Spicy Bloody Mary
This Spicy Bloody Mary is ready in just 5 minutes and has a peppery tomato base with a salty, seasoned rim. The garnish includes celery, olives, and a pickle spear, so there’s something to snack on as you drink it. Enjoy this classic cocktail for brunch or savor it on a relaxed afternoon with appetizers.
Save This Post!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
A Bloody Mary is a nice savory choice when a sweet cocktail doesn’t sound appealing. This one has a peppery tomato base with a delicious kick from the hot sauce.
Easy cocktails you may enjoy include my Dirty Shirley Vodka Cocktail, a Woo Woo Cocktail, or this Classic Mint Julep. And if you enjoy these a little too much, my Hangover Shot might be your friend the next day!
Why You’ll Love It
- Quick to prepare: It only takes about five minutes to rim the glass, mix the drink and add the garnishes.
- Make one glass at a time: The recipe makes one drink, so the heat level can be adjusted for each person.
- Loaded garnish: The celery, olives, and pickle spear give you a few snackable extras between sips.
- Easy method: The drink is briefly shaken with ice and then strained into the prepared glass.
What is the History of the Spicy Bloody Mary?
This cocktail has a disputed history, though bartender Fernand Petiot is commonly credited with developing the Bloody Mary. He is said to have mixed vodka and tomato juice at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris in the 1920s. At New York’s St Regis Hotel in 1934, he refined the cocktail with seasonings, and the hotel called it the Red Snapper for a time.
Loaded Bloody Mary Ingredients
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
- Spicy tomato-vegetable juice cocktail: This forms the tomato base and adds some heat before the hot sauce goes in.
- Vodka: Plain unflavored vodka is the standard choice, although you can use any brand you prefer. I used Smirnoff in mine.
- Worcestershire sauce: This adds savory seasoning to the tomato juice.
- Hot sauce: I like to start with two dashes, then add more. You can omit this ingredient if you don’t want your Bloody Mary spicy.
- Sea salt: Use a small pinch in your spicy Bloody Mary. The juice, Worcestershire sauce, and rim mixture already contain salt. I recommend tasting the juice first, and if it’s quite salty, you don’t have to add any more salt.
- Ground black pepper: A small pinch adds another layer of heat.
- Ice: You’ll need some for the shaker and more for the serving glass.
- Rim mixture: Use celery salt or a spicy salt mixture. I used this Clamato rimmer. A lime wedge helps the seasoning stick to the glass. You can omit this step if you want to.
- Garnishes: I used a celery stalk, stuffed olives, a pickle spear, and lime wheel. Cooked chilled shrimp, cocktail onions, and pickled asparagus can be added for a larger garnish.
Substitutions and Variations
- Stirred not shaken: Add the drink ingredients to an ice-filled glass and stir until chilled. This is a good choice if you don’t want foam from the tomato juice, although I’m not sure James Bond would agree!
- Bloody Caesar: Use clam-tomato juice, commonly sold as Clamato.
- Milder flavor: Use regular tomato-vegetable juice cocktail or even plain tomato juice.
- Extra garnish: Add cooked chilled shrimp, cocktail onions, or pickled asparagus. If you really want to have fun with it, consider tiny sliders, bacon rashers, or even mixed pickles!
- Different rim: Use celery salt, chili salt, or a spicy seasoning mixture. Plain salt works too in this spicy Bloody Mary recipe.
How to Make an Easy Bloody Mary Recipe (Step-by-Step Directions)
STEP 1. Pour celery salt or spicy salt mixture onto a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass. Dip the rim into the seasoning and fill the glass with ice.
STEP 2. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add the spicy tomato-vegetable juice cocktail, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, sea salt, and black pepper.
STEP 3. Shake briefly until chilled, about 5 seconds.
STEP 4. Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass. Add a celery stalk, stuffed olives, a pickle spear, and lime wheel.
Recipe Top Tips
- Watch the salt: I recommend that you start with a small pinch because the juice, Worcestershire sauce, and rim already contain salt.
- Keep the shake brief: I find that about five seconds is enough to chill the cocktail. Longer shaking adds more water and can make the tomato juice foamy.
- Chill your juice: Cold juice slows ice melt in the glass.
- Prepare the garnish first: Get your celery, olives, pickle spear, and lime wheel ready, so the drink can go straight into the glass after shaking.
How to Store
- Refrigerator: Combine the liquid ingredients in a covered jar and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Stir well before pouring over ice.
- Garnishes: Store the celery, lime, olives, and pickle spears in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Keep cooked chilled shrimp, bacon, or other garnishes, if using, in their own separate containers.
- Ice: Add ice when making each glass. Storing the cocktail with ice in it will dilute it and make it watery.
Serving Suggestions
For brunch, you can serve this spicy Bloody Mary with Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict or a Denver Omelet. If you’re making drinks later in the day, add Appetizers and Snacks such as these Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers or this Beer Cheese Pretzel Dip.
Easy Bloody Mary FAQs
Use a tall glass such as a highball glass or Collins glass. This leaves room for ice and garnish.
Bloody Marys are often served with brunch, though they also pair nicely with savory snacks later in the day.
A Bloody Caesar is made with clam-tomato juice, commonly sold as Clamato. A Bloody Mary contains tomato juice or tomato-vegetable juice cocktail.
Spicy Bloody Mary
Ingredients
- ¾ cup spicy tomato vegetable juice cocktail
- 1 ½ ounces vodka
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt or as needed
- ⅛ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- Hot sauce to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Ice cubes as needed
Optional Rimming
- 1 lime wedge
- Spiced salt or celery salt as needed
Optional Garnishes
- Celery stalk
- Stuffed olives
- Pickles spears or slices
- Lime wedges or slices
Instructions
Rim the Glass
- If rimming your glass, run a lime wedge along the perimeter and dip into celery salt or a spicy salt mixture.
Shake the Cocktail
- Fill a cocktail shaker about halfway with ice cubes, and add tomato-vegetable juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce and black pepper.
- Also add sea salt if your tomato vegetable juice cocktail is not already salty.
- Shake vigorously until the shaker is very chilled.
Add Garnishes
- Strain into an ice filled glass and add your garnishes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Choose a tall glass: A highball or Collins glass leaves enough room for ice, celery and the larger garnishes.
- Adjust the heat gradually: Add extra hot sauce a dash at a time. I find the strength varies between brands, so it’s best to taste the drink after each addition.
- Use a cocktail pick: Thread the stuffed olives onto a cocktail pick so they’re easy to remove and snack on as you drink.
Nutrition Information
Hungry for more?
Follow me on Pinterest and make sure to comment below!
This recipe looks incredible. I love spicy cocktails, I have to try it!
You’ll love it. Cheers!