The Bloody Mary cocktail is a brunch staple just about everywhere. It’s savory, a little spicy, and kind of in a league of its own when it comes to cocktails.
A classic Bloody Mary contains vodka, tomato juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt, black pepper, and is typically garnished with celery, olives, or even bacon.
Making one at home is easy and honestly, it’s fun to tweak the flavors to fit your mood. Some folks want theirs blazing hot with extra Tabasco, others play it safe and keep things mild.
The recipe’s been riffed on for decades, with every region tossing in something different. It’s a drink that wears its versatility on its sleeve.
There’s even a bit of a health angle here. Tomato juice brings in vitamins and antioxidants, which feels like a small win if you’re craving a cocktail with a little more substance.
Bloody Mary Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Highball glass or mason jar
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger or measuring cup
- Bar spoon
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Strainer (optional)
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 4 oz tomato juice
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ¼ oz Worcestershire sauce
- 3-4 dashes hot sauce Tabasco recommended
- 1 pinch celery salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 pinch smoked paprika optional
- Ice cubes
Garnishes (choose 2-3):
- Celery stalk
- Pickle spear
- Green olives
- Lemon wedge
- Cocktail onions
- Crispy bacon strip
- Jumbo shrimp
Honestly, good tomato juice makes a huge difference
Instructions
- Prepare the glass: If you want, rim a highball glass with celery salt. Fill it with ice and set aside.
- Mix the base: Pour vodka and tomato juice into a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add seasonings: Toss in lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and paprika.
- Combine: Shake gently for about 10 seconds. You want to mix, not water it down.
- Strain and serve: Pour everything into your prepared glass.
- Garnish: Throw on your favorite garnishes. Celery and lemon are classics, but get creative if you want.
- Stir gently: Give it a quick stir before serving.
- Serve right away, or stash it in the fridge for an hour or two if you want the flavors to settle in.
Notes
Must Have Ingredients
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Tasting Notes
A good Bloody Mary should hit you with savory, spicy, and tangy flavors all at once. The tomato base is rich and has a nice sweet-acidic kick.
The vodka’s mostly about body and warmth. If you use something top-shelf, it gives a cleaner finish, but honestly, it’s not the star.
Worcestershire sauce and celery salt bring in that deep umami thing. Lemon juice brightens the whole mix and keeps it from feeling heavy.
Heat Levels
- Mild: Just a dash of hot sauce
- Medium: 2-3 dashes or fresh horseradish
- Spicy: 4+ dashes plus horseradish and black pepper
The texture should be smooth but have some heft—not watery, not a tomato smoothie. Mixing well is key so you don’t get weird ingredient separation.
Garnishes matter more than you might think. Celery gives a crisp, herbal vibe. Pickles add tang and crunch. Bacon? That’s just plain fun and smoky.
Serve it cold. If it’s not chilled, you lose a lot of that refreshing bite.
The aftertaste is savory with a subtle lingering heat. It’s the kind of finish that almost dares you to take another sip.
Substitute
No Bloody Mary on hand? No problem.
There are easy alternatives you can whip up at home.
Try making a “Virgin Mary” by just skipping the vodka. It’s got all the savory flavors, minus the booze.
If tomato juice isn’t your thing, give a “Bloody Caesar” a shot. Clamato juice brings in a salty, briny note that’s honestly pretty interesting.
Common Substitutes:
- Bloody Caesar: Swap tomato juice for clamato juice.
- Bloody Maria: Use tequila instead of vodka.
- Bloody Bull: Mix beef bouillon with tomato juice.
- Red Snapper: Go with gin instead of vodka.
No hot sauce? Toss in some extra black pepper or a pinch of cayenne powder.
If you’re missing fresh horseradish, the jarred stuff works just fine.
Garnishes are pretty flexible. Out of celery? Try cucumber sticks.
Olives, pickles, even cheese cubes—honestly, they’re all fair game for a garnish.
And if you don’t have celery salt for the rim, just mix regular salt with a bit of paprika or chili powder. It works in a pinch.
