This Pink Paloma cocktail is pretty AND tasty! Using tequila, fresh lime and grapefruit juice, and grapefruit soda makes this classic, refreshing drink.
If you like margaritas, you should definitely try out this refreshing pink paloma cocktail! It's fresh, simple, and so freaking delicious. You know I love anything pink, so this cocktail was right up my ally!
Paired with a salty rim, this is the perfect drink. If you like tequila, be sure to try my Mistletoe Margarita and Healthy Lemonade Mojito!
Table of Contents:
🍸 Why you'll love this Pink Paloma
- It's pink, duh.
- It's tart, yet still sweet!
- Refreshing and satisfying.
🥘 What you need for this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Tequila - Blanco Tequila is traditional in this, but you could substitute it for vodka or gin if you needed to.
- Pink Grapefruit Juice - I highly recommend fresh squeezing this juice, as that will yield the best flavor AND minimal waste.
- Lime Juice - I also recommend squeezing this fresh.
- Agave - Agave nectar works best but simple syrup is fine too. You can elevate this a bit by using a homemade Vanilla Simple Syrup.
- Grapefruit Soda - I recommend using the Fever Tree grapefruit soda. If necessary, plain soda water will work.
Tools and Equipment:
- Cocktail Shaker
- Citrus Juicer
📋 How to make a Pink Paloma
Step 1: Prepare Ingredients
Begin by optionally rubbing the glass with agave or lime juice, then rimming it in salt. Skip this step if you don't want a flavored rim.
Juice the grapefruit and the lime juice.
Step 2: Make the Cocktail
Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker, then add the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave. Shake for 30 seconds up to one minute.
Add ice to the serving glass and strain the shaken cocktail into the glass. Pour the grapefruit soda on top of the drink until it is full. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit or lime.
Serve cold and enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips & Tricks
- Blanco Tequila is traditional in this, but you could substitute it for vodka or gin if you needed to.
- I recommend using the Fever Tree grapefruit soda. If necessary, plain soda water will work.
- I highly recommend fresh squeezing this juice, as that will yield the best flavor AND minimal waste.
Recipe FAQs
There are a few differences between a margarita and a paloma, but most notably, a paloma is flavored with grapefruit juice, whereas a margarita is very lime-forward.
Traditionally, a paloma is made of blanco tequila. However, if you prefer another kind of tequila, or even vodka or gin, that would be fine too!
A paloma will be a pretty pink color if you use pink or red grapefruit juice, rather than white grapefruit juice. Sometimes a paloma will come out a bit more orange or yellow.
Related Recipes
Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook when you try one of my recipes!
📖 Recipe
Pink Paloma (Grapefruit Cocktail)
Ingredients
- 1 oz Grapefruit juice
- 1 oz Lime juice
- ½ oz Agave or simple syrup
- 2 oz Tequila
- Grapefruit soda
Instructions
- Begin by optionally rubbing the glass with agave or lime juice, then rimming it in salt. Skip this step if you don't want a flavored rim.
- Juice the grapefruit and the lime juice.
- Add ice cubes to a cocktail shaker, then add the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and agave. Shake for 30 seconds up to one minute.
- Add ice to the serving glass and strain the shaken cocktail into the glass. Pour the grapefruit soda on top of the drink until it is full. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit or lime.
- Serve cold and enjoy!
Notes
- Blanco Tequila is traditional in this, but you could substitute it for vodka or gin if you needed to.
- I recommend using the Fever Tree grapefruit soda. If necessary, plain soda water will work.
- I highly recommend fresh squeezing this juice, as that will yield the best flavor AND minimal waste.
Courtney says
I had my girlfriends over for book club the other night and we made these. TASTY!!