A Bloody Mary is a classic brunch cocktail made with a delicious combination of tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, and other spices.
This Bloody Mary recipe makes a flavorful, spicy cocktail. It's spicy, salty, and a little bit savory, and best of all you can make it without Bloody Mary mix. Made with vodka or leave the alcohol out for a delightful virgin Bloody Mary.
What Is A Bloody Mary?
A Bloody Mary is a tomato juice-based vodka cocktail typically served by bartenders in a tall glass or in a mason jar.
There are numerous stories surrounding the origin of this popular drink but the most widely accepted claim is that the Bloody Mary was created by a bartender named Fernand "Pete" Petiot at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in 1921.
Stories suggest that the Bloody Mary was named after Queen Mary of England, who earned the nickname "Bloody Mary" during her reign. This hugely popular drink has become known as a hangover cure and a favorite brunch cocktail.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
See below for ways to use leftover ingredients.
- Tomato juice: This ingredient is the base of this drink. Use either straight tomato juice or V8 juice.
- Vodka: The best vodka for Bloody Mary is the kind you like to drink. Vodka is a liquor commonly found in many cocktails and while vodka is used in traditional Bloody Mary recipes you can also use gin or tequila instead. To make a virgin Bloody Mary, simply leave the alcohol out.
- Hot sauce: I'm a fan of using Tabasco brand of hot sauce in my Bloody Mary recipe. This fiery sauce gives the drink a kick. Other brands of hot sauce I use are Cholula and Louisiana hot sauce.
- Worcestershire sauce: This ingredient is a bit savory, salty, tangy, and slightly sweet. It really brings out the tomato flavor.
- Lemon juice: The tang of citrus adds brightness and helps balance out the richness of the tomato juice.
- Horseradish: Use a mild or hot prepared horseradish.
- Salt and black pepper: Use just a pinch of each.
- Ice: The best Bloody Mary is one that's extra cold so use plenty of ice and use ingredients that are already cold.
- Garnishes: Consider adding any of these classic garnishes to your Bloody Mary; a celery rib, green olives, and an extra lemon wedge. You can create an over-the-top Bloody Mary by adding cooked bacon, pickle spears, baby corn, pickled jalapeños, cooked shrimp, or cheese squares.
How To Make A Bloody Mary
See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Pour tomato juice into a tall glass.
- Stir in the horseradish.
- Add the lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and vodka and stir well. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper, if you'd like.
- Pour over ice and garnish.
Bloody Mary Variations
Although ours is a fairly traditional Bloody Mary recipe and I love it just as it is, you might like to try these Bloody Mary variations:
- Bloody Maria: Use either tequila or mezcal in place of vodka.
- Bloody Caesar: The difference between a Bloody Mary and a Bloody Caesar is that a Bloody Caesar uses Clamato instead of tomato juice. Clamato is a combination of clam and tomato juice.
- Michelada: Use your favorite Mexican beer instead of vodka.
- Green Mary: Also known as a "Green Bloody Mary", this drink is made with 1 chopped tomatillo which makes this cocktail green instead of red, ¼ of an English cucumber, ¼ of a serrano chile or jalapeño, and ½ tablespoon of chopped fresh cilantro. Add these ingredients to a blender, and then add in the horseradish, lemon juice, and Worcestershire sauce. Blend until smooth.
Expert Tips
- Make this drink your own: It's easy to customize a Bloody Mary cocktail. If you aren't a fan of spicy ingredients, don't add as much as we suggest in our recipe. In fact, start out by using half of the amount and then taste the drink and add more if you feel it's necessary. It's much easier to add more spice than to take it away.
- Consider salting the rim of the glass: Run a lemon slice around the rim of your glass before making the cocktail. Then, dip the rim of the glass onto a small plate or a shallow bowl filled with a teaspoon of salt, or use your favorite seasoning salt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you'd like to make a second or third Bloody Mary, just double or triple the ingredient amounts.
According to some, in 1970, a Chicago bartender was looking for a straw for a Bloody Mary, and next to the garnish station were stalks of celery so he used it instead. Many say that the celery not only serves as a garnish but also compliments the tomato juice.
Yes. You can whisk all of the ingredients together, except for the vodka, and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
More Cocktail Recipes For One
- Aperol Spritz
- Tequila Sunrise
- Mint Julep
- Skinny Margarita
- Dirty Shirley
- Strawberry Daiquiri
- Ranch Water
- Sangria
- Moscow Mule
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this classic Bloody Mary recipe, you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
- Horseradish: Ham and Gruyere Scones, Reuben Sandwich, Crawfish Beignets
- Hot sauce: Baked Buffalo Chicken, Jambalaya, Chicken and Golden Rice
- Worcestershire sauce: Meatloaf, Baked Beans, Steak Fajitas
- Lemon juice: Alfredo Sauce, Lemon Garlic Chicken, Lemon Bars
- Vodka: Penne alla Vodka, Dirty Shirley, Moscow Mule
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How To Make A Bloody Mary
See the post above for expert tips,
FAQs and ways to use leftover ingredients.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces tomato juice
- ½ teaspoon horseradish
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 2 dashes hot sauce (about ½ teaspoon)
- 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 ounces vodka
- salt and black pepper , to taste
- Ice
- Optional garnishes: a celery rib, green olives, and an extra lemon wedge. You can create an over-the-top Bloody Mary by adding cooked bacon, pickle spears, baby corn, pickled jalapeños, cooked shrimp, or cheese squares.
Instructions
- Pour tomato juice into a tall glass.
- Stir in the horseradish.
- Add the lemon juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and vodka and stir well. Taste and add a pinch of salt and pepper, if you'd like.
- Pour over ice and garnish.
Notes
- Make this drink your own: It's easy to customize a Bloody Mary cocktail. If you aren't a fan of spicy ingredients, don't add as much as we suggest in our recipe. In fact, start out by using half of the amount and then taste the drink and add more if you feel it's necessary. It's much easier to add more spice than to take it away.
- Consider salting the rim of the glass: Run a lemon slice around the rim of your glass before making the cocktail. Then, dip the rim of the glass onto a small plate or a shallow bowl filled with a teaspoon of salt, or use your favorite seasoning salt.
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
J. Hegyi says
Good recipe.