Best Aperol Spritz Recipe 3 2 1 Ratio

This ultra-refreshing bittersweet cocktail pairs well with appetizers like prosciutto-wrapped grilled peaches or pesto hummus with homemade pita chips.

What is Aperol?

Aperol is a bittersweet Italian apéritif with a distinctive bright orange hue. It’s highly aromatic with notes of citrus and herbs. It’s light in taste with lower alcohol content (11% ABV), and it’s designed to be consumed as a pre-dinner drink to stimulate the appetite. Next time you visit the liquor store, pick up a bottle of Aperol! There’s nothing complicated about this popular pre-dinner drink. It’s just three simple ingredients swirled together and topped with ice. No shaking or stirring is required. Plus the easy-going, low-alcohol content (11% ABV) means you can start drinking early and still make it to dinner. It’s light, perfectly bittersweet, and tastes like summer in a glass. It’s our warm-weather go-to drink and it just might become yours, too! For more drinks made with Aperol, try our Aperol negroni.

What is an aperol spritz?

An Aperol spritz is a classic Italian cocktail made with three ingredients in a ratio of 1-2-3 (one part soda water, two parts Aperol, and three parts prosecco):

Prosecco Aperol Soda water

Top it off with a fresh orange slice for garnish and you’ve got yourself a traditional Aperol spritz!

Prosecco – This Italian white sparkling wine is light, bubbly, and crisp. It’s basically the Italian version of Spanish cava or french champagne. Proseccos range from sweet to dry so choose your desired sweetness level. We prefer a drink that’s not too sweet, so we go for a brut (dry) prosecco and opt for a mid-price range bottle. Aperol – This star ingredient is an Italian bitter liqueur made of gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, among other ingredients. It has a vibrant orange color and a bittersweet taste. It’s traditionally consumed as an apéritif (meaning before a meal). Find it near the other liqueurs at most liquor stores. Soda water – Plain unflavored soda water (or a splash of club soda) adds some dilution and extra bubbles. Orange slices – We like to use a fresh orange slice to garnish our Aperol spritz, which is the common North American garnish. But the classic Italian garnish is green olives, and their salty bite goes well with the complex, bittersweet flavor of Aperol.

I reach for mid price bottles that are drier, and don’t break the bank. Brands like La Marca, Ruffino, or Mionetto do the trick for me: they’re crisp, refreshing, and affordable. Why add the ice last? Unlike most cocktail recipes, the ice should be added last when you are making an Aperol spritz. If you pour prosecco overtop the ice, it starts to lose its bubbles right away. If you add ice first, you’ll need to mix the drink and you’ll lose more bubbles. Adding the ice last is actually the traditional method of making an Aperol spritz. If making the best Aperol spritz is important to you, try adding the ice last. For example, for a standard 8-cup pitcher, use 3 cups prosecco (1 bottle), 2 cups Aperol, and 1 cup soda water. Give the pitcher the briefest stir (we know this advice goes against what we’ve said above, but this pitcher method is for when you’re prioritizing simplicity over perfection) then pour it into a wine glass with ice. You’ll want to make sure not to prepare a pitcher in advance or the bubbles will sadly disappear. Only use a pitcher when you have many glasses to fill right away. Liven up your next gathering or special occasion with a pitcher of Aperol spritz. It’s easy to make, and easy to drink, and everyone will love it! Also, once you make the official Aperol spritz recipe once, you can start experimenting with slightly different ratios to find your favorite. Some people like a little more prosecco and some like more Aperol. No matter what anyone else says, this is your cocktail, make it the way that you enjoy it most. An Aperol spritz is traditionally served in Italy as pre-dinner alcoholic drinks. If you stroll through an Italian town in the late afternoon, you’re likely to find groups gathered to relax and unwind from the day with an Aperol spritz and some snacks.

So here’s your cue to kick back with an icy spritz and some of our favorite appetizers:

Beet Chip and Goat Cheese Appetizer Red Wine Chorizo Bites Chimichurri Steak Bites Appetizer Easy Marinated Olives Summer Peach Salsa

Or serve your Aperol spritz with any Italian or Mediterranean-style main dishes like fresh summer spaghetti, Italian braised chicken with tomatoes and olives, or easy caprese pizza.

White Negroni Coffee Negroni Mezcal Negroni Tequila Negroni