The Fresh Tomato Swap To Try For A Lighter Bloody Mary

While some look forward to mimosas and chicken and waffles at brunch, bloody marys are what get us excited. The blend of tangy tomato juice and savory Worcestershire sauce produces the most delicious, well-rounded cocktail. Although we'll forever love a tried and true bloody mary, we spoke to an expert about how to make the drink even more refreshing.

A bold, herbaceous bloody mary does taste great on a sweltering day, but the thickness from the tomato juice can often give the cocktail a more concentrated texture than we would like. Rather than using juice, Molly Horn, Chief Mixologist and Spirits Educator at Total Wine & More, gives her version of the drink a fresher spin. "Instead of tomato juice, it calls for muddled cherry tomatoes, along with a healthy splash of hot sauce (I prefer Sriracha), olive brine, lemon juice, and a touch of simple syrup (and of course, vodka)."

Horn came up with the revamped beverage when making brunch drinks at a restaurant. Though bloody marys can definitely be the main event, she still wanted diners to have room to eat. Thus, the new and improved bloody mary was born. Muddling the cherry tomatoes releases its bright, sweet flavor into the liquid, giving it that classic taste without the heaviness. To make up for the lack of tomato juice, olive brine provides a delicious tang while simple syrup gives a hint of sweetness and body.

The mix of herbaceous, savory, and acidic ingredients pairs nicely with a hearty, buttery breakfast dish. For Horn, eggs, and all the ways we dress them up, complement the flavors of a bloody mary. "We put salt, pepper, and ketchup on our eggs, so it follows that a salty, peppery, tomato-y cocktail would pair great with the breakfast!" Some standard soft and fluffy scrambled eggs with toast will do, but you can also drink the cocktail along with a quiche or frittata.

Horn believes that the richness of a bloody mary is what makes it a great brunch drink since you'll probably have a larger appetite in the mornings. With a lighter version of the cocktail, you can have even more room for heavier breakfast foods you may typically pair with a mimosa or lemonade. Waffles, for example, could be too hearty for your standard bloody mary, but Horn's version tastes great with the fluffy dish. To make it more suitable for the savory cocktail, try a jalapeño cheddar waffle. The bold cheese and spicy pepper fits right into the peppery, tangy drink.

For a hearty brunch option that's a little less traditional, go with a Mediterranean eggplant panini. A bloody mary isn't thought of as a Mediterranean beverage, but the fresh tomatoes and olive brine were made for this recipe. Aside from earthy eggplants, the panini contains roasted red peppers, black olives, and sweet basil.