The Unexpected Cocktail Ingredient That Gives Rice A Boost Of Flavor

Whether white, brown, basmati, or any other type, rice is a must-have pantry staple used to fill out bowls, burritos, stir-fries, and more. However, as much as we love rice for its versatility and satiating quality, sometimes a heaping pot of rice can be just ... boring. By itself, rice typically has a neutral flavor that is enlivened by adding proteins, veggies, seasonings, sauces, and if you're feeling adventurous, a cocktail mixer. Hear us out, we're not talking about cranberry juice or sweet and sour mix, we're talking about arguably the heartiest cocktail mixer of them all — bloody mary mix.

Although it's an uncommon cooking method, cooking rice in a liquid bloody mary mix is an easy and unexpected way to spice up an otherwise bland batch of rice with flavors that are equal parts zesty and fiery. As the rice cooks, it will absorb not only the liquid from the bloody mary mix — which gives it a creamy and moist texture — but also the flavors and seasonings in the mix, which makes for a more exciting pot of rice compared to a batch that's cooked in water or broth.

Plus, if you like flavorful rice but hate the preparation of peeling, chopping, and emulsifying a bunch of raw ingredients, using bloody mary mix is as easy as pouring it from the bottle right into your pot or rice cooker.

If you take a closer look at bloody mary mix, you'll see that a lot of its ingredients are already well known as flavor-boosters for rice.

The base of a classic bloody mary is robust tomato juice, which, when added to rice, infuses it with a balanced mix of tangy, sweet, and savory notes. Plus, the tomato juice and the rice's starches come together to create a creamy dish.

Next up is Worcestershire sauce, which gives bloody mary mix — and your favorite rice dish — a strong umami punch. Next in line is horseradish, the minced root vegetable that gives bloody mary mix its spicy dimension, and which also adds fire and punch to rice. Rounding out many bloody mary mixes is black pepper, which imparts your rice with a woody, aromatic twist; and lemon or lime juice for a zesty, fresh citrus finish. When you look at the ingredients used to mix a bloody mary, adding them to your next batch of rice makes sense.

Whether you choose to make your own mix from scratch or purchase a bottle of premade, there are dozens of bloody mary mix recipes and variations available — some spicier, some sweeter, some lighter, and some thicker — so pick your favorite and watch your rice transform.

Now that you've been introduced to the idea of adding bloody mary mix to your next pot of rice, you may wonder what pairings are best suited to this unique flavor blend. 

The savory, spicy notes infused into your bloody mary rice can make it an ideal side dish or bowl base for grilled meats like steak, chicken, or sausage. The rice's bold flavors will complement the smoky char of the grilled meat, giving this robust dish even more depth.

Seafood and bloody mary mix are a classic combination. Serve your red rice alongside shrimp, crab, or use it in your next batch of Creole seafood gumbo — the tangy elements of the rice pair well with the briny flavors of seafood.

Don't be afraid to eat this rice all by itself, either. Consider tossing in some additional fixings like butter, fresh jalapeños, minced garlic, or even a dash of cream, and enjoy a simple, easy-to-make bowl of rice teeming with spicy, tangy flavors.