Ultimate Bloody Mary cocktail (vegan)

What I’ve always loved about Bloody Mary’s is that they blur the line between something you sip & something you snack.

The tomato juice base puts one to the mind of a spicy gazpacho.

Then you finish it with pickles, olives, and a full on salad.

Some brunch places go so far as to include their full breakfast menu impaled with skewers and teetering over the glass precariously.

Bloody Mary’s aren’t afraid to get a little extra with all kinds of novelties.

Before I went vegan, the Bloody Mary was my preferred cocktail for airplane trips.

It felt like I was sneaking in something more substantive than just a drink. And somehow that salty, umami-laden bite really hit the spot.

(Apparently I’m not alone in that. And there’s some science behind why they taste so good when you’re flying the friendly skies.)

In this post:

Because of the anchovies in most brands of Worcestershire sauce, Bloody Mary’s typically aren’t vegan at bars, restaurants, and airplane cabins.

However, you can find vegan Worcestershire sauce in most natural grocery stores.

Vegan Bloody Mary’s pop up on the menus of vegetarian restaurants on occasion.

And they’re super easy to make at home.

The best part?

You can add all kinds of fun plant-based garnishes to bring that drink-as-a-meal dream to life.

Celery salt: This seasoning salt is made with table salt + ground celery seed. Look for it in the spice section of the grocery store.

Tomato juice: Look for tomato juice in the center aisles of the grocery store with other shelf stable juices. Or replace it with a vegetable juice blend like V8.

Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime offers the best flavor.

Vegan Worcestershire sauce: To make a vegan bloody Mary, you need Worcestershire made without anchovies or fish sauce. Wizard’s or Annie’s are my usual picks.

Look for it near the ketchup, barbecue sauce, and other shelf stable sauces. Or you can sometimes find it with other natural foods.

Prepared horseradish: Prepared horseradish is made with horseradish root, vinegar, salt, and sugar.

Look for it in jars in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. I’m particularly fond of Bubbies.

Hot sauce: Hot sauce adds a nice zing of heat.

Red jalapeño pepper sauce is my favorite here. But use whatever you like. Or omit it if you prefer a non-spicy drink.

Salt & pepper: A dash of salt & pepper brings it all together.

Vodka: Vodka is standard, but it can be replaced with pickle vodka, tequila, or gin. Or omit it entirely for a virgin bloody Mary.

Step by step instructions

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Moisten the rim of a glass with water or a lime wedge.

Then twist the top of the glass on a plate topped with celery salt.

Drop a few ice cubes into the glass.

Now make the drink.

Shake or stir it with ice. Then pour it in the glass.

Finish with your choice of garnishes.

Bloody Mary’s were made for modification.

You can easily adjust it to suit your own preferences.

• Instead of tomato juice, use your favorite vegetable juice blend or V8.
• Instead of lime juice, add a squeeze of lemon.
• Vary your hot sauce. I like to use jalapeño hot sauce. Frank’s Red Hot or Louisiana hot sauce would also be great here.
• If you like it super spicy, add more hot sauce. Omit it if you like less.
• If you’re not into the flavor of prepared horseradish, leave it out.
• Plain vodka can be replaced with pickle vodka, gin, or tequila.
• For a virgin cocktail, omit the alcohol.
• Instead of salt & pepper or celery salt, add your favorite seasoning like steak seasoning, Old Bay, garlic salt, Slap Ya Mama, or lemon pepper.
• For extra tang, add a splash of pickle juice, olive brine, or jalapeño brine.

Bloody Mary’s are usually served in tall glasses like a highball, flared pint, or hurricane.

But it’s not a fussy drink. You could also get casual and serve it in a mason jar.

Absolutely!

It’s easy to quadruple the recipe (or more depending on your needs) using the recipe box below.

Just leave out the vodka, and you’ve got a great Bloody Mary mix.

Add a shot of vodka in each person’s glass when it’s time to serve.

Definitely!

This Bloody Mary has so much flavor and nuance from the various spices & seasonings, there’s a lot to enjoy without any vodka.

In fact, in some ways you get to appreciate the taste even more when it isn’t obfuscated by alcohol.

Yes!

If you want to make a batch of Bloody Mary mix ahead of a morning get-together, it will last for about a week in the refrigerator.

Just add the alcohol before serving.

Of course, the thing that makes this drink so much fun is the variety and amount of garnishes involved.

Bloody Mary’s are the charcuterie board of drinks. Anything that would fit on one will also work as garnish.

Here are some garnish ideas to get you started:

Fresh things

• Lime or lemon wedges
• Celery
• Sliced cucumber
• Cherry or grape tomatoes
• Deli slices like Tofurky
• Browned seitan bacon
• Cubed non-dairy cheese

Pickled items

• Cornichons
• Olives
• Pepperoncini
• Pickled asparagus, cauliflower, or carrots
• Marinated pearl onions

Fried items

• Fried pickles
• Fried olives
• Fried ravioli
• Fried artichoke hearts
• Vegan jalapeño poppers
• Vegan fried shrimp
• Tater tots

Get extra

• Veggie sliders (I used a biscuit cutter to individually cut buns and burgers down to size)
• Jackfruit reuben cut in halves
• Vegan fried chicken drumsticks (They’re already on skewers!)

While celery stalks are tall enough to stand on their own in a glass, it can be handy to use skewers for other smaller garnishes.

I like to use tall skewers like I use for grilled vegetable skewers. They’re long enough that they work in a tall glass.

You can add as many garnishes as you want, being careful to keep anything breaded out of the liquid itself.

If you’re using fewer garnishes or a smaller glass, you may be able to get away with a smaller spear. Then just have it lay over the top of the glass.