From Scratch Tomato Juice Recipe
Make your own tomato juice from scratch for a refreshing and rejuvenating bloody mary!
Did you try the From Scratch Tomato Juice Recipe? Leave a comment below! Printable and Pinable recipe card is available at the bottom of the page.
I recently teamed up with PAU Maui Vodka to create a Zero Waste Bloody Mary Recipe from scratch to help inspire people towards living closer to a zero-waste lifestyle! With that came this from scratch tomato juice recipe to serve as the base of the bloody mary. If you don’t like bloody marys, you can still enjoy this recipe by its self as a great cleanser and detox.
Does from scratch mean a lot of work?
When you hear from scratch you might think that means a lot of work, but it actually is quite easy to make! If you are going to enjoy the tomato juice in a bloody mary then I suggest making the tomato juice recipe a day or two ahead of time so it has time to chill and the flavors can stew. Come to think of it, it’s probably not a bad idea in general! If I learned anything about cooking soups, juices, or sauces, it’s that every day it gets tastier and tastier!
How do you make the from-scratch tomato juice?
Most tomato juice recipes call for you to put the vegetables through a mill after boiling…. I do not have one of those, so I used a wire mesh strainer and some good ole fashioned elbow grease! If you do have one, then you can run the boiled scraps and the juice through the food mill before pushing through the wire mesh strainer. See the recipe card below for all the directions!
Can you make the from-scratch tomato juice spicy?
I added a habanero chili pepper to the tomato juice recipe to give it some spice because I like spicy bloody marys, but if you don’t prefer spicy then you can leave it out. This recipe makes the cocktail tomato forward but if you like a bloody mary/tomato juice that is more vegetable-forward like V8 you can add an extra stalk of celery, an extra carrot, and some added onion.
In addition, if you want the tomato juice to have a little bit of sweetness add in some cherry tomatoes. That’s the great thing about making things from scratch; you can experiment and make the recipe exactly to your liking!
Why make tomato juice from scratch?
The most important reason its health benefits. Whenever you enjoy vegetables in their raw form, you are always going to get more benefits than drinking a processed tomato juice that has additives and preservatives. Your bloody marys will be super refreshing and it allows you to make it specifically how you like it! Also, it reduces waste like plastic from going to the landfill!
Is the from-scratch tomato juice vegan and vegetarian?
Yes! If you follow this recipe then the juice is vegan and vegetarian. If you’re looking to make bloody marys that are vegetarian and vegan, just make sure you only add ingredients to the base that are vegetarian and vegan, but if you start with this tomato juice, you’re on the right path!
Can I store the from-scratch tomato juice?
Yes, you can store any unused tomato juice for about a week in the refrigerator. Because it is all-natural and has less sodium than a bottled tomato juice, the shelf life is much shorter. You can also store the juice in the freezer for a few weeks if you’re not ready to use it all at once. However, this recipe is best enjoyed made in small batches and drank over a week’s time fresh from the refrigerator.
For the from-scratch tomato juice recipe, you will need
5 pounds of an assortment of tomatoes cored and quartered (mostly vine-ripe but you can add some assortment as long as they don’t come in packaging)
1 celery stalk chopped
1 carrot chopped
1/4 white onion chopped
1 habanero chili pepper
A small handful of fresh parsley
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt (make sure it comes in a glass bottle so it can be recycled or reused)
Pot
Knife
Cutting board
Wire mesh strainer or a food mill
Carafe
Recipe Directions
1. Core and remove stems from the tomatoes and cut into quarters and add to a large pot
2. Add the remaining ingredients into the pot and simmer for 25 minutes uncovered. Periodically push down the ingredients in the pot to expel juices
3. Take the juice off of the heat and let it slightly cool down.
4. Using a wire mesh strainer and some elbow grease run ingredients through the strainer pushing through as much juice as possible with a bowl underneath to catch the juices
5. Pour juice into a carafe and set in fridge to chill
6. Store up to a week in the refrigerator or freeze. Enjoy the from-scratch tomato juice recipe by its self or enjoy in this Zero Waste Bloody Mary Recipe!
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Looking for some other great food and drink recipes? Try out one of my other recipes below!
From Scratch Tomato Juice
Ingredients
- 5 pounds of an assortment of tomatoes cored and quartered (mostly vine-ripe but you can add some assortment as long as they don’t come in packaging)
- 1 celery stalk chopped
- 1 carrot chopped
- 1/4 white onion chopped
- 1 habanero chili pepper
- A small handful of fresh parsley
- 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt (make sure it comes in a glass bottle so it can be recycled or reused)
- Pot
- Knife
- Cutting board
Instructions
- Core and remove stems from the tomatoes and cut into quarters and add to a large pot
- Add the remaining ingredients into the pot and simmer for 25 minutes uncovered. Periodically push down the ingredients in the pot to expel juices
- Take the juice off of the heat and let it slightly cool down.
- Using a wire mesh strainer and some elbow grease run ingredients through the strainer pushing through as much juice as possible with a bowl underneath to catch the juices
- Pour the juice into a carafe and set in fridge to chill
- Store up to a week in the refrigerator or freeze. Enjoy the from-scratch tomato juice recipe by its self or enjoy in this Zero Waste Bloody Mary Recipe!
Notes:
If you don't have a food mill, a wire mesh strainer and some elbow grease will work just fine. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving, for best flavor store, and chill for 24 hours in the refrigerator.
