Virgin paloma
Grapefruit soda, fresh lime and a salted rim over ice. Bitter, sharp and very easy.
- Time
- 3 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Highball
- Strength
- Alcohol-free
How to make a virgin paloma
- Salt the rim. Rub a lime wedge round half the rim of a highball glass and dip it in flaky salt. Fill the glass with ice.
- Add juice and agave. Pour in the grapefruit juice, lime juice and agave syrup. Stir for 5 seconds so the agave dissolves.
- Top with soda. Pour the grapefruit soda in slowly and stir once.
- Garnish. Add a grapefruit wedge. Taste: it should be bitter and sharp first, then lightly sweet.
- Glass
- HighballNo highball? A large tumbler.
- Ice
- Ice cubes
- Garnish
- Grapefruit wedge and a salted rimOr: A lime wedge.
What you need to make a virgin paloma
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Citrus squeezerFresh juice makes the biggest difference of anything.
Bar spoonA long teaspoon does the job.
Bottles we'd use
- Grapefruit sodaLook for one with a bitter finish. Fentimans, Fever-Tree and San Pellegrino pompelmo are all easy to find.Find it on Amazon
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Virgin paloma variations and swaps
Add 50 ml of blanco tequila, and cut the grapefruit soda to 60 ml, and you have a proper paloma. For some heat, dip the rim in chilli salt or drop in two thin slices of fresh jalapeño. No grapefruit soda? Use 80 ml of soda water, then add 20 ml more grapefruit juice and 10 ml more agave syrup to make up the flavour. Making a jug for six? Stir 240 ml of grapefruit juice, 90 ml of lime juice and 60 ml of agave syrup together and chill it. Pour 80 ml of grapefruit soda into each glass at the last minute so it stays fizzy.
The virgin paloma story
The paloma is tequila with grapefruit soda and lime, and it is a Mexican highball that is easy to make at home. The alcohol-free version keeps the grapefruit, the lime and the salt, which is what you taste most.
Choose a grapefruit soda with real juice and some bitterness, not one that tastes of sweet. Fresh grapefruit juice adds a sharper, more natural edge, and a pinch of salt makes everything taste more of itself.
Virgin paloma: your questions answered
What is in a virgin paloma?
A virgin paloma is made with 40 ml fresh pink grapefruit juice, 15 ml fresh lime juice, 10 ml agave syrup and 80 ml grapefruit soda. Garnish: grapefruit wedge and a salted rim.
Is this virgin paloma alcohol-free?
Yes. This virgin paloma is made without any alcoholic ingredients, so it suits drivers and anyone taking a night off.
What glass do you serve a virgin paloma in?
Serve a virgin paloma in a highball over ice. No highball? A large tumbler.
