Made with creamy horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and tomato juice this really is the Best Bloody Mary Recipe. It has a serious kick to it, though it’s not too spicy, and each sip will reveal new flavors. Add your favorite garnishes to turn it into a true brunch treat!
The Best Bloody Mary Recipe
Nothing says brunch like a classic Bloody Mary piled with sour and savory garnishes! After trying a million different variations, I can fully attest to this being the BEST Bloody Mary recipe. It has a bit of a bite but isn’t overly spicy (though you can make it so!) and there’s just so much flavor.
This cocktail recipe is perfect for brunch and you can even make a fun Bloody Mary bar so each person can design their own.
What Is A Bloody Mary?
A Bloody Mary is a cocktail, often served at brunch, made with vodka, tomato juice, and lots of sauces and spices, like Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and celery seed. It’s then loaded with garnishes, from olives, celery stalks, and fresh herbs to skewers loaded with shrimp, steak, cheese, fresh veggies, and more.
It’s become a trend to see who can make the most outrageously garnished cocktail, often adding so many garnishes that the drink becomes a meal.
Bloody Mary Ingredients
Here are the basic ingredients and seasonings added to this recipe. See below for more garnish ideas.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Tomato juice – The base of this drink.
- Vodka – Any good quality, plain vodka will work.
- Dill pickle juice – We love a bit of this vinegar-rich liquid added to our drink.
- Creamy horseradish – Adds a bit of zest to the drink.
- Lemon juice – Freshly squeezed will give the best flavor.
- Worcestershire sauce – Add 2 to 3 dashes according to your flavor preferences.
- Hot sauce – Add more or less depending on how spicy you want the drink.
- Seasonings – Celery salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and Old Bay seasoning are added to give depth to the flavors.
Recipe Variations
- Bloody Maria. If tequila is your liquor of choice, just swap the vodka for tequila and make a Bloody Maria!
- Red Snapper. Similarly, the Red Snapper is made with gin instead of vodka.
- Caesar. A Caesar is the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary, made with clamato juice instead of tomato juice.
Garnish Ideas
The garnishes are one of the best parts of this brunch cocktail. You can keep it simple or turn the cocktail into practically a meal by adding some protein and veggies.
- Shrimp
- Bacon
- Beef sticks
- Celery sticks
- Cubed pepper jack cheese
- Lemon
- Fresh jalapenos or other peppers like pepperoncinis
- Cherry tomatoes
- Olives stuffed with jalapeno or pimento
- Gherkins
- Pickled asparagus or okra
- Marinated artichoke hearts
- Marinated pearl onions
- Grape tomatoes
- Sauces like sriracha, steak sauce, BBQ sauce, and olive brine
How to Make a Bloody Mary
Here are the few steps needed to make a Bloody Mary cocktail.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Salt the glass. Run a lemon wedge around the edge of your glass then dip into the celery seed to coat.
- Combine the ingredients. In the glass, combine the remaining ingredients. Stir well to incorporate. Fill the glass with ice.
- Add the garnishes. Add your favorite garnishes and enjoy.
Tips for the Best Cocktail
Here are a few tips for making the best Bloody Mary Cocktail, as well as a few ways to customize the drink.
- Customize the spice level and flavor. The great thing about Bloody Marys is that they are 100% customizable. If there’s an ingredient you don’t like, you can easily leave it out.
- Make it spicy. For a spicy version, use spicy horseradish and add some extra hot sauce. You can even add some seasonings like chili flakes if desired.
- Tomato juice alternatives. While a classic Bloody Mary is made with tomato juice, you can also use V-8 or clamato juice (like making a Caesar) for an extra kick.
- Add the garnishes on skewers. Bloody Mary garnishes, especially when you’re adding a lot of them, are typically served on skewers across the top of the drink or in the drink. It makes them easier to snack on than adding them directly to the glass.
- Serve cold. Bloody Marys are one cocktail you want to serve ice cold, so be sure to add a generous amount of ice to the glass.
Make a DIY Bloody Mary Bar
One fun way to serve Bloody Marys to a group? Set up a DIY Bloody Mary Bar!
You can easily make this Bloody Mary recipe for parties and big groups. Just add your desired amount of the ingredients into a large pitcher and stir to combine. Place in the fridge until your guests arrive, then pour over ice into individual glasses and add the garnishes.
For a Bloody Mary bar, you can set up a table with all of the garnishes and allow each person to customize their own skewer.
I also recommend leaving out some additional seasonings as well as the Worcestershire, horseradish, and hot sauce so that they can customize the spice level and flavor as well.
Serving Suggestions
Bloody Mary drinks pair well with brunch dishes. Here are a few of my favorites:
- Eggs Benedict
- Hash Brown Crusted Quiche
- Egg Casserole
- Huevos Rancheros
- Tex-Mex Migas
- Eggs in Purgatory
- Shrimp Po Boys
Can I Make This In Advance?
Absolutely. I don’t recommend making the pitcher of Bloody Marys more than a few hours in advance. However, you can prepare the Bloody Mary mixture without the vodka up to a week in advance.
More Cocktail Recipes:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- 4 ounces tomato juice
- 2 ounces vodka (good quality plain vodka)
- 2 teaspoons dill pickle juice
- 2 teaspoons prepared creamy horseradish
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice , freshly squeezed
- 2 to 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
- 2 to 3 dashes hot sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- pinch of smoked paprika
- pinch of Old Bay seasoning
- crushed ice
- For serving: your favorite garnishes (see notes)
Instructions
- Pour the celery salt on a small plate. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a Collins glass (or pint-sized glass.) Dip the rim into the celery salt until it's coated.
- In the glass, combine the tomato juice, vodka, dill pickle juice, horseradish, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, celery salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and Old Bay. Stir well to incorporate.
- Add enough ice to fill the glass and gently stir again.
- Enjoy with your favorite garnishes – see below for suggestions.
Notes
cubed pepper jack cheese, lemon, fresh jalapenos, jalapeno stuffed
olives, pimento stuffed olives, pepperoncini, gherkins, pickled
asparagus, cherry peppers, marinated pearl onions, grape tomatoes, or
pickled okra.
