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    Home » Recipes » Drink Recipes

    Ultimate Caesar Cocktail (The Best Caesar Recipe)

    Published: June 8, 2017 Updated: July 7, 2019 / By: Dawn | Girl Heart Food 62 Comments

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    Glass of Caesar cocktail garnished with a celery stick and snack.

    This ultimate Caesar Cocktail is a total Canadian classic! It has a Caesar mix and vodka base. The whole thing gets flavour and spice from ingredients like horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Like most cocktails, it’s made quickly (in about 5 minutes). My favourite part? It has a snack built right in!

    Two glasses of Caesar cocktail, each garnished with a snack and celery stick.

    Hi everyone! This is an update on a post I did way back when.  Being one of my favorite cocktails, I thought it needed a little remodel with fresh pictures, so here it is!

    I love to enjoy a spicy Caesar cocktail, especially on Canada Day, with some good eats and relaxing on the deck. Plus, I can change it up, if I like, with garnish.

    So, let’s check out this delicious Caesar cocktail recipe. Dare I say, the best Caesar cocktail that I’ve tried. Hope you love it too!

    What Is a Caesar Cocktail?

    The Caesar is a classic Canadian cocktail invented by a restaurateur in 1969. The rest is history because this is one popular cocktail around here! You can even find pre-mixed Caesars where you would find wine, beer and the like.

    Truthfully, though, it’s much better to make them yourself because they come together so darn quickly and you can adjust to how you like it. Caesars can be enjoyed at cocktail hour or weekend brunch, alike.

    Caesar Versus Bloody Mary  

    The main base of a Caesar is Caesar mix (tomato juice and claim juice mixture). However, the main base of a Bloody Mary is tomato juice.

    Ingredients in a Caesar Cocktail

    There are some fundamental ingredients in a Canadian Caesar cocktail:

    • Caesar mix (basically a mixture of tomato juice & clam broth, as mentioned above). You can easily  purchase pre-mixed Caesar mix in your grocery.
    • Vodka
    • Worcestershire sauce
    • Hot sauce
    • Celery salt
    • Lime juice
    • Celery stick
    • Ice (optional), but recommended

    I add a couple of additions in my Caesar cocktail to give it a little something extra, like horseradish and black pepper. Plus, I garnish with more than just celery. Who doesn’t enjoy a little snack on top?

    Glass of Caesar cocktail garnished with a celery stick and snack.

    How To Make the Best Caesar Cocktail

    Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:

    1. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a tall glass to wet.
    2. Sprinkle some celery salt on a plate and invert a glass into it to coat the rim (the lime juice helps the celery salt to adhere).
    3. Pour in Caesar mix, vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lime juice and black pepper. Stir.
    4. Top with ice cubes and stir again.
    5. Garnish to your heart’s content (or simply enjoy as is).

    How to Garnish

    A celery stick is traditional, but the possibilities are endless here! For me, I like to mix and match garnish. Some options are:

    • Salami or pepperoni
    • Green olives
    • Pickled onions
    • Pickled green beans
    • Hot peppers (that are brined or pickled)
    • Oysters (if you’re getting extra fancy)
    • Onion rings (again, you’re wearing fancy pants here)

    I’ve even seen Caesars with sliders and wings as a garnish! Now that’s quite the garnish, isn’t it?

    Can I Make This a Non Alcoholic Caesar Cocktail?

    Of course! Vodka is a pretty neutral tasting spirit. If you prefer, you can omit the vodka altogether and have a virgin Caesar cocktail. It’s really yummy, even without the vodka! Trust me, I speak from experience.

    Honestly, I love the snack served on top of the Caesar just as much as the actual drink; both components are pretty awesome!

    I love mine extra spicy ’cause that’s how I roll, but you can adjust the hot sauce to your taste if you like it a little milder; I’m not gonna judge!

    Overhead shot of a glass of Caesar cocktail garnished with a celery stick and snack.

    Tips for Making This Recipe

    • Not a fan of Caesar mix? Make this Caesar cocktail with vegetable juice. No traditional, but I do enjoy.
    • Use as much or as little hot sauce as you like. 
    • Planning a party? Make a big jug of this Caesar and guests can serve themselves. Only add ice when serving so it doesn’t water down.
    • Speaking of party, how about a little garnish station? Put out little dishes of cured meats, pickled vegetables and the like so guests can customize their own garnish.

    Snacks to Enjoy With This Cocktail

    • Chunky Black Bean and Corn Salsa with chips
    • Crispy Oven Baked Wings
    • Easy Spinach Artichoke Dip

    Hope you enjoy this ultimate Caesar cocktail on Thirsty Thursday, brunch with friends or family or just a random Friday evening spent with your sweetie!

    Cheers to a wonderful weekend!

    If you make this ultimate Caesar cocktail recipe, be sure to leave a comment below!

    Two glasses of Caesar cocktail, each garnished with a snack and celery stick.

    Ultimate Caesar Cocktail (The Best Caesar Recipe)

    Dawn | Girl Heart Food
    This ultimate Caesar Cocktail is a total Canadian classic! It has a Caesar mix and vodka base. The whole thing gets flavour and spice from ingredients like horseradish, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Like most cocktails, it's made quickly (in about 5 minutes). My favourite part? It has a snack built right in!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine Canadian
    Servings 1 Caesar cocktail
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    Ultimate Caesar Cocktail

    • ½ lime
    • ½ teaspoon celery salt
    • 1 cup Caesar mix, like Clamato (or your favourite Caesar mix)
    • 2 ounces vodka
    • 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
    • 3 to 4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
    • 3 to 4 dashes hot sauce, or to taste (I like Tabasco here, but you can use your favourite)
    • pinch freshly ground black pepper
    • ice cubes, enough to top glass

    Garnish Ideas (optional)

    • Pickled green beans
    • Sliced salami
    • Sweet onions
    • Pimento stuffed green olives
    • Celery rib

    Instructions

    • Wet the rim of a tall glass with lime (don't discard the lime because the juice will be used in your cocktail).
    • Place celery salt on a small plate. Invert the glass into the celery salt to coat.
    • To glass, add Caesar mix, vodka, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, lime juice (from the lime half) and black pepper. Use a spoon and stir to combine. Top with ice cubes (I like to give everything another little stir).
    • On a wooden skewer (big enough to cover a little more than the width of your glass), garnish as desired. Place over top of your glass. Add a celery stick to your cocktail (great for stirring and enjoying). Serve and enjoy!

    A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.

    Keyword clamato drink, cocktail

    Tried this recipe?

    If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!

    More Drink Recipes

    • Lime Blueberry Mocktail
    • Strawberry Mocktail Recipe
    • Blueberry Peanut Butter Smoothie
    • Matcha Smoothie With Mint

    © Girl Heart Food Inc. All photographs and content are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rich

      August 03, 2019 at 6:07 pm

      Learned of this drink on the Montana/ Canadian borders. A great drink on a hot day. Most do not use horseradish but I’ll have to give this recipe a try sounds good

      Reply
      • Dawn - Girl Heart Food

        August 07, 2019 at 1:23 pm

        Totally! Yes, I mention that horseradish is an added touch because I love the spice it gives. You can leave out if you prefer 🙂 Cheers!

        Reply
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