Carrot Bloody Mary

This Carrot Bloody Mary is a bold update of a beloved classic, the Bloody Mary. It’s a carrot juice cocktail recipe with vibrant color and zesty flavor.

It’s easy to make just one or a big batch for a crowd. So why not upgrade your usual brunch with something even Bloody Mary haters will love?

(This recipe was originally published March 19, 2020. Pictures were updated March 28, 2022.)

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Why carrot juice in a bloody mary?

Look, I’m Italian. I like pasta sauce. I like pizza sauce. I like tomatoes in chili. But those are tomatoes with/on other foods. Tomato soup? No thank you. It’s like sipping marinara. And drinking tomato juice is like drinking watered down…marinara.

But I like the idea of a Bloody Mary. Mimosas have their place on the brunch table, but a savory, spiky, boozy cocktail with allll the garnishes? Sounds great!

Minus the tomato juice.

I just needed to come up with a Bloody Mary recipe with a twist. So somehow it just clicked – why not try carrot juice? It’s slightly sweet but still savory so it would take well to other ingredients, like hot sauce, horseradish and Worcestershire.

So I tried it and loved it! Bold, kicky flavor with vibrant color? Yes, please.

It provides a refreshingly zippy high-five to your mouth that’s perfect in the morning (or any time of day, really).

It works equally well with vodka or tequila.

And yes, using an orange-colored juice means it’s not red, so it’s not really a “bloody” Mary. My boyfriend suggested Beta Mary for all the beta carotene in carrots but it also kinda sounds like test version of some new humanoid robot.

And sure, I could’ve gone with Bunny Mary but also, no…no I couldn’t.

So Carrot Bloody Mary it is.

What you need

It’s pretty simple! If you’re making just one or two, you’ll need:

• a sturdy cocktail shaker with a seal (the seal is crucial for any cocktail mixing)
• highball glasses
• if you’re making enough for a crowd, you’ll need a large serving pitcher.

As for the ingredients for 1 drink:

• 4 oz. carrot juice
• 2 oz. vodka or tequila
• 2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce (see notes below for Paleo/vegan option)
• 2 dashes hot sauce (I use Frank’s original)
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• celery sticks for garnish
• optional add-ins:
  • 1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
  • 1/8 teaspoon celery seed
  • pinch of ground cumin
  • pinch of cayenne powder

And honestly, for the lemon or lime juice, bottled is fine. Sure, fresh probably tastes better but I don’t think it’s necessary here. But when I use bottled citrus juice, I aim for organic in a glass bottle like this lemon or this lime juice as opposed to some kinds that have added ingredients and are packaged in plastic.

How to make this Carrot Bloody Mary

• For 1 drink: Add all the ingredients you’re using to a cocktail shaker. Fill halfway with ice and shake until cold and the ingredients have blended, about 30 seconds. Fill a highball glass with ice, strain in the Carrot Bloody Mary and garnish with a celery stick.
• For 8 drinks: fill a pitcher with 1 quart (32 oz.) carrot juice, 2 cups (16 oz.) vodka or clear tequila, 3 tbsp. + 1 tsp. lemon or lime juice, 1 tsp. fine sea salt, 1/2 tsp. each Worcestershire, hot sauce and freshly ground black pepper. (If using the optional ingredients: 4 tsp. horseradish, 1 tsp. celery seed and 1/4 tsp. cayenne.) Stir until salt has dissolved. Taste and adjust seasonings. Fill 8 highball glasses with ice, pour in the drink and garnish with celery sticks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Other recipes you might like:

1. Limoncello Spritz
2. Negroni Spagliato
3. Pomegranate Old-Fashioned
4. Sparkling Winter Sangria

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