Vegan Bloody Mary – Everything You Need To Know To Make The Best Vegan Bloody Mary

Best Vegan Bloody Mary – in this post I am going to talk about everything you need to know when it comes to the Vegan Bloody Mary. This includes why most Bloody Marys are, in fact, not vegan. SPOILER ALERT it has to do with anchovies. I’ll break down the ingredients for a traditional Bloody Mary and show you how you can make sure your favorite cocktail is vegan every time. Sit back, get that tomato juice and celery stick out because it is Bloody Mary time.

What is a Bloody Mary?

First, what makes a Bloody Mary … a Bloody Mary. Traditionally Bloody Marys are made from seven ingredients: Vodka, Lemon Juice, Tomato Juice, Pepper, Salt, Tabasco, and Worcestershire Sauce. Invented in the 1920s the drink is often credited to Fernand Petiot when he spiced up the popular combo of vodka and tomato juice. The drink can take on many variants and while the “Bloody Mary” is the most well-known, it can also go by Red Snapper, the Virgin Mary, the Caesar, and the Michelada.

Is a Bloody Mary Vegan?

As a general rule a traditional Bloody Mary is not vegan as it contains Worcestershire Sauce and traditional Worcestershire sauce contains anchovies. That are now, however, many vegan Worcestershire sauces and Bloody Mary mixes available, so making a vegan Bloody Mary is easier than ever before.

Why Is A Bloody Mary Not Vegan?

On average Bloody Marys are not vegan as they contain Worcestershire sauce which often contains anchovies and are therefore not vegan (or even vegetarian for that matter).

Okay, so I have established the main reason why Bloody Marys are not vegan. Let’s dig deeper into what a Bloody Mary is made of and whether the remaining ingredients are vegan.

Bloody Mary Ingredients

Below are the traditional ingredients for a Bloody Mary.

1. Vodka

Most unflavored vodka is vegan. You can read more about it in the post I wrote (see Is Vodka Vegan? Hidden Surprises To Know About in Vodka). The main non-vegan vodkas tend to be creamy flavored vodkas (think coconut, caramel, etc.) or honey/iced tea flavored vodka.

As the vodka used in a Bloody Mary will normally be straight unflavored vodka it will almost always be vegan (some people like to use pickle-infused vodka – that will normally be vegan too). If you would like to know what the best vegan vodkas out there are then check out the post I wrote on the 10 best vegan vodkas here (10 Vegan Vodka Brands You Need To Know).

2. Lemon Juice

Did you know that juice isn’t always vegan? What?! I know. The most common non-vegan juice is orange juice – you can read more about it here – Is Orange Juice Vegan? Revealing Why You Need To Know.

Back to lemons though.

Lemons aren’t always vegan either. What?! You read that correctly – it is down to the wax on lemons which can come from shellac from bugs or from beeswax. So just make sure to use unwaxed lemons when getting your lemon juice or a vegan-friendly 100% lemon juice.

3. Tomato Juice

Tomato juice is an important ingredient in a Bloody Mary (let’s face it, it is probably THE most important ingredient) and fear not, tomato juice is almost always vegan. Just make use to always use tomato juice and not clamato juice – which is tomato juice plus clam juice.

Clamato is most used in cocktails like a Bloody Caesar or a Michelada so make sure to always double-check before ordering these drinks.

Is V8 vegan?

V8 is a popular brand of tomato juice. There was a vegan controversy around V8 back in 2014, with rumors that the natural flavorings were derived from animals. It seems this controversy was caused by a misunderstanding and that V8 is indeed vegan.

The natural flavorings in V8 are derived from plants. Glad that got cleared up.

4. Pepper

Pepper is of course vegan.

5. Salt

No problems here. Vegan. Some people also like to add garlic or celery sauce to their Bloody Marys. These will also be vegan.

6. Tabasco

Tabasco is vegan. Bring on the heat.

7. Worcestershire Sauce

Traditional Worcestershire sauce is not vegan as it contains anchovies. This is the main non-vegan ingredient in a Bloody Mary. However, many vegan Worcestershire sauces have been launched in recent years.

Let’s have a look at some of the main Worcestershire sauces as well as some vegan alternatives available.

Non-Vegan Worcestershire Sauces

Is Heinz Worcestershire Sauce Vegan?

Heinz Worcestershire sauce is not vegan as it contains anchovies (fish). Do not use.

Is Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce Vegan?

Lea and Perrins Worcestershire Sauce is not vegan as it contains anchovies (fish). Do not use.

Vegan Worcestershire Sauces

Below are three vegan Worcestershire sauces that can be easily found on Amazon.

Best Vegan Worcestershire Sauces
Annie’s Worcestershire Sauce
Wizards Worcestershire Sauce
365 Worcester Sauce

The above three Worcestershire sauces are my main recommendations for a vegan Worcestershire sauce. I picked these for three reasons:

1. They are all marked as vegan ON THE BOTTLE;

2. They are all organic; and

3. They are all easy to get hold of as they can all be bought on Amazon.

If I just had to recommend one it would be the 365 as that price point is unbeatable. Here is the Amazon link for the 365 Worcestershire sauce again here.

Or you can throw a bottle in your shopping car next time you are perusing the aisles in Whole Foods Market.

Other Points on Worcestershire Sauce

Doing research for this post I noticed that there were two other popular searches around the following two Worcestershire sauces:

Is Spring Gully Worcestershire Sauce Vegan?

Spring Gully is considered vegan as it does not contain any fish or anchovies.

Spring Gully is marked as vegan on the website. It is made by an Australian brand. If you are not based in Australia and would like to try a bottle (and are willing to pay for shipping) it is possible via the Australian Food Shop. But, again there are other cheaper and local vegan options available.

Is Lord Sandy’s Worcestershire Sauce Vegan?

Lord Sandy’s Worcestershire sauce is considered vegan as it does not contain any fish or anchovies.

Lord Sandy’s is labeled on the front of the label as being vegetarian. It looks like it is also generally considered vegan too. Note – Lord Sandy’s Worcestershire sauce does contain cane sugar. There is always the potential with non-organic cane sugar that it has been processed with bone char which could be an issue for strict vegans.

Vegan Bloody Mary Recipe

Fancy whipping up a delish vegan Bloody Mary yourself? Now to the fun bit. How to make the perfect Bloody Mary. I have put Amazon links to the ingredients so you are able to buy everything at once if need be.

Vegan Bloody Mary Ingredients

– One shot (1.5 oz) of vodka.

I personally recommend Titos Vodka. I love the fact they address whether their vodka is vegan on their website – they do not use any animal-based ingredients or by-products, they don’t use any animal products in the production process and they do not carry out animal testing. You can get yourself a bottle of Titos handmade vodka from Amazon here.

– Half a cup (4 oz) of tomato juice (it is even marked as vegan in the Amazon listing).

– 0.5 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice.

– Two dashes of Tabasco (depending on how spicy you like it)

– Two dashes of vegan Worcestershire sauce

– One pinch of pepper (you probably have this in your cupboard)

– One pinch of celery salt (celery salt is my secret Bloody Mary ingredient).

How To Make

To make my Bloody Mary mix all the ingredients together into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, pour into a tall glass and garnish with a celery stick.

You can also garnish with olives or a lemon or lime wedge if you are feeling fancy.

Two non-vegan garnishes that are sometimes added to a Bloody Mary are shrimp and bacon – obviously, avoid them.

Vegan Bloody Mary Mix Brands

Can’t be bothered making your own vegan bloody Mary? Do you fancy pouring a premade vegan bloody Mary mix into your glass with some vodka? I feel you. Let’s look at the Bloody Mary mixer situation.

Is Mr and Mrs T Bloody Mary Mix vegan?

Mr and Mrs T Bloody Mary mix is made with a Worcestershire sauce that does not contain anchovies or any fish and so it is generally considered vegan. It does, however, contain cane sugar which could be an issue for strict vegans due to the potential of the cane sugar having been processed with bone char.

Is Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix Vegan?

Zing Zang Bloody Mary mix is now vegan. A few years ago, Zing Zang bloody Mary mixes contained anchovies but this is no longer the case, making it now vegan.

Here is the official Zing Zang statement from their website –

“None of our Zing Zang Cocktail Mixes contain any animal-based ingredients. Prior to April 2019, our Bloody Mary Mix bottles contained a fish ingredient (anchovies), which still may be available in some stores and bars. We recommend reviewing the printed ingredients on packaging, as that is the most accurate and up-to-date source for ingredient information. While our ingredients are all vegan-friendly, our products may be produced in a facility that uses non-vegan ingredients.”

Virgin Bloody Mary

Do you want a Bloody Mary without any alcohol, but still want it to taste like a Bloody Mary? If you do there are a whole bunch of amazing non-alcohol vegan vodkas available on the market you can use to get the same Bloody Mary minus any of the alcohol. Check out my below posts to learn more:

Vegan Non-Alcoholic Drinks – Revealing What You Need To Know

10 Vegan Non-Alcoholic Cocktails You Need To Know About

Vegan Bloody Mary Mixers

If you are looking for some vegan bloody Mary mixers, I have listed my top ten recommendations in the table below. You can find all of them on Amazon. They are all either listed as vegan on the Amazon listing title or on the bottle.

Vegan Bloody Mary Mixers
1. Toma – Original & Horseradish Gluten-Free, Vegan, Low Carb, Keto Friendly, Low Sodium.
2. Luna – All Natural, Low Calorie, No Added Sugar, Keto Low Carb, Vegan, Gluten-Free, Lower Sodium.
3. Sonoma – (Bold, Tangy & Robust) USDA Organic, Non-GMO, Vegan, Keto-Friendly
4. Agalima – All Natural, Certified Organic. Made from Roma tomatoes, smoky chipotle peppers, hot horseradish, and house-made vegan Worcestershire.
5. Powell & Mahoney – Sriracha Bloody Mary Vegan, Free from Artificial Sweeteners and Flavors, No Preservatives, Non-GMO.
6. Savor & Salt Classic (Mild) Gluten-Free, Vegan, All Natural
7. SuckerPunch Gourmet (Spicy Bloody Mary Mix, With Ghost Pepper Chili Mash, Smooth Texture) Gluten Free, Vegan Friendly, Non-GMO Verified
8 . Filthy – aluminum pouches All-Natural, Non-GMO, Vegan, No Preservatives, Flavors or Colors, & Gluten-Free
9. Madge’s Fermented Bloody Mary Mix Spicy Raw, Probiotic, Vegan
10. Stout – Smoky, Spicy, Bold Low Sodium, Vegan, Gluten-Free

Vegan Bloody Mary – The Final Sip

Vegan Bloody Mary – what have we learned today? Can you make a Bloody Mary Vegan? Yes, yes you can. Are all Bloody Marys Vegan? No, no they are not. When it comes to cocktails Bloody Marys are the ones vegans must be more careful with. Why? The issue all comes down to the use of Worcestershire Sauce in the drink which traditionally is made from fermented anchovies. Whilst Worcestershire Sauce is an essential ingredient for a Bloody Mary the good news is that there are vegan Worcestershire Sauce options available on the market. You can even find them in Whole Foods at very reasonable prices. If you are the type of person who just wants to pour a Bloody Mary quickly and easily without any of the faffs then there are also a whole host of vegan pre-made mixers – just add Vodka.

…Now You Know

Beverage makers may change ingredients and/or manufacturing processes. Always double-check ingredients before purchasing any beverages.

Please Drink Responsibly.

Like What You Are Reading

Need to know more? Think your favorite beer or wine is vegan? How about your favorite Vodka, Tequila, or Gin – think those are vegan? Time to find out – check out some of my other articles:

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