma! Garnishes aren’t only fun to play around with for flavor purposes, either. They also look wonderful in pictures, and you’re definitely going to want to share photos of your cocktail!

Other great garnishes for Paloma include grapefruit wedges to amplify the grapefruit flavor, strawberries to add a touch of fresh sweetness, or citrus salt instead of regular coarse cocktail salt to further enhance the acidity of the cocktail.

Wedges of lime and grapefruit surround two palomas.

More bright, summery cocktails!

White Sangria – a fruity, sweet wine cocktail that’s bursting with fresh flavors of citrus, apples, strawberries, and mango.

Strawberry Margarita – this sweet margarita combines fresh berries, aromatic reposado tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar for a touch of sweetness.

Rum Punch – a Jamaican-style cocktail that has a base of orange and pineapples juices and both, light and dark rums.

Lemon Drop Martini – this classic cocktail has only four ingredients – good quality vodka, fresh lemon juice, orange liqueur, and sweetener.

PIN THIS RECIPE FOR LATER

centered glass with light pick cocktail, salt rim, and lime

Paloma

Paloma is a delightfully refreshing tequila cocktail that's made with only 4 simple ingredients.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 203kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 2 oz tequila blanco
  • 4 oz grapefruit soda
  • 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
  • 1/4-1/2 oz agave nectar if needed
  • salt for the rim
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Rub each glass rim with a lime wedge and dip the rim into coarse salt.
  • You can shake the cocktail in a shaker or stir it right in the glass. Combine tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar in the glass with ice and stir to combine. (Or, you can shake it it a cocktail shaker with ice and then pour into the glass.)
  • Top it off with grapefruit soda, give it a gentle stir and enjoy!

Notes

Nutritional note: each type of soda you will choose will have different nutritional value.

Nutrition

Calories: 203kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 7IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles
title collage with two images of Paloma cocktail in a glass with different angles

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

1.7K shares

Filed Under: Cocktail, Drink, Tequila

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Steve says

    November 28, 2021 at 7:52 pm

    5 stars
    A variation I discoveted in Monterrey is to add 1oz. of sangrita to make a Vampiro. Be sure the sangrita is orange-based, not tomato.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      December 8, 2021 at 10:15 am

      Yum!

      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.

Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

Father’s Day Recipes

closeup of ribeye steak covered in a cream sauce and parsley.

Rib Eye Steaks with The Best Cream Sauce

inside of Steak Diane after being sliced

Steak Diane

closeup of holding a cheeseburger with one hand

How To Make The Best Burgers

beef topped with herbed butter and roasted green beans

Pan Seared Steak

baked lobster tails topped with fresh parsley and herb butter

Lobster Tails Recipe

swirled chocolate mousse in a clear glass with shaved white chocolate on top.

Chocolate Mousse

two grilled steaks on the wooden cutting board with rosemary around.

How To Grill The Best Steak

sliced beef tenderloin coated in peppercorn seasoning.

Pepper Crusted Beef Tenderloin

Our Popular Recipes

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pork Rub

starting to take out a slice of carrot cake with a spatula.

Carrot Cake

Michelada

Stuffed Mushrooms

top view of three meatball subs in baking dish

The BEST Meatball Subs

Beef Tenderloin

Top Rated Recipes

The Best French Toast

Cauliflower Parmesan Crisps

Christmas Cheesecake (Cranberry Jam White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake)

Avocado Salmon Rice Bowl

round decorative bowl filled with apple pie bread pudding topped with ice cream and a fork leaning on the side of the bowl viewed close up.

Apple Pie Bread Pudding

Smores cheesecake on a wooden table

S'mores Cheesecake

Sides

30 Min

Pasta

Salads

Breakfast

Drinks

Soups

Gluten Free

FEATURED ON:

featured on

Steak Diane

Steak Diane

May 29, 2023
Steak...
Sautéed Mushrooms

Sautéed Mushrooms

May 26, 2023
Sautéed...
Lobster Tails Recipe

Lobster Tails Recipe

May 26, 2023
This...
Greek Tortellini Salad

Greek Tortellini Salad

May 25, 2023
Greek...
Blackened Salmon

Blackened Salmon

May 25, 2023
Blackened...
Shrimp and Grits

Shrimp and Grits

May 11, 2023
Shrimp...
Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Mousse

May 8, 2023
Chocolate...
Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

Creamy Shrimp Enchiladas

May 4, 2023
Shrimp...
Pork Carnitas

Pork Carnitas

May 3, 2023
Carnitas...
Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

April 26, 2023
Spanish...
Privacy Policy
©2023, Will Cook For Smiles. Design by Pixel Me Designs