This Dirty Martini, cold, delicious and refreshing, is going to be your new favorite cocktail. With the right ingredients, it couldn’t be more simple to make. The dirtier the better!
Looking for a martini that is sweet and not savory? Try my Lemon Drop Martini.
WHAT IS A DIRTY MARTINI?
While the name “dirty” martini may not sound refreshing or even appetizing, it’s actually a very flavorful twist on the traditional martini. Just as the Cosmopolitan Cocktail or Lemon Drop Martini uses fruit juice to add a different flavor, this Dirty Martini Recipe uses olive juice or brine. The result is a tangy cocktail that is the perfect potion to kick off happy hour any night of the week.
This vodka martini dirty comes together in just three ingredients: vodka, olive juice, and olives for garnish.
HOW TO MAKE A DIRTY MARTINI
Start with quality vodka. Since the majority of this cocktail is vodka, you want to buy a high quality brand that its going to go down smooth. Not sure what you like? Visit a distillery for taste testing! You will find an amazing bottle.
Add olive brine. This recipe calls for almost double the brine most other recipes call for. You all know how I love the taste of things that are pickled (looking at you Pickled Red Onions!). If that’s not your jam, cut the amount in half. Tip: Buy a jar of green olive pieces and use that brine. It will taste the same and be cheaper.
Combine the ingredients in a metal shaker with ice. Using a metal shaker will ensure that your ingredients get ice cold, and that is a key in this recipe.
You want your martini shaken, not stirred. Shaking the cocktail with ice will ensure it’s served up icy cold.
Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with jumbo green olives. How many olives you want is up to you. I’ve heard that the correct number of olives is as many as you can convince the bartender to give you. So since you’re making this at home, the sky’s the limit!
WHAT ABOUT THE VERMOUTH
You’ll notice that I didn’t include vermouth in this recipe, and that is because I’ve had a dirty vodka martini with vermouth and without, and I really don’t like it with Vermouth. So I choose to make my dirty martini without vermouth.
There is a note in the recipe about vermouth. If you do like it (and you should try it at least once), you want to add between a splash to and 1/4 of an ounce.
WHAT TYPE OF OLIVES
You only want to use green olives and green olive brine for your dirty martini recipe. I have had restaurants experiment with kalamata brine and black olive brine . . . just no.
OTHER CLASSIC COCKTAILS
If having this dirty martini recipe makes you want to have all the classic cocktails, then you have come to the right place!
Dirty Martini Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ounces quality vodka
- 1 1/2 ounces olive juice (sse note)
- olives for garnish
Instructions
- Combine vodka and olive juice in a martini shaker. Stir with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with olives.
Notes
did you make this
Dirty Martini Recipe
Carol says
Prefer Bombay gin
LOVE Bombay Saphire!
Cheryl says
Try Hendrick’s Gin, so so smooth!!!
Heidi Horne says
Hello Lisa I thought I was the only one who like their martini’s this way Yum !
I’m so happy I’m not alone! Lol! I was worried posting this . . . is it going to be too dirty for people. But it’s so good this way!
Betsy says
So delicious! I take mine up a notch by removing the pimento from a queen or larger size olive and replacing it with a good quality blue cheese. Into that blue cheese I slide a few slivers of a crispy bacon. This sends the martini over the top. Enjoy!!!
I would say that you take yours up like 18 notches! Dang girl! Yummy!
Constance Cavanaugh says
The best recipe for a dirty martini that I’ve come across yet. Used Grey Goose Vodka. YUMMY. Thank you.
I’m so happy you liked it!
Geraldine Walker says
Whatever happened to the Gin Martini, that was the original
Good news! I have a great Gin Martini recipe too!
JB says
I’m with you. No vermouth! Best dirty martini!
Joshua Skomsky says
Hi Lisa-
Just made a martini and it’s awesome! The ratio is perfect! That being said, I have to ask, what brand and where did you get your martini glasses in this article. I love them. Thanks!
Hi Joshua! I’m so glad you like it! That is a fantastic question because we just broke one of them, and I’d love to replace it! I am 99% sure though that I bought them at a thrift store. Sorry!