National Bloody Mary Day (January 1) wouldn’t be complete without a tasty Vodka and Tomato Juice recipe to go with. If you’ve never had this drink before, be prepared for a burst of flavors in every sip.
Sweet, sour, savory, bitter, and umami— this drink is a combination of the five basic tastes. With a touch of spiciness, these tastes create a complex flavor profile for our cocktail.
Although it may sound complicated, this drink is actually simple to make. It only takes 10 minutes from start to finish.
The ingredients are also basic. Some of them may already be available in your pantry.
Before you check your pantry, let’s start with some interesting facts about today’s alcoholic beverage.
What Is Vodka Mix with Tomato Juice Called?
Our vodka and tomato juice is commonly known as a Bloody Mary. It’s a popular cocktail that you can order in almost any bar.
Common ingredients for a Bloody Mary are tomato juice, vodka, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and celery. Unlike the name suggests, no hemoglobin is involved.
Is Bloody Mary Healthy?
Alcoholic drinks are often considered unhealthy because alcohol is linked to a number of health conditions. The most common conditions include liver damage and depression.
It would be best to limit one’s alcohol consumption. So, for today’s vodka and tomato juice recipe, we’re following USDA’s dietary guidelines and reducing the amount of alcohol.
According to the USDA, adult women aged 21 years and older can have one drink containing 1.5 fl oz of 80 proof distilled spirit per day. Adult men can have no more than two drinks per day.
We further limit the amount of alcohol and reduce it to only 1 fl oz of 80 proof distilled spirit per drink.
Or you can have it healthier and drink tomato juice with no alcohol.
Calories in Vodka and Tomato Juice
This vodka and tomato juice drink contains 105 calories per serving. It may come as a surprise, but vodka contributes half the amount of calories.
Every serving of our cocktail contains 1 fl oz of 80 proof distilled vodka. 1 fl oz of vodka contains about 64 calories.
Since alcoholic beverages are high in calories, it would be best to drink them in moderation. Also, we recommend measuring your ingredients when making drinks at home to avoid overconsumption of alcohol and prevent weight gain.
How to Make Vodka and Tomato Juice
Here’s a detailed instruction for our vodka and tomato juice recipe:
Step 1: Juice the tomatoes
Cut tomatoes into quarters and run them through a juicer to extract juice. Collect the juice in a pitcher.
Step 2: Juice the celery
Put celery into the juicer chute and collect the juice in the same pitcher.
Step 3: Add lemon juice
Add lemon juice to the pitcher and stir.
Step 4: Add the spirit, spices, and sweetener
Add vodka, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and sugar to the pitcher. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Step 5: Serve
Divide the drink into four glasses and top with ice.
You can easily replace it with rum and create another cocktail with tomato juice for those who don’t fancy vodka.
How to Garnish This Bloody Mary
If you want to make your drink more aesthetic, the best way is to garnish.
We recommend getting your garnish inspirations from the cocktail ingredients. Here are a few ideas for you to garnish this vodka and tomato juice:
- Lemon: You can either cut a thin slice or wedge to hang on the glass. Or, use a peeler and cut some lemon peel, twist, and put it in the glass.
- Tomatoes: Although we don’t use cherry tomatoes in today’s vodka and tomato juice recipe, they still make a good garnish. Simply pierce two or three cherry tomatoes on a toothpick and put it in your cocktail.
- A stick of celery: Pick a fresh piece of celery with leaves on top and put it in your glass. The bright green color of the celery is a nice garnish and can make a great snack, too.
How Long Does Tomato Juice Last in the Fridge?
Store-bought tomato juice can last for days in the refrigerator, but we can’t say the same for homemade juice.
Fresh tomato juice can last up to 48 hours, assuming you keep it refrigerated in an airtight bottle. The juice may separate, but it’s still safe to drink— just give it a shake before using it.
If you plan on serving vodka and tomato juice at a party, you can make it ahead of time. Juice the tomatoes the day before, put it in the fridge, and it’ll be ready for your party.
And if you’re a tomato juice lover, we have a collection of best tomato juice recipes, where you can find a delicious beer mixed with tomato juice just for you. This article has all the interesting facts about tomatoes and how to turn these juicy fruits into delicious, refreshing beverages.
But for now, let’s get back to making this cocktail.
Easy Drink For Winter You May Like:
Vodka and Tomato Juice Recipe (Bloody Mary Cocktail)
With this vodka and tomato juice recipe (Bloody Mary Cocktail), you'll be able to make this simple cocktail at home. All you need is vodka, fresh tomatoes, and some spices.
- prep TIME 10 mins
- total TIME 10 mins
- COURSE Beverage
- CUISINE Global
- SERVINGS servings
- CALORIES 105 kcal
INGREDIENTS
- 20 fl oz tomato juice (from about 20 oz fresh tomatoes)
- 1 fl oz celery juice (from about 1 oz celery)
- 4 fl oz 80-proof vodka
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsps Worcestershire sauce
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup ice
INSTRUCTIONS
Juice the tomatoes: Cut tomatoes into quarters and run them through a juicer to extract the juice. Collect the juice in a pitcher.
Juice the celery: Put celery into the juicer chute and collect the juice in the same pitcher.
Add lemon juice: Add lemon juice to the pitcher and stir.
Add the spirit, spices, and sweetener: Add vodka, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and sugar to the pitcher. Stir to combine all the ingredients.
Serve: Divide the drink into four glasses and top with ice.
NUTRITION
Tuyet Pham
Head Chef, Culinary Consultant
Luna Regina
Writer, Author
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Nutrition Reviewer- Becky Shock
When I make this for myself, at home, I only use Tomato juice and vodka, and not even ice most of the time. People say well, that’s not a “bloody mary” you have to add other stuff, but I personally don’t like the “other stuff”.
I like a “red eye” once in a while also, just beer and tomato juice.- Luna Regina
Hi Becky. Vodka & tomato juice sounds like Bloody Mary to me 🙂 You can tailor it to suit your taste. And feel free to check out our beer and tomato juice if you like. Thanks!