Paloma recipe
Tequila, lime juice, pink grapefruit soda and salt, shaken and strained into a highball glass, garnished with a slice of lime.
By Kris Barton · Updated - 2 mins total
- 5 ingredients
- Highball glass
- 145 kcal
What Ingredients do you need to make a Paloma?
Tequila
Tequila is made from the fermented juice of the blue agave plant primarily in the city of Tequila, in the Mexican state of Jalisco.
In order for Tequila to be official (and to actually be called a Tequila), it must be made in specific regions of Mexico and follow strict regulations.
Different Types of Tequila
There are 5 main types of Tequila:
Blanco (Silver) – Clear, usually unaged with a strong agave flavour.
Reposado – Aged in oak barrels for 2 to 12 months, giving it a smoother flavour with hints of oak and vanilla.
Añejo – Aged 1 to 3 years, offering richer, more complex flavours.
Extra Añejo – Aged over 3 years, with deep, refined flavours, often compared to fine cognacs or whiskies.
Joven (Gold) – A mix of Blanco and aged tequilas, sometimes with added colouring or flavouring.
What Equipment do you need to make a Paloma?
Highball Glass
Highball Glasses are the most common glasses in the cocktail world. You can put most cocktails in there from the Long Island Iced Tea to a Bay Breeze.
Cocktail Shaker
Cocktail shakers improve the taste of cocktails. It’s a fact.
There’s a reason that famed British spy James Bond says “shaken, not stirred”. And that reason is: because it tastes better.
If you don’t already have a cocktail shaker set, you might want to check out our detailed cocktail shaker comparison.
But to cut a long story short, here’s the cocktail shaker we recommend:
Hawthorne Strainer
If you (or perhaps the person you’re buying for) don’t have a Hawthorne strainer as part of a cocktail shaker set, it’s a great, and incredibly useful, addition to your cocktail toolbox.
The strainer is typically used to remove the ice (or any other unwanted solid ingredients) from your cocktail as it’s poured from the cocktail shaker into your glass.
For a Hawthorne Strainer, we recommend:
Bar Spoon
Bar Spoons are great for cocktails you’re supposed to stir, rather than shake in a cocktail shaker.
Sure, you can probably use any spoon to stir your drink but these bar spoons are the real deal. It’s the proper equipment to get the job right.
- They’re long enough to get to the bottom of any cocktail to allow you to properly stir.
- They have a twist spiral design that allows for a better grip.
- They’re made out of stainless steel, so they’re durable, corrosion resistant, and easy to clean.
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Recipe card
Paloma
- Prep
- 1 min
- Making
- 1 min
- Total
- 2 mins
- Serves
- 1
- Glass
- Highball glass
- Calories
- 145 kcal
Ingredients
Makes 1 drink.
Method
- (Optional) dip the rim of a highball glass into water and then shake off the excess. Sprinkle salt on a plate and dip the glass into it to get your salt rim.
- Add ice, tequila, and lime juice to your cocktail shaker and then shake well until the outside of the shaker feels cold.
- Use a Hawthorne strainer to strain the ingredients into a highball glass.
- Add the pink grapefruit soda and stir in with a bar spoon.
- Garnish with a slice of lime.
Want more like this? Browse our full collection of modern cocktails.
Paloma FAQs
What Ingredients do you need to make a Paloma?
To make a Paloma, you need 50ml / 1.6oz tequila, 10ml / 0.3oz lime juice, 100ml / 3.4oz pink grapefruit soda and a pinch of salt, plus a slice of lime to garnish. There’s more about tequila above.
What Equipment do you need to make a Paloma?
You’ll need a highball glass, a cocktail shaker, a Hawthorne strainer and a bar spoon.
What alcohol is in a Paloma?
The only alcohol in a Paloma is tequila: 50ml / 1.6oz.
Is a Paloma shaken or stirred?
A Paloma is shaken. Shake it with ice in a cocktail shaker, then strain it into a highball glass.
Can I make a Paloma without a cocktail shaker?
A cocktail shaker is best, but a clean jam jar with a tight lid works too. Add ice and the ingredients, screw the lid on and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, then strain it into your glass through a small sieve.
What glass is a Paloma served in?
Serve a Paloma in a highball glass.
How do you garnish a Paloma?
Garnish a Paloma with a slice of lime.
