When seeking the pinnacle of Mexican cocktails, look no further than the Paloma. While many gravitate toward margaritas, we’re here to show you why this grapefruit-forward tequila masterpiece deserves the spotlight in your home bar repertoire.
What Is a Paloma Cocktail?
The Paloma (“dove” in Spanish) is Mexico’s most beloved cocktail, combining the bright citrus notes of grapefruit with premium tequila and a sparkling finish. Born in the town of Tequila, this cocktail has been delighting discerning palates since the 1950s
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Paloma Cocktail
How to Make a Paloma Cocktail
- Create the citrus salt rim by combining kosher salt with fresh grapefruit zest, then prepare your glass.
- Combine tequila, fresh juices, and simple syrup in your shaker with ice.
- Shake until properly chilled and strain over fresh ice.
- Top with sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Tip 1: Use a reamer or hand juicer for your citrus – electric juicers can create bitter notes from the pith.
- Tip 2: Adjust the simple syrup to your preference, especially when grapefruit sweetness varies seasonally.
- Tip 3: For an elevated experience, try using Topo Chico mineral water for its superior bubbles, though skip the Topo Chico flavors, we find them all aromatic and no depth of flavor.
How to Serve This Paloma Cocktail
Serve in a Collins glass with plenty of ice. This cocktail shines during summer happy hours but works year-round when you can source quality grapefruit.
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Perfect Paloma Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 oz lime juice
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Sparkling water too top
- Salt for rim
- Grapefruit zest for rim
Instructions
- Combine the salt and grapefruit zest in a shallow plate.
- Run a lime wedge over the edge of a glass and dip the glass into the salt mixture. Set aside.
- Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake until chilled.
- Fill the glass with ice and strain the cocktail into the glass.
- Top with sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.
Recipe FAQs
While fresh is preferred, high-quality bottled juice works in a pinch. Look for 100% juice without added sweeteners. We recommend Knudsen Organic Grapefruit Juice.
We recommend a premium blanco tequila like Fortaleza or Ocho for their clean, agave-forward profiles.
Lime juice provides crucial acidity that balances the drink and adds complexity you can’t get from grapefruit alone.
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