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This paloma mocktail is full of tart grapefruit, zingy lime, a salted rim – zero tequila required! It’s ready in 5 minutes and a refreshing non alcoholic drink.
After years of developing cocktail and mocktail recipes, I’ve become a little obsessed with nailing the non-alcoholic versions of classic drinks. And by that, I mean not just glorified fruit juice: non alcoholic drinks worth making!
This paloma mocktail is so much fun and everything I love about a great mocktail: refreshing, delicious, and interestingly complex! It’s similar to my popular Virgin Margarita: which has a little flavor secret to make it pop. There are no non alcoholic spirits needed: just normal, delicious ingredients! Here’s how to make a virgin spin on the classic Paloma.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 5 minutes, no blender or cocktail shaker. Squeeze, stir, pour. That’s it!
- Refreshing, complex flavor. The pickle brine and honey sound weird, but they make the best drink: I promise!
- A perfect party drink. Make a big batch of the base and let guests top their own glass with bubbles.
What You’ll Need
A classic Paloma recipe, a Mexican cocktail that’s a cousin of the margarita, uses grapefruit soda and tequila. Here’s what I use for my Paloma mocktail recipe:
- Fresh grapefruit juice: You want that fresh-squeezed flavor: about ½ to 2/3 of a grapefruit gets you what you need for this drink.
- Fresh lime juice: The lime lifts the grapefruit and makes everything taste more tart.
- Honey (or simple syrup): A very small amount balances the flavors: I like keeping this drink more sweet tart. I like using honey because it’s all natural but you can use simple syrup if you want. Maple syrup is usually my go-to but I didn’t want to make the drink too dark in color.
- Pickle brine: I know, I know! It sounds weird. But I use this in my Virgin Margarita to add that tequila-like funk and it really works! It’s the way to make it feel like a cocktail without alcohol. If you don’t have it, you could try olive brine.
- Tonic water: I reach for tonic water because it has a little quinine, which adds more flavor intrigue. Grapefruit soda also works for a sweeter drink! Here’s my Guide to Tonic Water for more info on bubbly options.
- Flaky sea salt & tajín: I love adding Tajín to the rim: it’s a Mexican seasoning blend of chili peppers, lime, and salt that adds a burst of tangy, spicy flavor.
How to Make a Paloma Mocktail
This comes together in minutes. Here’s the method (or jump to the recipe below):
- Prep your glass. Cut a small notch in a grapefruit wedge and run the cut side along the rim of your glass — or along the side (see the photos). Dip the rim into a small plate of flaky sea salt and tajín to coat.
- Mix the base. Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, honey, and pickle brine directly to the glass. Stir until the honey is fully dissolved.
- Add ice and top with tonic water. Fill the glass with ice, then pour the tonic water over the top. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and serve immediately.
Pitcher Paloma Mocktail (Perfect for a Party)
This drink is perfect for batching: it’s great for parties! The base comes together in seconds, and because you’re adding tonic water per glass, every drink stays perfectly fizzy. See the Notes section in the recipe below.
I love this version for baby showers especially: it’s fun , non-alcoholic, and looks vibrant in a glass with a salted rim and a grapefruit wedge.
Serving Ideas
This paloma mocktail is great when you need a drink that’s refreshing and non alcoholic. Here’s what I’d pair it with:
- Tacos or Mexican-inspired food: Try it with my rice bowls, shrimp tacos, or fish tacos.
- A summer brunch spread: Enjoy it with a hashbrown casserole or blueberry waffles.
- As a mocktail bar: You could serve it with a Non-Alcoholic Mimosa or Virgin Piña Colada for a full mocktail bar.
If you’re building out a mocktail menu, my 15 Easy Mocktail Recipes roundup has more ideas!
Paloma Mocktail
This paloma mocktail is full of tart grapefruit, zingy lime, a salted rim – zero tequila required! It’s ready in 5 minutes and a refreshing non alcoholic drink.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: Mocktail
- Diet: Gluten-Free, non alcoholic, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice (see Notes for pitcher variation)
- 2 ounces fresh squeezed grapefruit juice (about ½ large grapefruit), plus 1 wedge for garnish
- ¼ teaspoon honey or simple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon pickle brine (juice from a pickle jar; see Notes)
- 3 ounces tonic water (or grapefruit soda; see Notes)
- Flaky sea salt and tajín, for the garnish
Instructions
- Cut a notch in the grapefruit wedge, then run the grapefruit around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of flaky sea salt and tajín (or you can wet the side of the glass, like in the photos).
- To the glass, add the lime juice, grapefruit juice, honey, and pickle brine, and stir until the honey is fully dissolved.
- Fill the glass with ice. Top with tonic water and serve immediately.
Notes
- Pitcher variation: For a pitcher of 8 drinks, mix 1 cup lime juice, 2 cups grapefruit juice, ¼ cup honey and ¼ cup pickle brine in a pitcher. Prep the glasses, then pour in about 3 oz of the mixture in each glass, then top with 3 oz tonic water.
- Substitutions: If you don’t have a jar of pickles, olive brine works too — or even caper brine. You can also substitute grapefruit soda for the tonic water to make a sweeter drink.
