Vegetarian Herbal Grapefruit Paloma

Total time25 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.5

(24)

Bright, citrusy, and just a little unexpected, this cocktail is the kind of drink that makes a regular evening feel like a proper occasion. The real star is the homemade herbal simple syrup — rosemary and thyme steeped together until the syrup turns faintly golden and fragrant, adding a savory, garden-fresh depth that store-bought mixers simply can't replicate. Fresh grapefruit juice and a hit of lime keep things tart and lively, while blanco tequila ties it all together with a clean, slightly floral backbone. A salted rim adds just enough contrast to make every sip pop. Topping the whole thing with chilled sparkling water gives it a fizzy, refreshing lift that makes it feel light without losing any of its complexity. It comes together with minimal equipment — just a saucepan, a shaker, and a strainer — so it's genuinely easy to pull off even when you're entertaining. Garnish with a fresh herb sprig and a grapefruit slice and it looks like something you'd pay good money for at a rooftop bar.

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the herbal simple syrup

½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 sprigs fresh thyme

For the salted rim

2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 grapefruit wedge, for rimming

For the cocktail

3 oz blanco tequila
¾ cup fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 large grapefruit)
1 oz fresh lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1 oz herbal simple syrup (from above)
1 cup sparkling water, chilled
1 cup ice cubes

For serving

2 small sprigs fresh rosemary or thyme, for garnish (optional)
2 thin grapefruit slices, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the sugar, water, rosemary sprigs, and thyme sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is fully dissolved, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the herbs steep for 10 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and faintly golden.
2
Pour the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a small jar or bowl, pressing the herbs lightly to extract their oils. Discard the spent herbs. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before using.

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