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.

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.

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.

In a cocktail shaker or tall jar, combine:

• Tomato juice
• A squeeze of lime
• Hot sauce
• Vegan Worcestershire sauce
• Prepared horseradish
• Vodka
• Salt & pepper

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

• Midwest sushi
• 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.

📖 Recipe

Vegan Bloody Mary

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 2 votes

If you're a fan of savory cocktails, you'll love this flavorful Bloody Mary.

This recipe is the perfect size for one. Or you can quadruple it (or more) to make a mix. If you're making a mix, add the vodka just before serving. Or enjoy it without alcohol as a virgin cocktail!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 4 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 minute minute

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 people

Course: Beverage

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: cocktail recipe, party food

Ingredients

• ▢ Celery salt for cocktail rim
• ▢ Several ice cubes plus a splash of water
• ▢ ¾ cup tomato juice
• ▢ Squeeze of lime wedge
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ▢ ⅛ teaspoon prepared horseradish
• ▢ ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon hot sauce
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ Dash of pepper
• ▢ 1 shot vodka

Instructions

• ▢
  Pour some celery salt onto a small plate. Moisten the rim of a tall glass with water (or a wedge of lime). Twist the top of the glass in the salt to coat the rim.

  Fill the glass with ice cubes.
• ▢
  In a shaker or tall jar, combine tomato juice, a squeeze of lime, vegan Worcestershire sauce, prepared horseradish, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon of hot sauce (depending on your preferences), salt, and pepper. If you're drinking it right away, add a shot of vodka as well. If you're making a mix, add it later before serving.

  Stir or shake with more ice cubes.
• ▢
  Pour the cocktail into the glass with salted rim. Finish with your choice of garnish. (See the above blog post for garnish ideas.)

Notes

Standard Worcestershire sauce includes anchovies. For a vegan beverage, seek out vegan Worcestershire options at your preferred natural grocery store. 

For an even more enticing cocktail, replace plain vodka with homemade pickle vodka.

If you’re not a fan of vodka, this can be made with gin instead. It also makes an excellent virgin cocktail without alcohol.

Variation ideas

• 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 Trader Joe’s 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.
• Instead of salt & pepper, 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.

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Nutrition

Calories: 134kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 426mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 822IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg

Content, recipe, and photos updated June 7, 2021. Originally posted November 5, 2012. It was first posted as a Doctor Who-themed drink called a Bloody Mara, along with a Sonic Screwdriver cocktail.