Easy Dirty Martini Recipe

When most people order a martini, they like it dirty. This just means that you add a little bit of olive juice to the cocktail, giving it a more dirty appearance. Hence, the name. Since martinis and olives basically go together like peanut butter and jelly, it's pretty much a no-brainer to spice the drink up by adding olive juice. To know this cocktail is to love it and if you haven't tried it, then you're missing out!

Recipe developer Molly Pisula of Vanilla Bean Cuisine is the brains behind this tasty and classic cocktail that will make you feel like you're at a restaurant. Pisula says she loves how easy the recipe is to make, "[It only takes] three ingredients, and they are ones I always have on hand. I keep my olive jar in the fridge, so it's always ready for martini time." 

She also gives a little glimpse into her inspiration behind this cocktail. "I would say I am a huge olive lover, so I'm always looking for more excuses to add olives to my cocktails," Pisula shares. "This recipe is perfect for that."

The great thing about this recipe is that you only need a few items. If you don't already have them on-hand, pick up gin, vermouth, and a jar of olives from the store — you'll be using the olives for garnish and the brine for the drink. And if you're not a fan of gin, Pisula notes that you can use vodka, instead. 

Those are the only ingredients you need to make this easy dirty martini.

Grab a mixing glass and fill it with ice. This will help the cocktail reach a nice cold temperature that's perfect for sipping. "I recommend using [a] cocktail mixing glass and [a] long bar spoon, but as an alternative, you can use a cocktail shaker and shake the cocktail with ice," Pisula says.

Next, add the gin, vermouth, and olive brine. "Use the amount of olive brine you like — [you] could go up to 1 ounce," Pisula notes.

There's also another great tip that Pisula suggests: "Refrigerate the olive jar before using so your olive brine and olives are cold."

Use a spoon to stir the contents of the glass together until the liquid gets very cold. Then, strain the contents into a cocktail glass. Pisula recommends chilling the cocktail glass ahead of time to make it better. "[You] can also serve [the martini] on the rocks — just pour [it] in a tumbler filled with ice," Pisula says.

Now, place the olives on a toothpick or small skewer and add them to the glass as a garnish. If you want to add a secret ingredient, it's easy! "You can get a different flavor by using the brine from a flavored olive (olives stuffed with blue cheese, jalapeño, or garlic) and using that olive for your garnish," Pisula says.

The last thing you need to do is give a toast and drink up! This cocktail is great on its own but Pisula also shares a few of her favorite serving suggestions: "I like to pair a dirty martini with anything I would normally pair olives with — for example, salted nuts, cured meats, cheeses, roasted peppers. An antipasto platter would be perfect!"