Add Watermelon To Your Paloma For A Tasty Summer Tequila Cocktail

Is there anything more refreshing on a hot summer day than a cool watermelon? Enjoyable on its own, in a light summer salad, gazpacho, or even as the base for a fruity pizza, watermelon shines in many different ways as a tasty bite when the temperature soars. It also makes a great addition to drinks — which makes sense since watermelons are made up of 92% water, according to the USDA. While watermelon juice, watermelon lemonade, and watermelon agua fresca all have their place, some days, you need a drink with a little more kick, especially in the form of some tequila. Enter the watermelon paloma, a sweeter yet no less refreshing take on the fresh and tart paloma.

The national drink of Mexico, palomas are traditionally served over ice, and made with just tequila and grapefruit soda, though many variations use grapefruit juice, soda water, and fresh lime juice instead. To make a watermelon paloma, all you have to do is add watermelon juice to your favorite paloma recipe. Feel free to use store-bought watermelon juice, or if you happen to have some extra watermelon (which may very well be the case over the summer), make your own juice by blending cubes of watermelon and straining out the pulp.

As is the case with a lot of cocktails, you can make adjustments to the recipe to suit your taste. If you can't find commonly used grapefruit sodas like Jarritos, Squirt, or Fresca, you can use grapefruit juice and soda water or seltzer instead. You can also swap out grapefruit juice for orange juice for a slightly sweeter version of the iced cocktail. Some recipes even leave out the grapefruit juice entirely without replacing it with any other citrus juice, though that does call into question whether you can really call it a paloma.

As for extras, you can rim your glass with some salt for an extra savory flavor, or try using Tajin or cayenne pepper for some kick. Add in some muddled chunks of watermelon for extra texture. You can garnish your cocktail with a wedge of watermelon or lime, and a sprig of fresh mint or basil. For a show-stopping presentation, you can even use a hollowed-out watermelon for serving the cocktail. The watermelon paloma is also an easy cocktail to make in batches, so you'll have plenty for serving guests at your next pool party or backyard barbecue this summer.