The Paloma: A Simple Twist on a Margarita
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I love a good margarita. On a hot day, it’s nice and refreshing; on a cold and yucky day, it can help me forget that it’s cold and yucky. As I’ve gotten older, though, I can’t tolerate super-sweet margaritas, especially ones that are made with a pre-fab mix.
So when I read in a food magazine about the Paloma being like a “less sweet margarita with bubbles,” and saw that it only required three ingredients, I was intrigued.
What’s in a paloma?
It’s similar to a margarita in that it contains tequila and fresh lime juice, but it gets its sweetness from Italian grapefruit soda instead of triple sec or cointreau.
When I first tasted it, I was pleasantly surprised by 1) how delicious it was, and 2) how subtle the grapefruit flavor was. It really did taste just like a less sweet, bubbly margarita.
How to make a paloma:
- Rim a glass with salt (optional)
- Fill the glass with ice and add about a shot of tequila.
- Squeeze in the juice of half a lime.
- Top off with Italian grapefruit soda.
That’s it! Gently stir, taste and adjust to your liking. If it’s not sweet enough, just add more soda. If it’s too sweet for you, you could try cutting it with some club soda or sparkling water. Since each drink is made individually you can play around with the ingredients until you find your ideal balance.
You can also try experimenting with different flavors of Italian soda. I was going to attempt a version with pomegranate Italian soda over the holidays, but I never got around to it. If anybody does try a different flavor, please comment with your results!
Paloma Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1/2 lime
- 1.5 oz tequila
- 3/4 cup Italian grapefruit soda
- 1/2 cup club soda, optional
Instructions
- Fill a glass with ice. Squeeze the juice from 1/2 a lime over the ice. Add a shot of tequila and top off with grapefruit soda. (If you prefer it less sweet, top off with a blend of grapefruit soda and club soda or sparkling water).
Nutrition Facts
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8 Comments on “The Paloma: A Simple Twist on a Margarita”
This is so refreshing!!!!! I used sparkling water (not realizing it wasn’t soda haha) Made one for the hubby also. He enjoyed it as well!!! I did add a little simple syrup to cut the tartness a bit. Our new summer drink :) PS it was Hibiscus flavored <3
Wow, this sounds super delicious! I’m a tequila fan and think this will be a new favorite.
It’s like a delicious bubbly margarita! Definitely adding this to my cocktail list for upcoming parties!
What a delicious, refreshing cocktail! I’m always down with grapefruit and am so glad it has become so popular through drinks like the Paloma…thanks for sharing :)
This is such a glorious cocktail hour addition! I love the fact that it is less sweet. The sugar gives me a headache! Yummy recipe!
There’s a spot in Miami that makes the BEST paloma’s and I always get one (or two) when I visit. Nice to be able to make them at home. Thanks!
Almost 5:00 in PA so time to try!!
For sure…I’m going to be on PA time as far as happy hour is concerned! :)