Turn fresh tomatoes into a flavorful Bloody Maria mix, and then mix up a big batch of Bloody Maria cocktails with this simple recipe!
Summer obsessives hold on to the season until the equinox makes things official in late September. For others, it’s the end of Labor Day weekend that signals summer’s end (it falls especially late this year). I’m a weather nerd, and as such, tend to adhere to the meteorological calendar in which the seasons change with the weather – meteorological fall ticks over on September 1.
Fresh Ingredients Make It Simple
No matter how you keep score, the end of summer is just weeks away and we really ought to make the most of it, cocktail-wise especially. This fresh tomato Bloody Maria cocktail recipe takes care of the main thing that stands between me and a more regular Bloody Maria habit – a lack of tomato juice.
In this recipe, fresh tomatoes (peels and all) are blended with good things like onions, garlic, jalapeño, and parsley. After a thorough chill in the fridge, you’ll want to add plenty of freshly squeezed lime, tons of horseradish, and as much Tabasco as you dare. If you’d like a full-on pitcher of Bloody Marias, go ahead and add the tequila too.
Since the main components of the cocktail are so easy to pull together, I thought I’d keep the garnishes simple as well – just a few chives and a slice of lime. Just like that – spicy summer refreshment (plus real vegetables!).
Turn fresh tomatoes into a flavorful Bloody Maria mix, and then mix up a big batch of Bloody Maria cocktails with this simple recipe!
- 5 cups chopped , cored tomatoes
- 1/2 a red onion , peeled and chopped
- 1 jalapeño , cored, seeded, and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , smashed, peeled, and minced
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley leaves
- 1 teaspoon sea salt , divided
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , divided
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish* or to taste
- 2 - 3 teaspoons Tabasco sauce , or to taste
- 4 - 6 ounces tequila
- Chives and sliced limes for garnish
- *Horseradish can vary wildly , so taste before adding and keep in mind that the heat often intensifies after a few hours.
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Combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, garlic, and parsley in the pitcher of your blender and blend until very smooth. If desired, strain mixture with a fine mesh sieve. Stir in about a 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and celery seed. Set in fridge to chill for at least an hour.
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Stir in lime juice, horseradish, and Tabasco to the tomato mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning or acid levels as needed.
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Mix up a 1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper on a plate. Swipe the rim of a highball or Collins glass with a lime wedge and dip in salt and pepper mixture. Carefully fill glasses with ice, pour in Bloody Maria mix, and top off with 1 - 1 1/2 ounces tequila. Give everything a quick stir. Garnish with chives and a slice of lime. Serve immediately.
#DrinktheSummer
Still thirsty? Besides these Bloody Maria cocktails, there’s a whole blogger cocktail party happening right now. For more fresh, summery refreshment, check out #drinkthesummer on Instagram, and these amazing recipes from around the web. Sending out a big, giant thanks to the Drink the Summer visionaries: Sherrie and Renee! Cheers, everyone.
With Food + Love // Fresh Heirloom Bloody Marys with Old Bay and Spicy Pickles
Will Frolic for Food // The Sugar Hollow: Watermelon Gin Cocktail with Cardamom and Lime
Kale & Caramel // Sweet Coconut, Hibiscus & Lime Slushie
Hummingbird High // Thyme Lemonade
Cake Over Steak // Blackberry Bourbon Cocktail
Loves Food, Loves to Eat // Coconut Nectarine White Wine Spritzers
Dunk & Crumble // Ginger Peach Whiskey Smash
Tasty Yummies // When Figs Fly: Spiced Rum Fig Kombucha Cocktail
Feed Me Phoebe // Pimm’s Cup Cocktail with Fresh Ginger, Lime and Tarragon
Earthy Feast // Strawberry, Basil and Pink Peppercorn Negroni
Ginger & Toasted Sesame // Blackberry Peach Margarita with Spicy Salt
O&O Eats // The Long Hope: a Honeydew Cucumber Gin Cocktail
my name is yeh // Nutella Egg Cream
Faring Well // Sparkling Melon Coolers with Muddled Raspberries and Mint
Beard and Bonnet // Pineapple and Cilantro Moscow Mule
The Pancake Princess // Strawberry Balsamic Shrubs
Edible Perspective // Rosé Slushies
Vegetarian ‘Ventures // Sparkling Peppered Plum Blush
The Broken Bread // Blackberry, Cucumber and Mint Gin Spritzer
Tending the Table // Plum Spritzer with Ginger and Kafir Lime
Appeasing a Food Geek // Sugar Plum Margarita
She Eats // Fizzy Lime and Blackberry Shrub
holly & flora // Pimm’s Cup with Blackberry and Lemon Zest Shrub
Vigor and Sage // Peachy Tomato Basil Gin and Tonic
The Pig & Quill // Raspberry Basil Gingerade Fizz
Hungry Girl por Vida // Peanut Butter and Berry Smoothie
A Brown Table // Fig and Bourbon Summer Smash
The Clever Carrot // 5 Minute White Peach Margaritas
Cookie and Kate // Watermelon White Sangria
le jus d’orange // Peach Yogurt Soju and Ginger Plum Kombucha Cocktail
Chocolate + Marrow // Raspberry Thyme Smash
The Bojon Gourmet // Basil Pluot Pimm’s Cup
Snixy Kitchen // Sparkling Asian Pear and Mint Iced Tea
what’s cooking good looking // Watermelon Basil Colada
i am a food blog // Thyme Gin and Tonics
Fix Feast Flair // Berry Peachy Kentucky Mules
Salt & Wind // Watermelon Aperol Spritzes
Elizabeth this is SO pretty. I totally get what you mean by adhering to the weather for the season change. Although this did make me meekly hope for fall during a weird weekend where it was low 70s. I can wait till September.
This cocktail looks amazing!! Gorgeous photos and that rim looks so delicate and precious. I also love that you used chives as a garnish – I’ve never seen that in drinks, and I love it!
These are beautiful, Elizabeth! I was just telling Sherrie I need to find a use for all of the heirlooms that just started spewing from my garden boxes (yayyyy!) and I feel like it has to be in the form of Bloody Mary/Marias! We get an unusually late summer here in PDX so, for better or worse, I’m not calling summer officially over until October. 🙂 🙂 🙂
This sounds so delicious and looks so beautiful and refreshing. #drinkthesummer is such a cool idea and it’s making my feed look incredibly cheerful and summery. Congrats on your feature on A Cup of Jo today, too! That’s a gorgeous sandwich!
xx Sydney
Mmm I love that you did a salt-and-pepper rim! These look great! What distinguishes a Bloody Mary from a Bloody Maria?
This #drinkthesummer party is so much fun! I tried my first full-on bloody mary the other weekend, but I think they’re just too acidic and salty for me. BUT, this maria with tequila would probably be way more up my alley. Lovely photos!
I love all of the veggies in this STUNNING drink, Elizabeth! And I’m right there with you, the weather marks the changing of seasons for me too. I had to put my jacket on for my run this morning it was so chilly, hold back fall! Please give us a few more weeks 🙂
Man, I just never tire of a good Bloody Mary. And add in tequila and I like it even more!
My birthday usually falls on Labor Day and I always think of it as the last summer hurrah – pretty funny how everyone has their own marker for the changing seasons. Also, A bloody “mary” with fresh squeezed tomatoes AND tequila? I’m in!
THOSE TEENY TINY TOMATOES!!! How can something made with those itty bitty summer bombs not be phenomenal!? Beautiful styling, too (of course). Love, love, love! <3
I get waaay too excited when you share a new Instagram or blog post..your photos are so unbelievably beautiful. I’m really into savory cocktails and can’t WAIT to give this one a try. Also, using chives as garnish is such a rad idea. You rock, lady! xo
I love the idea of tequila in a bloody mary instead of vodka! Totally trying that out soon.
I love spice, tomatoes, and tequila…so these look right up my alley! Can’t wait to give them a try! Happy #drinkthesummer !
I love how you blended the tomatoes with a little onion and garlic and parsley Elizabeth. And I’m definitely with you on keeping the accoutrements simple. Thanks for playing along with all of us today, I had a lot of fun keeping things light and fun and end-of-summery. xx
These are gorgeous! I think the fresh tomato would turn me into a bloody mary drinker, instead of a bloody mary taster. I also feel like fall begins September 1. It just feels right and I’m ready for it.
Dear Elizabeth, this drink sounds fabulous. Minus the tequila and you have yourself a power drink…either way, I love all the fresh ingredients. Cheers, Catherine
I’m trying to pretend that summer isn’t over yet… though, I wouldn’t mind going back to the 60-70 degree weather that we so briefly had a few months ago.
Eric’s all about the Bloody Mary… especially as a hangover remedy. Love the use of fresh tomatoes, the spice, and, of course, TEQUILA!