If You're Not Adding Marinara Sauce To This Classic Cocktail, You're Missing Out

That jar of marinara in your fridge is more than just a pasta sauce, it's a secret ingredient you can use to amp up the flavor in a whole range of dishes. From stirring it into your scrambled eggs to using it as a dip for your grilled cheese sandwiches, there's a whole list of unexpected ways to put your jar of marinara to use. In fact, why stop at food? Adding marinara sauce to your Bloody Mary is a genius move that'll add great amounts of depth to your favorite day-time drink.

For a classic Bloody Mary, you need to combine vodka and tomato juice, and then build different layers of flavor using lime, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt, and pepper. The result is a deeply savory drink that wakes up your taste buds and warms the heart — two of many reasons the Bloody Mary is considered a classic brunch cocktail. So, how does marinara sauce come into the mix? Simple. Marinara sauce is often made using high-quality San Marzano tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a hint of spice with either dried red pepper or chili flakes. Basically, think of the contents of that jar as an amped-up tomato juice. Making your cocktail with marinara instead of tomato juice adds even more nuanced savory notes (and velvety texture) than a simple tomato juice would. Try it, or else you'll really be missing out!

Unlike other ingredient swaps, this isn't just a case of replacing tomato juice with marinara. Since a traditional marinara is only cooked for 15 to 20 minutes, the tomatoes will be soft but still chunky, with pieces of garlic and other herbs providing bite, as well. But you really don't want to be eating your cocktail. So while you'd usually build your Bloody Mary directly in your highball glass, it's easier to make the drink in a blender.

Simply add the marinara sauce, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, tabasco, salt, pepper, and any other add-ins to a blender and blitz (use a ½ cup of marinara for every 1.5 ounces of vodka). Taste and adjust seasonings before pouring it out into a salt-rimmed highball with. Then, add garnishes — you can go traditional with celery, olives, pickles, or lime, or experiment with a cocktail shrimp or cheese like bocconcini to complement the marinara. But we'd steer clear of these 14 Bloody Mary garnishes (Cheeseburgers? Seriously?).

A marinara sauce is one of many ways to upgrade a basic Bloody Mary. Adding a hit of pickle juice also seems to be a popular move with members of the cocktail community on Reddit, as is adding horseradish or hot sauce for some extra heat and umami. Changing up the contents of the rim can also change the way your drink tastes. A simple tweak like using a mix of salt and pepper (or even Italian spices) instead of just salt can make a big difference, while more creative suggestions involve using Tajin, celery salt or steak seasoning on the rim.