Campari is the pinnacle of Italy’s contribution to the cocktail scene, so it only makes sense to combine this iconic liqueur with a beautifully refreshing Campari spritz cocktail. The complex bitter, citrusy, and spiced liqueur pairs with the bubbles from prosecco and soda water to create a simple and super refreshing drink.
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I think this is about as Italian as it gets when it comes to a cocktail. Italy's most famous liqueur meets one of its most popular styles of cocktail to make an amazingly refreshing drink.
Count Negroni developed the Campari recipe over 160 years ago and it has not changed once in that time. There aren't many other liqueurs you can say that about.
After going to culinary school in Italy, I knew this was an iconic cocktail that I had to recreate.
This spritz cocktail truly highlights the amazing flavors and notes of Campari. Just a bit of soda water and prosecco to lighten the mood and you can enjoy this infamous aperitif in the most refreshing way possible.
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What You'll Learn In This Recipe
- The classic spritz ratio and why this recipe strays away from that.
- A simple trick for making a stronger cocktail.
- What snacks to pair this cocktail with for aperitivo.
Want more easy cocktail recipes? Grab my free bartender cheat sheet with 45 cocktail recipes in one guide.
Ingredients You Need
Let's look at a breakdown of the different ingredients needed to make this Campari spritz cocktail.
Campari: Campari is a scarlet colored aperitif and liqueur that is iconic to Italy. The Negroni is arguably the most important cocktail to originate from Italy, and it uses Campari as its main ingredient.
Chilled prosecco: There are over half a billion bottles of prosecco sold every year, making it pretty clear how popular it is. This Italian sparkling wine is light, citrusy, and fresh (acidic), with noticeable hints of fruit. This is a sparkling wine this crisp pairs beautifully with a ton of different liqueurs and sweet flavors and Campari is no exception. Be sure to chill your prosecco before adding it to your spritz to achieve the most refreshing result.
Soda water: Soda water is the most traditional ingredient in spritz recipes. Dating back to the birth of the spritz-style drink in the 1840s, with soldiers in northern Italy adding soda water to white wine. They did this to make it more refreshing and less alcoholic.
Soda water is a generic term for any sort of plain sparkling or carbonated water. As long as you see that the label says club soda, seltzer, or soda water, it will work for this recipe. Soda water is used to give the cocktail some extra fizz without adding a new flavor to the drink.
If you want a less alcoholic drink, feel free to substitute the prosecco for soda water. And if you want a slightly stronger drink, replace the soda water with prosecco.
I do not recommend using tonic water instead of soda water because it has a different taste.
Orange slices: Grab a nice fresh orange off a tree or from your local market to use as a garnish for this spritz cocktail. You can add as many or as few orange slices as you like. The oranges pair amazingly with the Campari liqueur and the prosecco. Not only does the flavor work amazingly, but the bright orange looks beautiful mixed in with the scarlet red color of the Campari liqueur.
Be sure to wash your fruit before adding it to the cocktail to remove any excess dirt or chemicals that may be present on the outside.
How To Make This Recipe
Dive into this super simple step-by-step instruction on how to make a Campari spritz.
1. The first thing you're going to want to do is grab a clean wine glass. In this glass add a scoop of ice. If you feel it's particularly hot out and/or you would like a colder drink, add more ice.
Once the ice is added, add in your Campari liqueur.
To guarantee a super cold cocktail, you’ll want to chill your wine glass before making the spritz. To do this, place your wine glass in the freezer for about 30 minutes before you plan to make your cocktail.
2. With the Campari in, you can now top your drink with prosecco and soda water. Be sure to use a jigger to measure all of your ingredients accurately.
3. Once you have added the bubbles, give the cocktail a good stir with a bar spoon to ensure that all the flavors are properly combined. Stir for 10-15 seconds for a nicely mixed drink.
This style of cocktail-making is known as the build-up method. This is by far the simplest cocktail style to make because all you have to do is ‘build up’ your drink by adding in the different ingredients. Then you simply give it a good stir and you’re ready to go.
The original recipe for a spritz is 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Campari, and 1 part soda water. In this recipe, I made some adjustments to that ratio to achieve what I believe is a less bitter and perfectly-balanced cocktail.
While I believe that it is perfectly balanced, you might feel differently so be sure to taste your drink now before serving it or sitting down to enjoy it.
4. Lastly, you have the option to garnish with your orange slice or slices. Gently slide the orange slice(s) into the drink. With the orange in, you’re ready to enjoy this refreshing Campari spritz cocktail.
Expert Tips
- Do you want to serve this Italian Campari spritz as an aperitivo (a drink enjoyed before a meal to stimulate your appetite)? The best way to do this is to grab some potato chips, nuts, olives, and other salty bites to serve with this cocktail.
- If you'd like to get a better buzz from your Campari spritz, add in 1 ounce or 30 ml of vodka. As long as you don't mind vodka and its taste, this is a great option.
- Campari can be very bitter for some people. If you find this cocktail is too bitter, add a splash of simple syrup or 1 ounce (30 ml) of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The Campari spritz has deep Italian roots. Both Campari liqueur and spritz cocktails originate from Italy.
You can drink a Campari spritz whenever you want. That being said, traditionally, this drink is enjoyed as an aperitivo before a meal.
The first thing to try is lowering the amount of Campari and increasing the amount of prosecco or soda water. You could also opt for a lemon lime soda or flavored sparkling water instead of soda water. Both of these options with help cut through that bitter taste.
More Italian Spritz Recipes
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Italian Campari Spritz (3 Ingredients)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Campari liqueur
- 4 ounces chilled prosecco
- 1 ounce chilled soda water
- orange slice for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Fill a wine glass with ice.
- Add Campari, prosecco, and soda water. Stir well using a bar spoon.
- Optionally, garnish with orange wedge.
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