16 Best Ingredients To Elevate Your Homemade Bloody Mary Mix

Some people like their cocktails super-sweet. But there are others who prefer more of a briny flavor profile. If you fall into the second camp, then there's a good chance that you love Bloody Mary's. This classic brunch beverage is based on tomato juice and vodka, although there are countless variations that switch it up to favor different kinds of liquor, such as tequila for instance. And although we love ordering a Bloody Mary at brunch from time to time, the drink usually tastes better when you make it at home, since you can really customize it to your taste.

There are countless Bloody Mary recipes out there you could follow, and the basics work, but you could create even more interesting, dynamic flavors. That's exactly what these ingredients will allow you to do when it comes to your next Bloody Mary. Whether you want to add some spiciness, saltiness, or acidity, these ingredients will have you covered. Once you finish creating the perfect balance of add-ins, you'll have an elevated Bloody Mary experience that you'll want to recreate time and time again.

There are some drinkers who prefer more of a light, mild Bloody Mary, while others prefer a drink that's a bit more intense, pungent, and pronounced. If you're the kind of person who falls more into the second category, then you should definitely consider adding some horseradish to your Bloody Mary mix. This ingredient is spicy, but it's not spicy in a chili pepper heat kind of way. Rather, it offers the sinus-clearing type of spiciness that packs a punch that you feel further back in your palate. That works really well with tomatoes, since it complements the slight sweetness they offer. It's also quite earthy, which makes it a solid ingredient for adding complexity to your drink.

If you haven't worked with horseradish that much in the past, you should be warned, as this stuff can be extremely strong. Therefore, start slowly, adding a small amount of horseradish at a time until you reach your desired level of spiciness. A bit too much horseradish and drinking your Bloody Mary might start to feel like a punishment.

When you think of Bloody Mary add-ins, BBQ sauce probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. After all, with its sweet stickiness, it doesn't exactly seem like it belongs in a cocktail. But that's exactly why we love incorporating it into our drinks. That hint of sweetness complements the sweetness of the tomatoes while helping to balance out all of the other really salty ingredients. That flavor balance is further enhanced by the rich, umami quality of the BBQ sauce. This kind of sauce already offers a pretty complex edge, so adding it to an even more complex drink makes for a truly interesting sipping experience.

This is another ingredient you'll want to use relatively sparingly. There can be a lot of sweetness in BBQ sauce, which can make your Bloody Mary somewhat cloying if you go overboard with it. Additionally, you don't want the thickness of the sauce to turn your Bloody Mary into a drink that feels more like a smoothie than a cocktail.

Pickle brine is the magical ingredient that's been sitting in your fridge for months that you don't even think about. There are few liquid ingredients that pack so much flavor intensity in a single sip, which is exactly why it makes such an excellent addition to your Bloody Mary. The most crucial component of pickle brine is, of course, the vinegar. A Bloody Mary that doesn't have enough acid in it will taste bland and flabby, which probably isn't what you want to drink when you're in the mood for a cold, salty, and refreshing beverage. But all that vinegar in pickle brine will guarantee a mouthwatering flavor that's well balanced with the subtle sweetness present in the drink.

Acidity isn't the only thing pickle brine offers a Bloody Mary, though. It's also quite salty, of course, which makes an already tasty drink even more savory, and it often features fresh, vegetal, and herbal flavors like dill. Taken together, all of those factors make it clear that this is a must-include ingredient in your next Bloody Mary.

A lot of people assume that Old Bay seasoning should only be used for seafood, but we couldn't disagree more. Old Bay is an extremely versatile ingredient, and with its mixture of different spices, it can work well for pretty much any recipe. Bloody Marys, of course, are no exception. Perhaps the most noticeable flavor in Old Bay is the paprika, which adds a lovely earthiness to the mix. Then comes the celery salt, which adds saltiness, of course, along with a lovely vegetal quality. Sure, you could add all of these ingredients separately, but opting for this seasoning blend makes for a simpler recipe that comes together in no time.

Of course, you can always go out and buy Old Bay seasoning at your local grocery store. But since it's such a simple recipe, you can also make it at home quite easily. Not only will you always have the seasoning on hand that way, but you might also save some money in the process.

If you ask us, pretty much any recipe can benefit from some garlic. Do we prefer fresh garlic most of the time? Of course. Its boldness and pungency are unmatched. But let's be honest, sometimes, we just don't feel like going through the hassle of peeling several garlic cloves, chopping them, and then adding them to the recipe in question. This is when a shortcut like garlic powder can really come in handy.

Sure, garlic powder doesn't taste exactly like fresh, but it's close enough that it'll infuse whatever recipe you're making with that bold, almost spicy zing. This makes it a no-brainer addition for your next Bloody Mary, particularly when you don't have any fresh garlic on hand. If you ask us, you can't really add too much garlic powder, but go light if you're generally sensitive to it. Your Bloody Mary will automatically taste more and more delicious with every sip.

Now, hear us out. Tamarind paste may not be the most conventional ingredient to add to your Bloody Mary, but it's one that you should absolutely try if you're feeling adventurous. Tamarind paste is known for its intense sourness, along with a citrusy touch that makes it taste super fresh. Yes, it has a fruity tang to it, which may seem like a strange addition to a Bloody Mary, but we can confidently say that the combo is really tasty.

You can remove the paste from the whole tamarind yourself if you can find some fresh tamarind at your local grocery store. However, you can also buy containers of tamarind paste that make the process a bit easier and less sticky. This is another ingredient you'll want to go easy on at first, adding small amounts at a time, to ensure that you don't end up with a Bloody Mary that's too fruity or acidic.

Take a look at a lot of Bloody Mary recipes, and you might notice that they call for Worcestershire sauce. This sauce is features an array of ingredients, but anchovies are what give it its signature salty, umami quality. It only makes sense, then, that another sauce made with anchovies — fish sauce — would work well here as well. Compared to Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce is arguably funkier but also lighter and more refreshing, making it a simple swap (or addition) that can seriously take your Bloody Mary to new heights.

However, like Worcestershire sauce, fish sauce is aggressively salty. Therefore, if the Bloody Mary recipe you're using doesn't call for it specifically, you may want to back off on the salt to ensure that the saltiness in the drink isn't too intense. Like any of the ingredients on this list, you should taste as you go, particularly if you're not used to using the ingredient in question.

Most kinds of salty ingredient are probably going to taste good in your homemade Bloody Mary mix, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that soy sauce is featured on this list. Its intense saltiness is the main appeal here, so be sure to adjust any other sources of salt accordingly, but soy sauce is more than just salt content. This is also an especially richly flavored ingredient, with a fermented complexity that makes for a seriously savory cocktail. Just a few dashes of the stuff can transform your mix from something bland into a cocktail base that you'll want to drink all on its own, even before you add the liquor.

Of course, there are different types of soy sauce out there, so you can experiment with several varieties to see which one you like best for this specific purpose. Tamari, for example, is a great option if you want that amazing depth with a bit less saltiness, while seasoned soy sauce is preferable when you really want to pack as much flavor as possible.

We've already discussed how delicious Old Bay seasoning can be in a Bloody Mary, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that paprika, one of the ingredients in this seasoning mix, is another tasty option to consider adding to your drink. However, if you really want to give your drink a kick of sharpness, you should find some smoked paprika. Paprika has a touch of spice along with plenty bitter notes all on its own, as well as a lovely, sweet vegetal flavor that creates a dynamic profile. But once you add the smokiness into the mix, you'll get an even more transformative Bloody Mary experience.

Some Bloody Mary's can come across a bit bland, but adding that element of smokiness to the mix ensures that you're getting sophisticated flavors you won't find in your average store-bought mix. Include it in the actual mixture or just sprinkle a bit of it on top for a lovely aroma as you bring the drink to your lips.

In the past few years, dirty martinis have stolen the cocktail spotlight, and olive brine is the ingredient to thank. Yes, the vodka (or gin) and vermouth are key players in this cocktail, but it's the olive brine that gives it that signature salty quality. And if you're the kind of person who always orders their dirty martini extra dirty, then you know that you can basically never have enough olive brine in the mix.

There's no reason not to bring that same energy to your next Bloody Mary mix. Just like in a dirty martini, olive brine lends a distinctive saltiness to your Bloody Mary. Plus, it's a great way to use up that leftover brine if you're not regularly making dirty martinis at home. If you want to double down on that olive-y flavor even more, be sure to include fresh olives as a garnish once you've blended the mix together and added the liquor.

Have you ever taken a sip of a Bloody Mary only to realize that it tasted flat, unexpressive, and bland? We've all been there before, and it's a huge bummer, especially when you took the time to make your own mix from scratch. But there's one simple ingredient that you probably already have on hand that can make a big difference in your Bloody Mary mix when you encounter this problem, and it's vinegar. With its bold acidity, it can instantly liven up just about any Bloody Mary mix, even if it's not very well-balanced in the first place.

You can use different types of vinegar depending on what you already have on hand, but we like to keep things simple with a white wine or red wine vinegar. However, if you're craving some additional sweetness and depth, you can also opt for balsamic vinegar. Sherry vinegar will also offer your drink some rich notes, which can make things more compelling. Feel free to experiment with different varieties.

A lot of classic Bloody Mary recipes are served with a long stalk of celery sticking out of the glass. In fact, it's part of what makes a Bloody Mary look so iconic and instantly recognizable. Plus, it's a combo that makes sense — you could play up the vegetal notes of the cocktail by adding some actual vegetables to the glass. Plus, it's always fun to bite into that stalk of celery to enjoy a nice crunch while you're enjoying your drink.

But you may not have any fresh celery on hand, or perhaps you prefer that it's not mucking up your drink, taking valuable space that could be used for more of the drink itself. If you still want to capture that same flavor without actually using fresh celery, consider incorporating celery salt into the mix instead. You'll get both an added dash of saltiness along with a nice vegetal note to keep things interesting with every sip.

When you want to add a flavor boost to just about any recipe, scallions should be one of your go-to ingredients. Not only do they add a similar sharpness that onions are known for, but they also have a green, vegetal quality to them that just happens to pair especially well with the other ingredients you would traditionally include in a Bloody Mary. Plus, it's a great way to work more veggies into your diet — even if it's in the form of a cocktail.

There are two different ways you can choose to incorporate this versatile green into your next Bloody Mary mix. If you really want that taste to permeate throughout the entire cocktail, then blend them up along with the other ingredients, like tomatoes. Alternatively, you can finely chop them and add them to the top of the drink, giving it just a hint of that bold, onion-like flavor. Either way, you're in for a treat when you make your Bloody Mary this way.

We've already mentioned that pickle and olive brine can work really well in your Bloody Mary, especially when you want to give it a touch of saltiness and acidity. Pickled jalapeno juice is an ingredient in the same vein. Most importantly, you're working with some additional acid, which can keep the beverage feeling as fresh as possible. There's also quite a bit of salt there to enhance the other flavors and give the drink the kick it needs. But, unlike the other briny ingredients included on this list, pickled jalapeno juice adds a touch of heat. And if you love spicy Bloody Mary's as much as we do, this is a must-add ingredient.

Be sure to taste the pickled jalapeno juice before adding it to your drink mix to get a better sense of just how hot it is. If you're craving even more heat in your drink, plop in a few pickled jalapeno slices as well, in addition to that juice.

A lot of people will wrinkle their noses when they read the term "clam juice," but it actually is one of the best ways to enliven your Bloody Mary mix without very much work on your part. You can usually find this stuff in the pickled section or canned seafood and soup aisle of your local grocery store, alongside many of the other ingredients you'll find in this list. But unlike those ingredients, clam juice can add a lovely, seafood-like zest to the drink that you won't be able to achieve with even the boldest of pickled products.

Clam juice also packs quite a bit of salt, so keep that in mind if you're working with other salty ingredients. What really makes this ingredient stand out, though, is its slight sweetness that can really bring your whole Bloody Mary drink mix together. Sure, it may not be the most common addition on this list, but it's one that will seriously elevate your Bloody Mary into a cocktail that truly tastes special and unique.

In case you haven't heard, MSG isn't actually bad for you. In fact, its sometimes less-than-appetizing reputation was thanks to xenophobic assumptions about the inclusion of MSG in Chinese cooking. In reality, though, a lot of your favorite snack foods contain MSG, and for good reason: it tastes really, really good. It's like salt's more interesting cousin, and it's an ingredient that you can add to enrich mostly anything, Bloody Mary mix included.

MSG is best known for adding an umami character to dishes, and since that's such an important component in a Bloody Mary, it only makes sense that this would be a smart addition. It's one of the easiest inclusions on this list, because you really only need a sprinkle of the stuff to make your Bloody Mary mix taste better than ever. Don't worry if you didn't add enough — you can easily stir it into the drink even after you've started sipping.