Cocktails · Vodka
Dirty Martini RecipeHow to Make It Salty, Smooth and Perfectly Dirty (Plus a Zero-Proof Twin)
How to make a dirty martini with the right amount of olive brine, with vodka or gin, plus extra dirty, blue cheese, spicy and zero-proof versions.
4 min read6 drinks ⇄ 6 twins ↓
A dirty martini is a martini with a splash of olive brine: salty, smooth and a little cloudy. The classic version is vodka (or gin), a touch of dry vermouth and half an ounce of brine, stirred with ice and served with olives.
This dirty martini recipe gives you the standard spec, a table for going dirty, extra dirty or filthy, and five twists from gin to blue cheese olives to pickle brine. Each card has a zero-proof twin, because brine does most of the work and works just as well without the spirit.
What Is a Dirty Martini?
A dirty martini is a classic martini with olive brine added, which makes it savory instead of purely dry. It can be made with vodka or gin; vodka is the more common choice because it lets the olive flavor lead.
· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec
Martini glassStirred3 minStrong · 26%
Martini glassStirred3 minZero-proof · 0.0%
The pour · 3½ oz
The pour · 3½ oz
Classic Dirty Martini
Briny Tea Martini
Vodka, dry vermouth and half an ounce of olive brine.
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishThree green olives on a pick
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishThree green olives on a pick
Method
- 1Add everything to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with olives.
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with olives.
How the swap works
Chilled black tea brings the dryness and bite of vodka, verjus replaces vermouth, and the brine already supplies the salt.
Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml
How to Make a Dirty Martini, Step by Step
- Chill a martini glass in the freezer for at least 20 minutes.
- Fill a mixing glass with ice and add 2½ oz vodka, ½ oz dry vermouth and ½ oz olive brine.
- stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until the glass is frosty.
- Strain into the frozen glass and add three olives on a pick.
The one rule that matters: taste your brine first. Brine from a good jar of plump green olives is clean and salty; brine from a tired jar can be metallic or bitter, and it will taste like that in the glass.
How Much Olive Brine?
The amount of brine is the whole spectrum. Start with half an ounce and add a little at a time.
| Style | Brine | Taste |
|---|---|---|
| Dirty | ½ oz (15 ml) | Lightly salty, still martini-dry |
| Extra dirty | 1 oz (30 ml) | Savory, more olive than juniper or vodka |
| Filthy | 1½ oz (45 ml) or more | Closer to a briny cocktail than a martini |
The classic Dirty Martini uses the lowest amount, and the Extra Dirty doubles it while cutting the vermouth so the drink does not get too thin.
· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec
Martini glassStirred3 minStrong · 23%
Martini glassStirred3 minZero-proof · 0.0%
The pour · 3¾ oz
The pour · 3½ oz
Extra Dirty Martini
Extra Dirty Tea Martini
About an ounce of brine, for an olive-forward drink.
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishFour olives on a long pick
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishFour olives on a long pick
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with olives.
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with olives.
How the swap works
Same rebuild as the classic with a double dose of brine; the tea keeps it dry instead of just salty.
Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml
Vodka or Gin?
Vodka gives a smooth, clean base, so the brine and olives are all you taste. Gin keeps its juniper and citrus botanicals even with brine, so a dirty gin martini tastes more complex and herbal. If you are not sure, make both and see which you prefer; the vodka martini and gin martini pages cover each in more depth.
· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec
Martini glassStirred3 minStrong · 26%
Martini glassStirred3 minZero-proof · 0.0%
The pour · 3½ oz
The pour · 3½ oz
Dirty Gin Martini
Juniper Brine Martini
Gin keeps its botanicals under the brine.
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishTwo olives
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishTwo olives
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and add two olives.
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and add two olives.
How the swap works
Crushed juniper berries steeped in the tea give the piney note of gin; the brine and verjus do the rest.
Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml
Shaken or Stirred? (And Why It Goes Cloudy)
A dirty martini is cloudy by nature, because olive brine is not clear. Shaking makes it cloudier still, since tiny ice shards break off into the drink, and gives you a colder, slightly more diluted martini. Stirring keeps it silkier and clearer.
Stir when you want the smoothest drink. Shake if you like it ice-cold and do not mind a few ice crystals on top, and strain through a fine strainer if you do.
The Best Olives and Brine
Choose firm, plump green olives packed in plain brine, such as Castelvetrano or large Spanish queen olives. Skip olives packed in flavored oil or vinegar-heavy brine, which can make the drink sharp. Pit-in olives hold their shape better on a pick. Keep the jar in the fridge, and use the brine within a month or two once it has been opened.
Dirty Martini Variations
Blue Cheese Olive Martini
Stuff pitted olives with blue cheese for a salty, creamy bar snack in a glass. Make them ahead and keep them in the fridge.
Pit the olives, press in a small piece of blue cheese and chill them until firm. Five minutes of work makes a dozen.
· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec
Martini glassStirred6 minStrong · 26%
Martini glassStirred6 minZero-proof · 0.0%
The pour · 3½ oz
The pour · 3½ oz
Blue Cheese Olive Martini
Blue Cheese Olive Tea Martini
A dirty martini garnished with blue cheese stuffed olives.
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishTwo blue cheese stuffed olives
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishTwo blue cheese stuffed olives
Method
- 1Stuff pitted olives with blue cheese (see the photo above) and chill them.
- 2Stir the vodka, vermouth and brine with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 3Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with the stuffed olives.
Method
- 1Stir the tea, verjus and brine with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with the stuffed olives.
How the swap works
The stuffed olives are the point; a classic dirty twin with a blue cheese garnish is just as good as the spirited one.
Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml
Spicy Dirty Martini
A few jalapeño slices and a splash of their pickling brine add a slow, warm heat. Shake this one so the pepper flavor spreads.
· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec
Martini glassShaken4 minStrong · 25%
Martini glassShaken4 minZero-proof · 0.0%
The pour · 3½ oz
The pour · 3½ oz
Spicy Dirty Martini
Spicy Brine Tea Martini
Jalapeño and a splash of jalapeño brine for slow heat.
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishJalapeño-stuffed olive and a jalapeño slice
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishJalapeño-stuffed olive and a jalapeño slice
Method
- 1Add the jalapeño slices to a shaker and press them lightly.
- 2Add the remaining ingredients with ice and shake hard for 10 seconds.
- 3Double-strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.
Method
- 1Add the jalapeño slices to a shaker and press them lightly.
- 2Add the remaining ingredients with ice and shake hard for 10 seconds.
- 3Double-strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish.
How the swap works
Chili heat replaces the warmth of alcohol, so the zero-proof version actually feels like it has some bite.
Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml
Dirty Pickle Martini
Swap the olive brine for dill pickle brine and garnish with a cornichon. It is tangier and more herbal, closer to a pickleback than an olive drink.
· Cocktail spec · Zero-proof spec
Martini glassStirred3 minStrong · 26%
Martini glassStirred3 minZero-proof · 0.0%
The pour · 3½ oz
The pour · 3½ oz
Dirty Pickle Martini
Dill Pickle Tea Martini
Vodka and dill pickle brine, tangy and herbal.
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishCornichon on a pick
Ingredients (1 drink)
GarnishCornichon on a pick
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a cornichon.
Method
- 1Stir everything with ice for 20 to 30 seconds.
- 2Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a cornichon.
How the swap works
Dill pickle brine is acidic and salty, so it stands in for both the vermouth and the savory edge.
Enjoy responsibly · legal drinking age only · Zero-proof twin · · 1 oz = 30 ml
A Zero-Proof Dirty Martini
Brine is the star of a dirty martini, which makes it one of the easiest drinks to make without alcohol. The twins use strong chilled black tea for the dry, tannic backbone, verjus for vermouth’s tartness and the same olive brine, so they are salty, cold and silky. The Gin version steeps crushed juniper berries in the tea for the botanical note.
The full method is in the how to make mocktails guide. More martinis to try: the 12 types of martinis and the rest of the vodka cocktails.
Saving this round?
Pin it for the next party — every drink and its twin will be right here.
Last call
Questions from the bar
Q1What is a dirty martini?
A dirty martini is a martini made with olive brine: usually 2½ oz vodka or gin, ½ oz dry vermouth and ½ oz olive brine, stirred or shaken with ice and served with olives.
Q2How much olive juice goes in a dirty martini?
About ½ oz (15 ml) for a classic dirty martini and 1 oz (30 ml) for an extra dirty one. Go lighter first; you can always add more brine, but you cannot take it out.
Q3Is a dirty martini made with vodka or gin?
Either. Vodka is the more common choice because it lets the brine and olives lead; gin keeps more complexity. Both are made exactly the same way.
Martini recipe ↗Q4What is an extra dirty martini?
An extra dirty martini uses about 1 oz of brine, twice the standard amount, and usually a little less vermouth. It is more savory and briny than a standard dirty martini.
Q5Why is my dirty martini cloudy?
Olive brine is cloudy to begin with, and shaking adds tiny ice shards that make it cloudier. Stirring gives a silkier, slightly clearer drink, but it will never be crystal clear.
Q6Can you use pickle brine in a martini?
Yes. Dill pickle brine gives a tangier, more herbal martini, often called a pickle martini. Use the same ½ oz as you would with olive brine.
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