Silver meets blood orange as tequila and intense fruit juices combine for one potent Blood-Orange Paloma.
If you’ve spent even a second on this site, you’ll know we’re huge fans of the Paloma, the Mexican cocktail that rivals the Margarita for popularity south of the border. If you need to brush up on your Paloma history, we’ve written an article on Five Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Paloma. We suggest you read it (no, there won’t be a quiz at the end of the recipe… or will there…?).
Or you can peruse these Palomas. We’ve made the original (obviously), the Rosemary Paloma, and the Paloma Sour, just to name a few, so we like to think we know what we’re talking about. Today, we’re making one bloody good version: the Blood-Orange Paloma. Along with the lime juice is the sweet nectar of the Blood Orange, which balances out the sour of the original cocktail.
Try it and realize that there are oranges and then there are BLOOD oranges!
Which Tequila Should I Use?
Tequila is a spirit made from the fermented juices of the blue agave plant. It comes from the Jalisco region, home to the town of Tequila, which is where it gets its name. As for the different types of tequila, they are separated by age. Blanco (silver) is light in color and taste. Because of its mild taste, it mixes well with other ingredients and is my favorite for cocktails. Reposado is aged in oak casks from two months to a year and bears a slight amber color. Añejo and Extra Añejo (aged and extra aged, respectively) are older, as you might have assumed from their names. Añejo is aged for one to three years, whereas Extra Añejo is kept for periods longer than that. The older the tequila, the richer the taste, and therefore the best it will be for sipping.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces tequila blanco
- 2 ounces fresh-squeezed blood orange juice
- 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce sugar
- 2 ounces club soda
- salt and a wedge of blood orange (for the rim)
- ice cubes
Instructions
- Rub the rim of your glass with the blood orange or lime wedge. Dip the rim into a plate of salt. Set aside.
- Add the tequila, blood orange juice, lime juice, and sugar to a cocktail shaker. Shake well until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared glasses. Top with club soda and give it a gentle stir.
- Garnish with a slice of blood orange.
Nutrition
Tips & Tricks to Making a Perfect Blood Orange Paloma
- Use fresh juice. The store-bought stuff can taste synthetic and has needless chemicals and ingredients.
- To get the most juice out of your fruit, roll them around before cutting them.
- Use sugar instead of salt for a sweet rim. Or mix them up and go for a sweet ‘n’ salty combo.
- Use large ice cubes, which won’t melt and dilute your drink as quickly as their diminutive brethren.
FAQs
For a glass, go with a highball. A rocks glass will do if you’re desperate. For garnish, use an orange or lime slice. A twist of either will also top the drink off nicely.
Pour it into an airtight container (a mason jar works well) and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. When you want another drink, give it a shake, prep your glass, and pour it over fresh ice.
There are 146 calories in this version of the Blood-Orange Paloma, thanks to the tequila. To lower that number, choose a light tequila and use fresh juices.
About 1 medium-sized orange and 1 lime should do the trick. Play around with the ratio, though, if you want your drink sweeter or more tart.
You can either add more sugar OR use agave syrup. The tequila comes from the blue agave plant, so this should complement the overall taste of your cocktail.
Paloma Variations
The Original Paloma: You have to know how to walk before you can learn how to run. Try this on for size before experimenting with the others.
Sparkling Paloma Sour: Replace the grapefruit juice with grapefruit soda. Or keep the juice and add a splash of cava or another sparkling wine.
Paloma Sour: If you like fluffy sours, it is worth a try.
Rosemary Paloma: Infuse the simple syrup with a sprig of rosemary.
Spicy Paloma: Add a kick to your Paloma with hot sauce and a jalapeno pepper.
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