With citrusy grapefruit, tequila, tart limes, and just a hint of sweetness and fizz, my Palomas by the pitcher are a quick and easy paloma recipe that is perfect for entertaining or your next get together.
Palomas have a special place in my heart, but it wasn’t really until our trip to the tiny island of Isla Mujeres a little over a year ago that my obsession began.
The condo complex we were staying at had a cute little bar that had a two-for-one happy hour every day. And since it was Mexico, the already cheap prices were impossible to pass up when we were getting the second drink free. So it seemed like just about every time we were on our way past, whether it was getting back from a day at the beach clubs or getting ready to head out to dinner, we would find an excuse to stop for a drink.
The drink menu at the bar had lots of delicious specialty cocktail options, but my and Steve’s favorite quickly became the Paloma. In fact, one afternoon after exploring the nearby beaches and then lounging by the pool, we found ourselves stopping by the bar just in time for happy hour, where we happily drank Paloma after Paloma and watched the sunset from the rooftop deck. Check out that view of the island!
With all of our time spent at home lately, we found ourselves longing to go back to Isla. While we might not be on the beach soaking up the Mexican sun, we have been making lots of Palomas and reminiscing about the good times. Which led me to develop this quick and easy Paloma recipe.
This Palomas by the Pitcher recipe is perfect for serving to a small group, whether for Cinco de Mayo or any Mexican themed fiesta, or just anytime when you want to pretend you are relaxing in Mexico.
What is a Paloma?
A Paloma is a classic drink in Mexico that is crisp and refreshing with tangy, bittersweet grapefruit and a light bubbly fizz. A traditional Paloma recipe calls for just three ingredients, tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda. However, there are a lot of variations combining anything from fresh grapefruit juice to club soda.
For my easy Palomas by the Pitcher recipe, I wanted to keep things simple, using simple ingredients that were easy and quick to mix and serve – perfect for entertaining!
Paloma Cocktail Ingredients
The ingredients in my Paloma recipe include:
- Tequila: I think silver tequila works best in Palomas as it allows the grapefruit flavor to shine. You can use any silver tequila you prefer, but keep in mind, you probably don’t need to use the most expensive tequila here – mid range is fine.
- Grapefruit Juice: Next you want good quality grapefruit juice. You can squeeze your own fresh juice, but let’s be honest, when making Palomas by the Pitcher, no one wants to juice that many grapefruits. We use Simply Brand Grapefruit Juice as I find this has a great rich flavor.
- Grapefruit Soda: Next is the grapefruit soda. I know there are some traditional Mexican grapefruit sodas you can buy, but we usually just use Squirt (mostly because it is easy to find and keep on hand).
- Lime Juice: The tart lime juice helps to balance out the grapefruit flavor, while mellowing the tequila. I squeeze fresh limes for this recipe, because I find that the bottled stuff just never tastes right.
- Salt: While this is optional, I highly recommend salting the rim of each glass with coarse sea salt or margarita salt before serving. The salt actually helps bring out the sweetness in the grapefruit. You can also substitute sugar if you prefer it extra sweet.
- Ice: A Paloma is best served ice cold, so make sure to fill each glass with ice when serving!
More Favorite Mexican Inspired Recipes
If you liked my Palomas by the Pitcher recipe, make sure to check out some of these other great Mexican inspired recipes for your next fiesta (or when you are just wishing you could get away):
- Spicy Blood Orange Margarita
- Chili Lime Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Avocado Salsa
- Pineapple Habanero Hot Sauce
Easy Palomas by the Pitcher
Ingredients
- 2 cups silver tequila
- 2 ½ cup grapefruit juice
- 2 cans grapefruit soda (I use Squirt)
- 1/3 cup lime juice (about 3-4 limes)
Garnish
- Salt (optional)
- Ice
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir gently to combine.
To Serve
- Salt the rim of each glass by rubbing a lime wedge around the rim, and then dipping it onto a small plate of salt (if desired).
- Fill each glass with ice, then top with Paloma mixture. Squeeze a wedge of lime in each glass to finish.