Tomato Martini
While a tomato martini might sound like a rather strange concept, hear me out: Taming the fiery bite of a classic martini with the savory-sweetness of tomatoes creates something irrefutably delightful and a new way to celebrate summer’s bounty. Here Sun Gold tomatoes lend their sweet juices and subtle orange hue to the cocktail. By simply smashing the tomatoes in a shaker along with a few basil leaves—not unlike muddling fruit into a cocktail—you infuse their ripe, vegetal flavor into gin—doubling down on the spirit’s complex floral character. That stirred (not shaken) mixture gets strained into a chilled glass so all you’re left with is the essence of tomato. It’s sweet, salty, savory, and ripe with summer flavor.
While you can certainly use vodka in place of the gin here, using the latter gives this martini a stronger herbal flavor that brings out the best qualities of both the tomatoes and basil. A cheeky garnish of a cherry tomato threaded onto a cocktail pick gives the drink a touch of whimsy.
This recipe is a part of Tomato Week 2025, a toast to summer's best produce.
Recipe information
Total Time
5 minutes
Yield
Makes 1
Ingredients
Preparation
Combine 2–3 large basil leaves, ½ cup Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes (about 5), halved, a pinch of kosher salt, and a pinch of sugar in a cocktail shaker or large glass. Smash with a muddler until tomatoes are broken up and pulpy, about 30 seconds. Add 2 oz. gin, 1 oz. dry vermouth, and 1 cup ice and stir until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain cocktail through a fine-mesh sieve into a chilled martini glass (this will remove any tomato bits and seeds). Thread remaining 1 whole cherry tomato onto a cocktail pick and garnish cocktail.
