Drinks • Cocktails

Dirty Martini

Name: Dirty Martini
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 4 oz gin or vodka, stored in the freezer; 1/2 oz dry vermouth, chilled; 1/2 oz olive brine from the olive jar, plus more to taste; 2 cups ice cubes, for stirring; 6 Castelvetrano or Manzanilla olives, for garnish; 1 lemon twist, optional, for garnish; 1 pinch flaky sea salt, only if the brine tastes mild

Gin or vodka stirred with dry vermouth and olive brine, then strained into a chilled glass and garnished with olives.

Updated: Nov 9, 2026

⏱ 5 mintotal

2servings

200 kcalper serving

Easylevel

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Why you'll like it

Ready in about 5 min.
Serves 2 — easy to halve or double.
Easy level — everyday equipment only.
Storage, freezing and reheating covered below.

This Dirty Martini recipe takes 5 min and makes 2 servings. The drink is gin or vodka, a small measure of dry vermouth, and olive brine, stirred with ice and strained into a chilled glass.

Helpful guides

Instructions

Step 1

Chill two martini glasses in the freezer for at least 20 minutes, along with the gin or vodka and the vermouth if there is room. A frozen glass keeps the drink at its sharpest, and a martini warms and softens quickly at room temperature.

Step 2

Fill a mixing glass two-thirds with ice, then pour in the gin or vodka, the vermouth, and the olive brine. Pouring the spirit first rinses the smaller measures off the jigger so nothing sticky stays behind.

Step 3

Stir with a bar spoon for 30 seconds, keeping the spoon against the glass and the ice moving in a slow circle. Stirring chills and dilutes gently while keeping the drink clear, where shaking chips the ice and leaves it cloudy and foamy.

Step 4

Taste a spoonful and add a splash more brine if it needs salt, or the pinch of flaky salt if the brine tastes mild. One jar of olives is always saltier than the next, so adjust here rather than after the drink is in the glass.

Step 5

Strain into the chilled glasses and garnish with three olives on a pick, plus a lemon twist if you like. Skewering the olives instead of dropping them in keeps the drink from clouding and makes them easy to eat.

Step 6

Serve immediately, while the glass is still frosted. For a party, stir two drinks at a time and keep the mixing glass and the serving glasses in the freezer between rounds, since a martini held in a pitcher loses its chill and clean edge within 10 minutes.

Troubleshooting — fixes, not repeats

If the drink tastes harsh, it is too warm or under-diluted. Stir a full 30 seconds, keep the spirit in the freezer, and chill the glass, because the melt water from the ice is what rounds off the alcohol.
If it tastes too salty, the brine went in too fast. Start with 1/2 oz for two drinks and taste before adding more, since brines range from mild to very salty and olives packed in water contribute almost none.
If it looks cloudy, the drink was shaken or the ice was wet. Use dry, fresh ice and stir, because a hazy martini usually comes from chipped ice rather than from the spirits.
If you are batching for a crowd, keep the stirred base in a stoppered bottle in the freezer and pour it into chilled glasses at the last moment. Give each glass a quick stir with fresh ice so the drink still picks up its dilution.

Make it your way

For a Gibson, replace the olives with two pickled cocktail onions for a sharper, less salty drink with no brine at all.
A vodka martini tastes cleaner and slightly sweeter, while gin brings botanical notes that stand up to the brine.
A dusty martini uses just 1/4 oz of brine, and an extra-dirty version goes up to 3/4 oz, so adjust in small steps rather than all at once.

Storage & reheating

Cool leftovers within 2 hours, then refrigerate in a covered container and use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only the portion you will eat until steaming hot throughout — poultry and reheated rice should reach 165°F (74°C).

FAQ

Gin or vodka?
Either works, and the classic martini is made with gin. Gin botanicals cut through olive brine and taste more complex, while vodka gives a colder, cleaner drink where the brine dominates. If you are unsure, make one of each from the same recipe and compare, because the ratios do not change.

How dirty should it be?
Start with 1/2 oz of brine for two drinks, which is a medium-dirty martini. Go to 3/4 oz for a saltier, more olive-forward drink and down to 1/4 oz for a hint. Taste before straining, since brine strength varies a lot between brands and even batches.

Can I make it ahead for a party?
Yes. Stir a batch without ice, bottle it, and keep it in the freezer up to 2 weeks, then pour 4 oz into each chilled glass with a fresh stir over ice. Olives should be skewered at the moment of serving so they do not sit in the drink and turn it murky. Stir no more than guests will drink in an hour.