Loaded Bloody Mary: Recipe, Garnish Ideas, and How to Build One

A loaded Bloody Mary is a Bloody Mary where the garnish is a second course. Bacon, shrimp, cheese, pickles, sliders, sometimes a whole fried chicken. It's a brunch drink and a snack in one glass.

Here's how to make a loaded Bloody Mary at home: the drink, the garnish ideas from simple to over the top, how to build a skewer that doesn't tip over, and how to set up a loaded Bloody Mary bar for a crowd.

What Is a Loaded Bloody Mary?

It's a regular Bloody Mary with an oversized garnish. The drink is the same: vodka, tomato juice, and savory seasoning. What changes is what's on top. A standard Bloody Mary gets celery and a lemon wedge. A loaded one gets a full skewer of food.

The drink still matters most. A pile of bacon won't save a watery, bland Bloody Mary, so start with a base worth drinking on its own.

Fully Loaded Bloody Mary Cocktail Recipe

Makes 1 drink. About 10 minutes, with garnishes prepped ahead.

The Drink

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz Stu's Classic
• 4 to 5 oz tomato juice
• 1/2 tsp prepared horseradish (optional)
• A squeeze of lemon juice and cracked black pepper
• Celery salt, Old Bay seasoning, or a rimmer for the rim

The Garnish

• 1 celery stalk with leaves
• 1 pickle spear
• 1 strip thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp
• 2 cooked cocktail shrimp
• 2 cubes cheddar or pepper jack
• 2 cheese-stuffed olives
• 1 pickled green bean or pickled okra
• 1 lemon or lime wedge
• A 10 to 12 inch skewer

Instructions

1. Rub the rim of a pint glass or mason jar with lemon and dip it in celery salt or a rimmer. Fill the glass with ice.
2. Add the Stu's, tomato juice, horseradish, and vodka. Squeeze in the lemon and stir.
3. Stand the celery, pickle spear, and bacon in the glass.
4. Thread the shrimp, cheese, olives, and pickled bean onto the skewer, heaviest pieces first.
5. Lay the skewer across the rim or stand it in the glass, and add the lemon wedge.

Stu's is a liquid seasoning made with Worcestershire, pickle brine, celery salt, and a balanced spice blend, so the drink is dialed in with one pour. Unlike a bottled Bloody Mary mix, there's no tomato juice in it, so you pick the juice. That leaves your time for the fun part.

Homemade base instead: for a from-scratch classic Bloody Mary, mix 5 oz tomato juice, 1/2 oz lemon juice, 1 tsp fresh horseradish, 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce, 3 shakes of Tabasco sauce, and a pinch each of celery salt and black pepper. Want it briny? Swap in Clamato for a Bloody Caesar.

Loaded Bloody Mary Garnish Ideas

Pick a few from each level, or go all in. Every garnish should be something you'd want to eat with a savory, salty drink.

Classic

• Celery hearts with leaves
• Dill pickle spears
• Green olives, plain or stuffed with blue cheese or garlic
• Pickled green beans, pickled asparagus, or okra
• Pickled jalapeños or pepperoncini
• Lemon and lime wedges

Loaded

• Thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp so it stands up
• Jumbo shrimp, poached and chilled
• Cheese cubes: sharp cheddar, pepper jack, or smoked gouda
• Salami, summer sausage, or beef sticks
• Beef jerky
• Mini deviled eggs
• Cherry tomatoes and cucumber slices

Over the Top

• Beef or pulled pork sliders
• Fried chicken tenders or wings
• Grilled cheese triangles
• Meatballs
• Onion rings or cheese curds
• A glazed rib laid across the glass
• Lobster tail, crab claws, or oysters

The most famous example is the Chicken Fried Bloody Beast at Sobelman's Pub and Grill in Milwaukee, which came topped with a whole fried chicken. You don't need to go that far at home. For more ideas, see our full Bloody Mary garnish guide.

How to Build a Loaded Bloody Mary That Doesn't Tip Over

1. Use a big glass. A pint glass, mason jar, or 16 oz goblet gives you room and a stable base.
2. Use long skewers. Bamboo skewers or metal picks at 10 to 12 inches.
3. Heavy items low. Put cheese, meatballs, and sliders near the base of the skewer and lighter things like olives up top.
4. Anchor with the drink garnishes. Celery, a pickle spear, and bacon stand in the glass and help hold everything else up.
5. Keep pieces bite-sized. One or two bites each. Giant pieces look good in photos and are hard to eat.
6. Prep ahead, assemble last. Cook and chill the bacon, shrimp, and meatballs ahead of time. Build right before serving so nothing gets soggy.

Match the Garnish to the Flavor

• Classic: the traditional spread. Cheddar, dill pickles, shrimp, olives, bacon.
• Smoked Jalapeño: a custom chipotle hot sauce with subtle smoke. Go with pepper jack, pickled jalapeños, brisket, or a slider.
• Jamaican Jerk: habanero heat with sweetness underneath. Try grilled pineapple, jerk chicken bites, and grilled shrimp.

The rim adds one more layer. Our Sweet Corn Rimmer is dried sweet corn and celery salt, a very Nebraska move, and the Key Lime Rimmer is bright and salty.

How to Set Up a Loaded Bloody Mary Bar

A loaded Bloody Mary bar is one of the easiest ways to host brunch, a tailgate, or game day. Everyone builds their own.

• The base: pitchers of tomato juice and a bottle or two of Stu's. At 1 oz per drink, one bottle covers 16 to 24 drinks. Setting out all three flavors lets guests mix and match.
• The spirits: vodka, plus tequila for a Bloody Maria and Irish whiskey for a Bloody Molly. Skip the spirit for a Virgin Mary.
• The garnish board: lay everything out on a sheet pan or cutting board with a stack of skewers. Keep the shrimp and cheese on ice.
• The rim station: lemon wedges and small plates of rimmers and celery salt.

For the full setup and shopping list, see how to make your own Bloody Mary bar. For game day, pair it with our tailgate food ideas.

Loaded Bloody Mary FAQ

What makes a Bloody Mary loaded?

The garnish. A loaded Bloody Mary is a standard Bloody Mary topped with a skewer of food like bacon, shrimp, cheese, pickles, or sliders.

What do you put on a loaded Bloody Mary?

Start with celery, pickles, olives, and a lemon wedge. Then add bacon, shrimp, cheese cubes, and salami. For over the top, add sliders, fried chicken, or onion rings.

How do you keep the garnish from falling off?

Use a wide pint glass, a long skewer, and put the heaviest items at the bottom. Celery and bacon standing in the glass help hold the skewer up.

Can you make loaded Bloody Marys ahead of time?

Mix the drink base and cook the garnishes a few hours ahead, then chill both. Add ice and assemble right before serving.

How unhealthy is a loaded Bloody Mary?

The drink itself is fairly light. With 2 oz vodka and Stu's, it's around 160 calories. The garnish is where it adds up: bacon, cheese, and sliders can double or triple that. See Bloody Mary calories for the breakdown.

What's the best spirit for a loaded Bloody Mary?

Vodka is the classic, but tequila, gin, and Irish whiskey all work. Our guide to the best vodka for a Bloody Mary has picks.

Does Stu's contain any allergens?

Yes. Our Worcestershire contains anchovy.