Virgin Paloma Recipe (The Easy Non-Alcoholic Paloma)
🍸 Part of Mocktail Mania — our home for non-alcoholic cocktails that actually taste like cocktails.
The paloma might be the easiest cocktail in the world to make without booze, because grapefruit was doing most of the heavy lifting anyway. Pour White's Paloma Mix over ice, top with soda water, salt the rim if you're feeling fancy. That's a real paloma. No tequila, no squeezing, no sad.
Skip the juicing — grab White's Paloma Mix
Why the paloma is the mocktail move
Some drinks fall apart the second you pull the liquor out. The paloma isn't one of them. Its whole personality is grapefruit: bright, tart, a little bitter, a pinch of salt to round it off. The tequila's along for the ride. Take it out and you've still got a genuinely good drink, which is more than most cocktails can say about their sober cousins.
The only thing that trips people up is the grapefruit itself. Fresh grapefruit juice is a pain to squeeze, and the bottled stuff is usually either too sweet or tastes like a candle. Our mix uses real grapefruit juice and real grapefruit peel, so you get the good part without the produce aisle.
Two ways to make a virgin paloma
The easy way (about a minute)
White's Paloma Mix already has the grapefruit and lime handled. You bring the ice.
You'll need:
- 4 oz White's Paloma Mix
- Soda water, to top
- Ice
- Kosher or flaky salt for the rim
- A grapefruit or lime wedge to garnish
Make it: Salt the rim if you want it (wet the edge with a wedge, dip in salt). Fill the glass with ice, pour in 4 oz of Paloma Mix, top with soda water, quick stir. Garnish and go.
The from-scratch way
Doing it by hand? Here's the paloma, minus the tequila:
- 2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz agave or simple syrup
- Soda water, to top
- Pinch of salt
- Ice
Make it: Stir the grapefruit, lime, agave, and a pinch of salt together in a glass. Add ice, top with soda water. Salt the rim if you're committed to the bit. The salt matters more than you'd think, so don't skip it.
Want the tequila version?
Same bottle, add the booze. Two parts White's Paloma Mix to one part blanco tequila over ice, splash of soda if you like fizz. Vodka works, mezcal works if you want it smoky, gin works if you're feeling weird about it. One bottle covers the whole spectrum.
Make it your own
Spicy paloma: A couple slices of jalapeño in the glass, or a tajín rim instead of plain salt.
Frozen paloma: Blend it with ice for a slushy summer situation.
Herby paloma: A sprig of rosemary or a few basil leaves for something a little grown-up.
Want more? The virgin margarita and the virgin mojito are just as easy, and the whole lineup lives at Mocktail Mania.
Virgin Paloma FAQ
What is a virgin paloma?
A paloma without the tequila. Grapefruit, lime, a little salt, soda over ice. If you're using White's Paloma Mix, the grapefruit and lime are already in the bottle, so it's really just mix and soda.
Is a virgin paloma the same as a paloma mocktail?
Yep. Virgin paloma, non-alcoholic paloma, paloma mocktail. Same drink, three names.
Do you need fresh grapefruit for a virgin paloma?
You can squeeze your own if you're a masochist. Otherwise, our mix is made with real grapefruit juice and real grapefruit peel, so the fresh flavor's already handled.
How do you make a paloma with tequila?
Two parts White's Paloma Mix to one part blanco tequila over ice, splash of soda water for fizz. Same bottle as the virgin one. Just add the tequila.
Are White's mixers alcohol-free?
Yep. Add a spirit when you want the cocktail, add soda water when you want the mocktail. Same bottle either way.