Virgin Mary Drink: A Virgin Bloody Mary That Doesn't Taste Thin

A Virgin Mary is a Bloody Mary without the vodka: tomato juice, savory seasoning, a little heat, and the same garnishes. The mistake most recipes make is pulling the vodka and changing nothing else. The drink comes out thin.

A virgin Bloody Mary needs more flavor, not less. Here's how I make mine with one pour of Stu's, plus how to tune it, batch it, and garnish it.

Virgin Mary Drink Recipe

Makes 1 drink. Takes about 2 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Stu's Classic Bloody Mary Seasoning
• 4 to 5 oz tomato juice, chilled
• Ice
• Optional: a squeeze of lemon or lime
• Optional: 1/4 tsp prepared horseradish
• Optional: 1 to 2 oz Jalapeño Zero-Proof Spirit
• Garnish: celery stalk, pickle spear, olives

Instructions

1. Fill a tall glass with ice.
2. Add the Stu's, then the tomato juice.
3. Add citrus or horseradish if you want them. Stu's leaves both up to you.
4. Stir well, about 15 turns, so the seasoning fully mixes into the juice.
5. Taste. Want it bolder? Add another splash of Stu's.
6. Garnish and serve.

That's the whole build. Stu's puts the seasoning and our custom hot sauce in one bottle, perfectly proportioned, so you're not measuring six things into a glass.

Why a Virgin Bloody Mary Needs More Seasoning

Vodka doesn't add much flavor, but it adds body and a little warmth that carries the spice. Take it out and the same amount of seasoning tastes weaker.

So season a virgin Mary a little harder than a regular one. Start at the full ounce and don't be shy about adding a splash more. With a bottled mix you can't do that, because the seasoning and the juice come locked together. With Stu's, the juice is yours and so is the ratio.

What's in a Virgin Mary?

A classic Virgin Mary is tomato juice plus the seasonings from a Bloody Mary: Worcestershire, hot sauce, celery salt, black pepper, and usually horseradish and lemon. A lot of bartenders add a splash of pickle brine for tang.

That's six or seven ingredients to balance every time you make one. Stu's takes that hassle away. Everything is perfectly proportioned in one bottle, our custom hot sauce included, so you just pour, set the strength, and everyone gets exactly the drink they want.

Pick Your Flavor

Classic. Savory, tangy, balanced. The one to start with.

Smoked Jalapeño. Built on a custom chipotle hot sauce, with a little smoke in the background.

Jamaican Jerk. Warm jerk spice and habanero heat with a little sweetness underneath. A different kind of Virgin Mary, and a good one.

Want more heat in any of them? A few drops of Ghost Pepper Hot Drops does it without changing the flavor.

Make It a Zero-Proof Bloody Mary

Want the bite of a real Bloody Mary without the alcohol? Pour 1 to 2 oz of our Jalapeño Zero-Proof Spirit where the vodka would go, the same pour you'd use for vodka.

It brings natural jalapeño flavor and a grassy, green kick, which gives back the body and edge a virgin Mary is missing. Build it the same way: 1 oz of Stu's, the tomato juice, then the spirit, and stir.

It's also the base for a zero-proof Bloody Maria, the tequila version.

Virgin Mary Variations

Virgin Caesar. Swap the tomato juice for Clamato. Same pour of Stu's. It's the Canadian classic without the vodka. Full build in our Bloody Caesar recipe.

Sparkling Virgin Mary. Stir 1 oz of Stu's into a glass of cold sparkling water over ice. Lighter, savory, and good on a hot afternoon.

Non-alcoholic michelada. Use a non-alcoholic lager as the base with a squeeze of lime and a salted rim. The michelada recipe has the full build.

Low-sodium Virgin Mary. Start with low-sodium tomato juice. The seasoning still carries the flavor.

Garnishes and Rims

A Virgin Mary gets the same garnish treatment as the real thing. Celery, pickle spears, olives, pepperoncini, cherry tomatoes, cheese cubes, even a strip of bacon.

For the rim, wet the edge with a lemon wedge and dip it in celery salt, one of Stu's rim salts, Tajín, or everything bagel seasoning.

How to Make Virgin Marys for a Crowd

The ratio scales: 1 oz of Stu's for every 4 to 5 oz of tomato juice.

• A 46 oz bottle of tomato juice takes about 9 to 11 oz of Stu's and makes about 10 drinks.
• Mix the pitcher an hour ahead and keep it cold. Add ice to the glasses, not the pitcher, so it doesn't water down.
• Set out citrus wedges, horseradish, and hot sauce so guests can tune their own.

Hosting a mixed crowd? Set up a Bloody Mary bar with vodka on the side. Everyone gets the same drink and the same garnish spread, and the people skipping alcohol don't get the watered-down version.

Virgin Mary FAQ

What is a Virgin Mary drink?

A Virgin Mary is a Bloody Mary made without vodka. Tomato juice, savory seasoning, a little heat, and the usual garnishes. No alcohol.

Is a Virgin Mary the same as a virgin Bloody Mary?

Yes. Virgin Mary, virgin Bloody Mary, non-alcoholic Bloody Mary, and Bloody Mary mocktail all mean the same drink.

Is a Virgin Mary just tomato juice?

No. Plain tomato juice is flat. A Virgin Mary adds Worcestershire, tang, spice, and heat. One ounce of Stu's covers all of that.

How much Bloody Mary seasoning goes in a Virgin Mary?

One ounce of Stu's per 4 to 5 oz of tomato juice to start. Without vodka, many people like a splash more.

Can you make Virgin Marys ahead of time?

Yes. Mix the seasoning and tomato juice in a pitcher and keep it cold. Add ice to each glass when you serve so the pitcher doesn't water down.

Is a Virgin Mary healthy?

It's a lighter choice than most drinks. Tomato juice brings lycopene, vitamin C, and potassium. The thing to watch is sodium, so use low-sodium tomato juice if that matters to you. More on that in are Bloody Marys healthy?

Does Stu's contain any allergens?

Our Worcestershire contains anchovy. Check the label if you are serving guests with allergies.

Looking for more zero-proof drinks? See our easy mocktail recipes or the full lineup of Bloody Mary and savory drinks.