A Paloma is tequila, fresh lime juice, a pinch of salt, and grapefruit soda — shaken, poured over ice, and done in five minutes. It’s lighter and less sweet than a Margarita, which makes it a much easier crowd-pleaser when you’re mixing drinks for people with different tastes. If you keep a bottle of tequila blanco in the house, you probably already have everything else you need.
Why this recipe works
Two things make this drink work. First, shaking the tequila, lime juice, and salt together with ice before adding the soda chills and dilutes the alcohol slightly, which softens any harsh edges without watering down the flavor. Second, the salt isn’t just a rim garnish here — it goes directly into the shaker, where it rounds out the bitterness of the grapefruit and keeps the drink tasting balanced rather than sharp. Those two steps are what separate a Paloma that tastes genuinely refreshing from one that just tastes like tequila and soda.
What can go wrong
- Over-shaking after adding the soda: The recipe has you shake only the tequila and lime, then top with soda. If you shake everything together, you’ll lose all the carbonation and end up with a flat drink. Stir gently after adding the soda — that’s all it needs.
- Using bottled lime juice: Bottled lime juice tastes noticeably duller here because there’s nothing else in the drink to hide it. Half a fresh lime takes about 20 seconds to squeeze and makes a real difference.
- Pouring the soda too fast: A hard pour creates a lot of foam that overflows the glass before you can stir. Pour the grapefruit soda slowly down the side of the glass to keep it under control.
- Skipping the pre-chill step: If your glass isn’t cold and your ice is already melting, the drink gets diluted fast. A few minutes in the freezer or a quick rinse with cold water makes the drink stay colder longer.
- Using a flavored or sweetened tequila: Tequila blanco is called for specifically because it’s unaged and clean-tasting. A gold or reposado tequila adds oak and vanilla notes that compete with the grapefruit rather than complementing it.
About the ingredients
Grapefruit soda is the ingredient most people have questions about. Jarritos Toronja (grapefruit) is the most widely available Mexican option and works well — it’s sweeter than most craft sodas, so the drink leans a little more toward sweet-tart. Squirt is a common US substitute and is slightly less sweet. If you want to cut the sugar, use plain sparkling water and add a splash of 100% grapefruit juice instead; skip the salt-and-zest rim in that case since the drink will already be more bitter. Skip the garnish — not worth the extra dish — unless you’re serving guests and want the presentation.
Keeping and reheating
A Paloma doesn’t keep well once it’s built — the soda goes flat within 20 to 30 minutes, and the ice dilutes everything further. If you’re making drinks for a group, batch the tequila-lime-salt mixture ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours, then pour individual portions over ice and top each glass with soda right before serving. Don’t freeze the pre-mixed base; the lime juice turns bitter after freezing and thawing.
Classic Paloma
Equipment
- Highball glass or Collins glass
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger or measuring cup
- Citrus juicer or reamer
- Fine mesh strainer (optional, for double-straining)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila blanco 60ml; opt for a 100% agave silver tequila for a smoother taste
- 0.5 ounce fresh lime juice 15ml; freshly squeezed for optimal flavour
- 1 pinch salt
- 4 ounces grapefruit soda 120ml; Jarritos Toronja, Squirt, or another grapefruit soda
- ice cubes for shaking and serving
Instructions
- Chill a highball glass by placing it in the freezer for 5-10 minutes or filling it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 oz (60ml) tequila blanco, 0.5 oz (15ml) fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt.2 ounces tequila blanco, 0.5 ounce fresh lime juice, 1 pinch salt
- Fill the shaker halfway with ice and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds until the outside feels frosty and well-chilled.ice cubes
- Remove the ice from your glass if chilled with ice water, or retrieve it from the freezer.
- Strain the tequila and lime mixture into the glass over fresh ice cubes.ice cubes
- Top with 4 oz (120ml) grapefruit soda and stir gently once or twice to combine without losing carbonation. Garnish with a lime wheel or grapefruit wedge if desired.4 ounces grapefruit soda
Notes
Nutrition
Common questions
Can kids drink a non-alcoholic version of this?
Yes — just skip the tequila and use a little extra grapefruit soda or a mix of grapefruit juice and sparkling water. Add the pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime, and it tastes like a really good citrus soda that holds its own next to the grown-up version.
What tequila brand should I buy if I don’t usually drink tequila?
Any 100% agave tequila blanco in the $20–$30 range works fine — Espolòn, Olmeca Altos, and Cazadores are all easy to find and won’t overpower the drink. Avoid anything labeled ‘mixto,’ which means it’s not made from 100% agave and tends to taste harsher.
Can I make a big batch for a party?
You can batch the tequila and lime juice mixture — multiply the amounts by however many drinks you need and refrigerate it in a pitcher for up to 24 hours. Add the grapefruit soda and ice per glass at serving time, otherwise it goes flat.
Is there a way to make this less boozy without changing the flavor much?
Use 1 ounce of tequila instead of 2 and increase the grapefruit soda to 5 or 6 ounces. The drink stays citrusy and balanced — it just has a lighter alcohol presence, which also makes it easier to pace over a longer meal.
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