How To Make A Paloma | Fed & Fit (2024)

These easy pitcher palomas are a refreshing and fizzy margarita alternative that are perfect for any party or summer gathering!

While I love a good fresh lime and jalapeno margarita, palomas also rank right up there as one of my favorite co*cktails. When you think “Mexican co*cktails” your mind probably goes immediately to the margarita, but palomas are actually the far more popular drink in Mexico! This is for good reason: they are refreshing, and perfectly balanced. A paloma has the bittersweetness of grapefruit, the acidity of lime juice, tequila, the sweetness and fizz of the traditionally used grapefruit soda, and a salted rim, so it speaks to all of your areas of taste. Even if grapefruit isn’t usually your favorite citrus, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised by these pitcher palomas.

What’s in a Paloma co*cktail Recipe?

For these pitcher palomas, we are nixing the standard grapefruit soda in favor of sparkling water, fresh grapefruit juice, and a touch of honey for a deeper, fresher flavor!

• Fresh Grapefruit + Lime Juice – to make these pitcher palomas even easier, I prefer to buy freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit juice from my local grocery store, that way if you do need to make another batch you don’t have to go through the additional trouble of squeezing more juice. If you do go this route, make sure you are using freshly squeezed (same day) juice, not the juice in the refrigerated or bottled section of the store, otherwise the freshness of the co*cktail will be greatly affected. I find mine at Whole Foods and HEB. You can also choose to make your own freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit juice, though!
• Sparkling Water – to give the co*cktail its classic fizz, we use sparkling water or club soda (instead of the grapefruit soda used in standard recipes). This results in the same fizz, but in a better-for-you (but still SUPER delicious) way!
• Honey – honey is my go-to simple syrup replacement because it lends a neutral flavor to co*cktails and dissolves easily. I recommend tasting as you go as you may need to add more honey depending on the sweetness of the grapefruit.
• Tequila – we opt for silver tequila here – we find that it tends to be the “cleanest” tequila out there while still being friendly on the budget!
• Lime + Grapefruit (for garnish) – though we use *freshly squeezed* grapefruit and lime juice for the bulk of our co*cktail, grab one grapefruit and lime each for some pretty garnish!
• Coarse Salt (for the rim) – what’s a co*cktail without a sea salt rim, am I right?! We’ll run a lime wedge around the rim of our glass and then dip it in coarse sea salt for the all-too-classic finish!

How To Make a Paloma

Making a pitcher of these palomas is insanely easy…are you ready for it?!

1. Add + stir. Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, sparkling water, and honey in a large pitcher and stir to combine.
2. Pour + enjoy. When you’re ready, grab a glass, run a lime wedge around the rim, dip it in coarse sea salt, pour from the pitcher, add a grapefruit slice, and enjoy! You can totally skip the sea salt rim + garnishes if they aren’t doable for a large crowd, though they do add a really pretty touch!

Palomas Frequently Asked Questions