Bloody Mary

By Shawn Williams

5 from 3 votes

Jan 25, 2020, Updated Mar 21, 2024

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Is there a better Sunday brunch cocktail than the Bloody Mary? My Bloody Mary is made with tomato juice, vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper, and fresh citrus. I’ve gotten numerous compliments on this recipe and it only takes 5 minutes to pull together!

A Bloody Mary in a mason jar glass garnished with a lime wedge, celery stalk, bacon, and a pepperoncini.

Table of Contents

Why I Love This Recipe

The base of this recipe is classic V8 juice enhanced with a classic blend of Bloody Mary spices and ingredients. While many premade mixers are available, making homemade Bloody Mary mix tastes much fresher and can be tailored to your liking.

This recipe includes measurements for a single cocktail and a large batch using a 46-ounce container of tomato juice. This makes batching cocktails as simple as pouring over ice and vodka at your next brunch party! For simplicity, the Bloody Mary can be made right in the glass it’s served in unless making a larger batch.

Looking for more delicious brunch cocktails? try my Tequila Sunrise, Irish Coffee, and French 75 for some of my favorite cocktails.

Ingredients

All ingredients to make homemade Bloody Mary mix laid out on a cutting board.
  • Tomato juice: classic V8 or similar works best.
  • Vodka: Titos or Kettle One are my go-to vodkas for most cocktails.
  • Lemon and lime: the citrus helps thin the mix so it’s not overly thick. It also helps the cocktail taste a little fresher and lighter.
  • Hot sauce: the classic option here is Tobasco, but use whatever you like. I like to add a little spice and save for individual spicing.
  • Prepared horseradish: usually pureed and stored with other condiments in the grocery store. This is arguably the most important ingredient for the signature taste of the Bloody Mary. You should use enough so you can see it floating in the mix.
  • Worcestershire sauce: optional but adds depth and dynamic flavor. I usually have some lying around from making homemade teriyaki for steak.
  • Celery salt: you can also use salt if you don’t have celery salt. Use sparingly as there is plenty of sodium in tomato juice.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.

Garnish Ideas

Get creative when building your own Bloody Mary. Your base liquor doesn’t have to be vodka you can use tequila or gin as well.

  • Celery stalk
  • Green olives (both stuffed and regular)
  • Baby pickles (sweet or dill)
  • Hot peppers (jalapenos, pepperoncini)
  • Hot sauces
  • Bacon (both candied or extra crispy so it stays intact)
  • Shrimp
  • Sliced lemons and limes

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1.

Squeeze the juice of the lemon and lime wedges into a serving glass and toss them in. Add vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, celery salt black pepper, and hot sauce (with no ice).

A hand pouring a double jigger of tomato juice into a glass with a lemon and lime wedge.
A teaspoon of prepared horseradish being spooned into a mason jar of tomato juice.

Step 2.

Stir with a bar spoon until fully mixed. Horseradish should be evenly distributed.

Stirring homemade Bloody Mary mix in a glass jar with a bar spoon.

Step 3.

Fill the glass with ice to the top. Stir to chill and garnish as desired.

Step 4.

For the batched cocktail mix: combine all ingredients in a pitcher or remove 4-5 ounces from the V8 container and fill it with all ingredients except the vodka. Shake to mix and pour over ice with vodka. Keep chilled for best results.

Expert Tips

  • Not all horseradish brands are created equal. I’ve found some to be very pungent. Start small and add more as needed.
  • Don’t skip ingredients. Other than the tomato juice and vodka, horseradish may be the most important aspect of the cocktail. Otherwise, it will taste like tomato juice with vodka.
  • The lime and lemon juice add a subtle but refreshing burst of citrus that makes it a bit more thirst-quenching.
  • Don’t be afraid to spice it up. Start with two dashes of hot sauce and add more if needed. Better yet, serve hot sauce on the side.
  • Don’t waste top-shelf vodka. If you are going to be adding 4 ounces of tomato juice to anything, something mid-range is more than fine.

Hosting Brunch?

If you’re throwing a brunch party, look no further than some of my brunch favs. My fancy baked French toast and my cheesy tater tot breakfast casserole is the epic sweet and savory combo to dish out. Also, save yourself the trouble and opt for baking perfect bacon.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use vodka in a bloody mary?

No! Tequila is another very popular option, often called a Bloody Maria. You can also use gin, for a Red Snapper.

What’s the best way to Make a Bloody Mary Spicy?

Tobasco or hot sauce of your choosing is an easy way to add instant heat. You can also infuse it with fresh jalapeno or habanero. See my recipe on how to make homemade spicy tequila. It works with margaritas and Bloody Marys.

More Brunch Cocktails

Enjoy this recipe? If you made this cocktail, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
5 from 3 votes

Bloody Mary Recipe

By: Shawn Williams
Servings: 1 cocktail
Prep: 5 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
How to make and garnish the perfect Bloody Mary cocktail. The classic Bloody Mary is the ultimate brunch cocktail.

Ingredients 

1 Serving

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka, Titos or Kettle One
  • 1 lemon wedge, juice squeezed
  • 1 lime wedge, juice squeezed
  • 4-5 ounces tomato juice, I like V8 Original
  • 1-2 dashes hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 1 dash Worcestershire sauce, about 1/2 teaspoon
  • pinch Celery salt, to taste
  • pinch salt and black pepper, to taste

Batched Bloody Mary Mix (makes 8)

  • 46 ounces tomato juice, I like V8 Original
  • 1 lime juice squeezed
  • 1 lemon juice squeezed
  • 8-16 dashes hot sauce
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Garnishes

  • Celery
  • Green olives, both stuffed and regular
  • Baby pickles, sweet or dill
  • Hot peppers, jalapenos, pepperoncini
  • Hot sauces
  • Bacon, Candied and extra crispy
  • Cooked shrimp
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Instructions 

  • Squeeze the juice of the lemon and lime wedges into a serving glass and toss them in. Add vodka, tomato juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, celery salt black pepper, and hot sauce (with no ice).
  • Stir with a bar spoon until fully mixed. Horseradish should be evenly distributed.
  • Fill the glass with ice to the top. Stir to chill and garnish as desired.
  • For the batched cocktail mix: combine all ingredients in a pitcher or remove 4-5 ounces from the V8 container and fill it with all ingredients except the vodka. Shake to mix and pour over ice with vodka. Keep chilled for best results.

Notes

If making batched mix: start with the suggested ingredients and add more to taste. I usually remove 4-5 ounces from the V8 container, add all the ingredients, and shake in between. Keep chilled.
Not all horseradish brands are created equal. I’ve found some to be very pungent. Start small and add more as needed.
Don’t skip ingredients. Other than the tomato juice and vodka, horseradish may be the most important aspect of the cocktail. Otherwise, it will taste like tomato juice with vodka.
The lime and lemon juice add a subtle but refreshing burst of citrus that makes it a bit more thirst-quenching.
Don’t be afraid to spice it up. It should be a little spicy but not burn your house down in the process. Start with two dashes of hot sauce and add more if needed. Better yet, serve hot sauce on the side.
Don’t waste top-shelf vodka. If you are going to be adding 4 ounces of tomato juice to anything, something mid-range is more than fine.
Go crazy with garnishes. Pepperoncini, crispy bacon, olives, and pickles are a great start. If you can see where your cocktail starts you’re doing it all wrong.

Nutrition

Serving: 1(without garnishes)Calories: 132kcalCarbohydrates: 8.9gProtein: 1.3gFat: 0.1gSodium: 447mgFiber: 1.3gSugar: 5.9g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: French
Tried this recipe?Mention @kitchenswagger or tag #kitchenswagger!

About Shawn Williams

My name is Shawn, author behind Kitchen Swagger. I'm a food & drink enthusiast bringing you my own simple and delicious restaurant-inspired recipes.

Read More About Me
5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Recipe Rating




4 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    OK, so for anyone wanting to make a pitcher of this wonderful concoction, I used a 48-ounce can of tomato juice so I multiplied all the other ingredients (minus the vodka) by 12 and it was perfect! We just added the vodka to each individual glass, garnished, and DELISH!! Definitely 5 stars!

    Reply

  2. 5 stars
    Hi Shawn! I’m wanting to make these bloody Mary’s for Fathers Day tomorrow and have about 10 people. Can this recipe be multiplied in a pitcher rather than making each one individually? What do you suggest? Thanks so much! Always love your stuff!
    – Nancy Hunter

    Reply

    1. Thanks Nancy and absolutely! What I like to do is combine everything in a pitcher except for the vodka and then store in the fridge. Your guests can just add vodka to the glass then mix in desired bloody mix with garnishes.

      Reply