Why you’ll love this mezcal paloma!
Cocktails have become a regular occurrence in our house of the past few months that we’ve been stuck at home, and this is one thing I’m not complaining about.
It’s been really fun experimenting and having something other than our usual pineapple margaritas or brandy old fashioned. We’ve tried prickly pear margaritas, elderberry gin cocktails and even this amazing Brazilian coconut cocktail.
This mezcal paloma was an instant hit, and I know we’ll be making regularly from now on.
Ingredient notes:
- Mezcal – If you don’t have mezcal at home, you can easily substitute tequila in this paloma recipe.
- Triple sec – You can swap other orange liqueurs here, such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
- Grapefruit juice
- Lime juice – Fresh squeezed citrus is always best!
- Sparkling water
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
How to make a paloma
Traditionally, palomas are made with grapefruit soda, but I’m not a huge fan of the added sugar, so I juiced some grapefruits we had on hand.
I got about 1 cup of grapefruit juice from 2 grapefruits, but it can vary so if you’re going to the store, buy a few extra. You can always use them for garnish.
Mixing the cocktail itself is so easy. Just shake the mezcal, triple sec and lim/grapefruit juice with ice until it’s super cold.
Strain the cocktail into two rimmed glasses and top with your favorite sparkling water. We used Topo Chico, but any bubbly water will work. You can even use soda, if you want.
More cocktail recipes you’ll love:
Frequently asked questions
Mezcal pairs really well with a variety of ingredients. It goes particularly well with citrus fruit, such as the grapefruit used in this drink.
Paloma means dove in Spanish, and the drink is named after a popular Mexicna folk song called La Paloma.
Traditionally, a paloma is made with tequila, lime juice and grapefruit soda, but this recipe is made with mezcal and grapefruit juice.
This paloma recipe carries about 150 calories, which is a bit lower than a traditional paloma made with grapefruit soda.
Mezcal Paloma Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces mezcal
- 1.5 ounces triple sec
- 1.5 ounces lime juice
- 6 ounces grapefruit juice, 1-2 grapefruits, juiced
- Sparkling water or club soda
- Ice
- Grapefruit slices, for garnish
Instructions
- Rim two cocktail glasses with salt (or sugar, if preferred) and fill with ice.
- In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine mezcal, triple sec, lime juice, and grapefruit juice. Shake until very cold.
- Strain into prepared glasses and top with sparkling water.
- Garnish with a grapefruit slice before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I love a good Paloma on a sunny day. This recipe was amazing!
Planning to make this week!! What’s your opinion on using S. Pelegríno mineral sparkling water vs standard sparkling water? I’m wondering if there’s a difference.
I’ve used both plain club soda and topo chico mineral water for this, so I think either will work fine!