13 Creative Ways to Incorporate Fresh Tomatoes into Your Cocktails

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Tomato season is a magical time, when that fresh scent transports you right into a blossoming vegetable garden. And then, something else happens: You find yourself trying to come up with all kinds of unique ways to make the most of fresh tomatoes while they’re in season, and really showcase the flavors and textures in a way that just isn’t possible with canned.

Sure, a roasted Caprese sandwich or two is a must, but have you ever thought about using those fresh tomatoes in cocktails? No? You absolutely should, and we’re not just talking about a Bloody Mary, either. That said, we wanted advice from experts.

We reached out to a number of industry professionals, including cocktail creators, bartenders, food and beverage managers, and chefs, to find out what drinks they would make and serve if handed an overflowing bushel of fresh, perfectly ripe tomatoes. They definitely didn’t disappoint. Let’s start with some wisdom from Justin George, general manager at the NOUN Hotel, Norman. Whether you’re taking advice from these professionals or giving it a go on your own, George says: “Tomato is somewhat likened to a mystery ingredient when it comes to cocktail creation. With a heavy mouthfeel and sharp acidity, you are unlikely to find balance in a glass … lean into imbalance.”

Few things are classier than being served a legit martini, but it’s absolutely possible to argue that you can elevate the experience even more by swapping in a garnish of pearls balanced on a delicate spoon. That’s the idea that came to us from Marshall Minaya, the beverage director at New York City’s Valerie.

Minaya suggests using fresh tomatoes to create a tomato caviar, which is then served on a spoon with a martini. Creating that tomato caviar takes a few things and only one ingredient that you’ll have to plan ahead for, and that’s agar agar. The good news is that it’s easy to source: One 4-ounce package of agar powder is available on Amazon for around $10 at the time of this writing, and given that you’re only using a teaspoon or so, it’ll last a good, long time. 

Simmering tomato juice with agar agar, cooling it slightly, then dripping that mixture into chilled vegetable oil will form tomato droplets, which are perfect for putting on a spoon and using for garnish. Minaya suggested using this idea with a martini, but it would also work really well with a Bloody Mary. Brunch — and after-dinner cocktails — have never felt so fancy!

One of the easiest ways to start using tomatoes in cocktails comes to us from Kyle Hamilton, the bar manager at Hawksmoor Chicago. Hamilton recommends making tomato water, which leaves you with a flavorful juice that’s perfect to build a cocktail with.

And it really is easy. Take four to six tomatoes, and blend them up into a pulp. Add salt to taste, then strain through cheesecloth into a container. Pop that whole thing into the fridge, and that’s it! “I personally like using this as the dilution in a freezer pour martini — a batched martini you leave in the freezer door for quick pours — but it works just as well in a fresh martini that’s not quite dirty, but still takes care of that savory craving,” Hamilton told us, then suggested using it as the basis for a spritz alongside gin and club soda or prosecco.

Mark Miller agrees. He’s the director of food and beverage at The Industrialist Hotel, and suggests using big, juicy, heirloom tomatoes. He adds that your tomato water can be as simple or as complicated as you like, saying that he marinates tomatoes, red wine vinegar, olive oil, basil, sugar, chili flakes, fennel, salt, and garlic for a few hours before turning it into tomato water, and then adds vermouth before fridging it. It’s the hotel’s acqua pazza — crazy water — and it’s a darn tasty idea.

When it comes time to talk about deciding which flavors work best with tomatoes in a drink, we had several recommendations for using tomatoes, spicy heat, citrus, and either mezcal or tequila for the base of a savory and spicy cocktail. The key is a layering of sensations: You’re balancing sweetness and acidity, then adding a whole new dimension with tequila.

The first came to us from Leron Brooks, head bartender at the Anguilla luxury hotel Cap Juluca. Brooks suggests pairing the sweet fruitiness of cherry tomatoes with tequila, lime, chili liquor, and arugula for something that’s equal parts sweet and tangy. To lean into one side or the other, consider adding honey, agave syrup, or black pepper. You can also swap the tequila for vodka, if you prefer.

Another idea for mixing the sweet savoriness of tomatoes with some heat came to us from the bar staff at Skyside at Cloudland at McLemore Resort. They suggested using mezcal for a rich, smoky flavor, along with Cointreau for orange, citrus flavors, then adding jalapeños for heat. Mezcal might be a spirit that has a tendency to overpower some cocktails, but they say that’s exactly why it works so well alongside tomatoes to make a layered, complex drink that’s a rich, flavorful experience.

Summertime for tomato-lovers means a chopped Caprese salad, with tomatoes, greens, mozzarella, and a drizzle of oil. Sounds delicious? Carlos Reyes is the beverage manager at Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa in the Honduras Bay Islands, and told us that a Caprese martini might be the perfect way to take all those delicious flavors of your favorite summertime salad and turn them into an equally delicious drink.

A little work goes a long way, and you’ll need to plan ahead: Infuse equal parts mozzarella cheese and tomatoes in vodka, then strain until clear. Then, simmer basil in olive oil for several hours to create an herb-infused oil, which then gets combined with your infused (and strained) vodka, served over ice, and garnished with another splash of basil oil and dehydrated tomatoes. 

Gerardo, the bartender at Casa Angelina in Praiano, Italy, also suggested using a dash of oil in a tequila blanco-based cocktail they call the Pomodoro Sour. Along with a teaspoon of mezcal vida, a dash of lemon juice, white vermouth, and tomato water, shaking with basil leaves infuses more flavor. Add salt and chili to taste, then close your eyes: As you sip, you might just find yourself transported to a fragrant garden under the Mediterranean sun.

A traditional gimlet cocktail has just three ingredients: gin, lime, and simple syrup. Tomatoes are a great way to turn this into something savory while still keeping it an easy-to-make cocktail, and Mike Lopez, director of food and beverage at Elm Street Cask & Kitchen, told us that it’s also a great way to use green tomatoes. Green tomatoes, he said, have a tanginess that makes them pair perfectly with this already-tangy drink that has sweetness from the simple syrup, and for anyone who can’t wait until tomatoes turn red to pick that first one out of the garden, this one is for you.

Lopez suggests turning that tomato into juice, then using one part tomato juice to two parts dry gin, and adding your lime juice and simple syrup. Use just a pinch of salt or garnish with a basil leaf if you like, and that basil can be used in other ways, too.

Making your own simple syrup is easy and basically involves combining equal parts sugar and water. If you’re planning on making a batch of these tomato gimlets, you can definitely infuse your simple syrup with basil for flavor that doesn’t quit, and you can also add other flavorful touches like peach vinegar, or add some honeydew melon juice. 

Tomatoes might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you’re thinking of making margaritas, but it turns out that they’re a perfectly legit option — especially when paired with watermelon. The Industrialist Hotel’s director of food and beverage, Mark Miller, told us, “Cocktails are a great way to show off [tomatoes’] summer perfection in both sweet and savory creations. Tomato pairs perfectly with tequila and citrus for a bright margarita, especially if fresh watermelon joins in.”

Chef Alex Carballo, the culinary director at California’s Fox Point Farms, agrees, telling us that he particularly likes the combination, particularly if you swap the tequila for mezcal and add just a dash of something extra. “A touch of jalapeño simple syrup introduces a gentle kick and natural sweetness, smoothing out the tomato’s vegetal edge. Mezcal [lends] a smoky and earthy note that ties everything together,” he advised us. 

Making jalapeño simple syrup isn’t complicated: Boil jalapeño slices with your simple syrup mixture, but keep in mind that there is one key mistake you’ll want to avoid making when you’re whipping up any spicy version of a simple syrup. Keep your syrup on the heat for too long, and you’ll lose some of the spice and heat. And don’t forget to add the seeds to the boiling mix for an extra kick.

As the culinary director of the sustainable agri-community that is California’s Fox Point Farms, chef Alex Carballo knows a thing or two about using fresh fruits and vegetables to their fullest. He told us that one of the best ways to use tomatoes in a cocktail is as a garnish — and it doesn’t get much simpler than using a cherry tomato on the edge of a glass for an extra pop of flavor.

For example, this would make a great garnish for a tomato-and-watermelon margarita. It’s also a great way to finish off a spicy tomatini — otherwise known as a tomato martini — as well as adding the finishing touches to a tomato spritz. If you prefer daiquiris instead of margaritas, it could work there, too. Muddle a tomato, add to your favorite rum and lime juice concoction, and finish with a cherry tomato garnish.

If you’ve ever wondered about the magic that happens in a totally clear margarita, it’s made possible thanks to a clarification method that uses agar agar. Clarification removes impurities and changes mouthfeel, and according to beverage consultant Steven Tseng, clarifying tomato water can be a great step in making an outstanding cocktail — particularly if you’d like to infuse it with CO2.

Clarifying a liquid can be done in a few different ways, including using agar agar or gelatin, boiling it in your tomato water, then freezing it overnight. When you thaw it, impurities will be trapped in the gel, and you’ll have clear liquid. Alternatively, you can add milk and an acid (like lime), then strain. (Tseng warns, however, that different milks can change the flavor of your water.) He says carbonated tomato water makes a great base for a mojito, and explains that anyone who might not like a Bloody Mary because of the texture might find they love one made with clarified tomato water.

Colin Hofer agrees. He’s the general manager of Chicago’s Adalina, and told us that when he was working in Milan, Italy, clarified tomato water was a key ingredient in cocktails like his take on a martini, the Mezcaltini. He still uses the clarification method he learned — repeatedly straining through cheesecloth — for a clear liquid that has all of the tomato taste with none of the impurities.

We have no doubts that anyone who thought of the combination of tomatoes and cocktails automatically thought of the brunch classic that is the Bloody Mary. Most recipes call for tomato juice, but it’s pretty easy to mix things up by swapping out your standard tomato juice for different types of tomatoes.

Julie Reiner creates some stunning cocktails for the The Clover Club in Brooklyn, and gave us a crash course in creating the take on a Bloody Mary that’s called the Maria Sin Sangre, or Bloodless Mary. Regular tomatoes get swapped out for tomato water made from cherry tomatoes, and the drink also uses a medium-dry sherry in addition to tequila blanco, basil, lemon juice, simple syrup, and just a bit of salt and pepper. That, Reiner says, is key to enhancing all flavors.

Mithun Ghosh is a mixologist at Joali Being in the Maldives, and told us that charring and grilling cherry tomatoes is another great way to add a whole new dimension to a Bloody Mary. His Weightless Mary also comes with a spicy kick, using tequila añejo, tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, lemon, celery, salt, and pepper. Finally, green and yellow tomatoes are also an option, and swapping in all these different kinds of tomatoes is a fun way to experiment with your favorite brunch drink.

Daisies is a Chicago restaurant that’s focused on sustainability, fresh ingredients, and local sourcing — so it makes sense that beverage director Nicole Yarovinsky gave us some great ideas on how to make the most of tomatoes by using the leaves and stems.

Yarovinsky says that she takes those leaves and stems and puts them in a pickle brine, adding an incredible extra kick. Delicious? Just take a whiff of those greens the next time you have some fresh tomatoes, and tell us that’s not just the smell of summer. Why would you want that to go to waste?

From there, there are a ton of ways to use your tomato-enhanced brine in a cocktail. Pickle juice might just be the ingredient your margarita is missing, and anyone who finds themselves swiping a pickle out of the jar for a quick snack will absolutely love a pickle martini. Add in the fresh, earthy flavor that the stems and leaves bring, and you just might find yourself asking vendors at the farmer’s market for their greens, too.

There is one big problem that comes with summertime drinks, and that’s the moment that you realize you’re drinking more melted ice than frosty beverage. Fortunately, there are a number of ice substitutes that won’t water down your drink, and chef Alex Carballo, culinary director at California’s Fox Point Farms, suggests that tomatoes can be an invaluable addition to some of your favorite cold drinks.

More specifically, he suggests taking tomatoes, blending and straining them to make tomato water, and then using that tomato water to make ice cubes. Frozen tomato water will make your Bloody Marys even better, and it’s ideal for any other tomato spritz. A classic mojito can also benefit from the addition of tomatoes, and we’d suggest swapping some regular ice cubes for tomato water cubes. Carballo says that using tomato water ice cubes makes for an ever-changing experience as you sip, and get more and more of that tomato flavor as the ice melts.

Let’s say you’re making your favorite small-batch tomato passata. You’re going to be removing the skins of your tomatoes, and according to Daisies’ beverage director Nicole Yarovinsky, there is absolutely no reason to throw those skins away. Instead, she suggests keeping the skins, dehydrating them, and then pulverizing them into a tomato “salt” that will add a whole new depth of flavor when used on the rim of cocktails like margaritas, martinis, and Bloody Marys.

Dehydrating tomatoes is easy, and don’t worry if you don’t have a food dehydrator — you can do it right in your oven. Lay the skins out on a rack, then put them in your oven at the lowest temperature. It might take a few hours, but you’re aiming for getting the skins very, very dry. If they break when you check on them, they’re done. From there, use a food processor to turn them into powder, and another thing to love about this one is that when stored properly, this tomato powder can last for a long time. Use an airtight container, store in a cool place, and as long as there is no moisture left behind, you’ll have dried tomato powder for months.

This one is for anyone who looks forward to the next trip to their favorite Italian restaurant, because while you might not think you can perfect your go-to order at home, you can channel all those delicious flavors into a cocktail. Mickey Stevenson is the head bartender at Four Walls at The Joseph Nashville, and it’s Stevenson’s team that came up with the Contadino, a cocktail that combines tomato water with vodka — and all the flavors of Italian cuisine, with an emphasis on those that are locally-sourced.

That includes mixing a dry vermouth infused with basil, a bit of oregano, a bit of MSG, and crumbled feta with celery bitters, tomato water, and vodka, then shaking, straining, and finishing with a tomato garnish. (They also note that tomato slices can be shaped and frozen to hold that shape, making a garnish that’s as pretty as it is tasty.)

Similarly, there’s the Pizza Party Negroni that came to us from Niko Novick, the executive of beverages at Superfrico in Las Vegas. This cocktail starts with tomato water that’s infused with basil leaves, optional olives, and a dash of your cocktail base of choice, heated sous vide style for about an hour. Strain, serve over ice with salt and a pickled pepper for garnish, and it’s a pizza party in a glass!