Turmeric Free Cucumber Herb Paloma
Bright, cooling, and built for warm-weather sipping, this herbed paloma is the kind of cocktail that feels like it came from a rooftop bar menu — except you made it yourself. Blanco tequila meets fresh grapefruit juice, cucumber juice, and a homemade mint-basil simple syrup that you steep right on the stovetop, so every sip carries real herbal depth rather than artificial sweetness. The cucumber juice is pressed from fresh peeled cucumber, giving the drink a clean, garden-fresh quality that pairs beautifully with the citrus bite of lime and grapefruit. A flaky sea salt rim adds just enough savory contrast to make the whole thing pop. Many store-bought cocktail mixers and flavored syrups sneak in anti-caking agents or spice blends that can include turmeric, so making everything from scratch here keeps the ingredient list completely transparent. Topped with sparkling water and garnished with a cucumber slice and fresh herb sprig, it's as pretty as it is refreshing — the kind of drink that makes guests think you spent way more effort than you actually did.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the herb simple syrup
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, lightly packed
- ¼ cup fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
For the rim
- 1 tbsp flaky sea salt
- 1 grapefruit wedge, for rimming
For the cocktail
- 4 oz blanco tequila
- 3 oz fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 large grapefruit)
- 2 oz fresh cucumber juice (from about ½ medium cucumber, peeled and blended or pressed)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz herb simple syrup (from above)
- 4 oz sparkling water
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 thin cucumber slices (optional)
- 2 small fresh mint or basil sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Make the herb simple syrup: combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat, add the mint and basil leaves, and let steep for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small jar or bowl, pressing the herbs to extract their flavor, then discard the solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.
- 2
Make the cucumber juice: peel half a medium cucumber, cut it into rough chunks, and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing firmly to yield about 2 oz of clear juice. Discard the pulp.
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