Bloody Maria Recipe: The Tequila Bloody Mary Cocktail

A Bloody Maria is a Bloody Mary made with tequila instead of vodka. Same tomato juice, same savory spice, same garnishes. The difference is that you can taste the tequila. Vodka disappears into a Bloody Mary. Blanco tequila brings a little agave sweetness and a peppery edge, and it plays well with lime, chili, and smoke.

It's an easy twist on a classic brunch drink. Here's the Bloody Maria recipe, the easy version with Stu's, which tequila to use, and how to batch it for brunch.

What Is a Bloody Maria?

A Bloody Maria is a tequila Bloody Mary: tequila, tomato juice, lime, Worcestershire, hot sauce, horseradish, celery salt, and black pepper, served over ice with a salted rim. Lime usually takes the place of lemon, and the rim is often chili-lime instead of plain celery salt.

Drink	Spirit	Base
Bloody Mary	Vodka	Tomato juice
Bloody Maria	Tequila	Tomato juice
Bloody Margarita	Tequila and triple sec	Tomato juice and orange juice
Bloody Caesar	Vodka	Clamato

A Bloody Margarita is a different drink. It adds triple sec and orange juice and leans toward a margarita. A Bloody Maria is simply the Bloody Mary with a tequila pour.

Bloody Maria Cocktail Recipe

Makes 1 drink. About 5 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2 oz blanco tequila
• 4 oz tomato juice
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 tsp prepared horseradish
• 3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 2 to 3 dashes Cholula hot sauce or Valentina
• 1 pinch smoked paprika (optional)
• 1 pinch celery salt and 1 pinch black pepper
• Tajín, or sea salt mixed with chili powder, for the rim
• Lime wedge, celery stalk, and pickled jalapeño for garnish

Instructions

1. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a pint glass and dip it in Tajín or chili-lime salt. Fill the glass with ice.
2. Add the tequila, tomato juice, lime juice, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery salt, pepper, and paprika to a cocktail shaker with ice.
3. Shake gently for about 10 seconds, or roll it back and forth between two glasses. You want it cold, not foamy.
4. Strain into the rimmed glass over fresh ice.
5. Garnish with lime, celery, and a pickled jalapeño. Taste and adjust the heat and lime.

The Easy Way: A Bloody Maria with Stu's

That's seven ingredients to measure before the tequila goes in. Stu's replaces most of them. It's a liquid seasoning made with Worcestershire, pickle brine, celery salt, and a balanced spice blend, so one pour does the work. Unlike a bottled Bloody Mary mix, there's no tomato juice in the bottle. You pick the juice and the tequila.

• 1 oz Stu's
• 4 to 5 oz tomato juice
• 1 1/2 to 2 oz blanco tequila
• A squeeze of lime

Build it in a rimmed glass over ice, stir, and garnish. One bottle makes 16 to 24 drinks.

Which Stu's Flavor to Use

• Classic: balanced and savory, so the tequila comes through. The pickle brine works with the lime.
• Smoked Jalapeño: a custom chipotle hot sauce with subtle smoke. Chipotle and agave are an easy match, and it's the one we reach for with tequila.
• Jamaican Jerk: habanero heat with sweetness underneath. Rum is its first pairing, but tequila is close behind.

Best Tequila for a Bloody Maria

• Blanco (silver): the best choice. It's unaged, clean, and peppery, and it doesn't fight the tomato. A mid-shelf 100% agave blanco is plenty. Save the expensive bottle for sipping.
• Reposado: works if you like a rounder drink. The light oak adds warmth.
• Añejo: skip it. The barrel flavors get lost under the tomato and spice.
• Mezcal: brings a lot of smoke. Swap in half an ounce for a smoky edge, or go all in with a Mezcal Bloody Mary.

Bloody Maria Garnishes and Rims

The rim is where a Bloody Maria sets itself apart. Tajín is the classic chili-lime choice. Our Key Lime Rimmer is bright and salty if you want lime without the chili, and there are more options in our rim salts.

For garnishes, go with lime wedges, pickled jalapeño slices, a celery stalk, cucumber spears, cilantro, grilled shrimp or other seafood, or a strip of bacon. The Bloody Mary garnish guide has plenty more.

Bloody Maria Variations

• Spicy Bloody Maria: use Smoked Jalapeño, add a few drops of our Hot Drops, and garnish with fresh jalapeño.
• Maria Verde: swap the tomato juice for blended tomatillo salsa verde and extra lime.
• Beer-topped: top a Bloody Maria with 2 oz of Mexican lager. For the beer-first version, make a michelada.
• Frozen: blend everything with a cup of ice, like a frozen Bloody Mary.
• With a chaser: sip straight tequila alongside a small glass of sangrita, the Mexican tomato-citrus chaser.

How to Batch Bloody Marias for a Crowd

For 8 drinks, stir together in a pitcher:

• 1 cup (8 oz) Stu's
• 4 to 5 cups tomato juice
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups blanco tequila
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Chill for at least an hour and serve over ice in rimmed glasses. You can also leave the tequila out of the pitcher so guests can pour their own, or set everything out as a Bloody Mary bar. Our pitcher recipe has more hosting tips.

Bloody Maria Calories

A Bloody Maria made with Stu's comes in around 160 calories. Most of that is the tequila, at about 130 calories for 2 oz. The tomato juice adds roughly 25, and Stu's adds 5. See Bloody Mary calories for more.

Non-Alcoholic Bloody Maria

Skip the tequila. 1 oz Stu's, 4 to 5 oz tomato juice, lime, and a Tajín rim is still a full-flavored drink. For more zero-proof ideas, see the Virgin Mary.

Bloody Maria FAQ

What is the difference between a Bloody Mary and a Bloody Maria?

The spirit. A Bloody Mary uses vodka, and a Bloody Maria uses tequila. Bloody Marias also tend to use lime and a chili-lime rim.

What goes in a Bloody Maria?

Tequila, tomato juice, lime juice, Worcestershire, hot sauce, horseradish, celery salt, and black pepper. With Stu's, it's just tequila, tomato juice, Stu's, and lime.

Can you make a Bloody Mary with tequila?

Yes. That's a Bloody Maria, and it's one of the best-known Bloody Mary variations.

What is the best tequila for a Bloody Maria?

A 100% agave blanco. Reposado works too. Skip añejo.

What does a Bloody Maria taste like?

Like a classic Bloody Mary with more going on. You get the savory, tangy tomato and spice, plus a little agave sweetness and pepper from the tequila.

Is a Bloody Maria the same as a Bloody Margarita?

No. A Bloody Margarita adds triple sec and orange juice. A Bloody Maria is a straight tequila Bloody Mary.

Does Stu's contain any allergens?

Yes. Our Worcestershire contains anchovy.

Looking for more? Try the Bloody Caesar, the Bloody Molly, or our Cinco de Mayo cocktails.