This Easy Aperol Spritz Recipe Is Destined To Become Your Go-To Summer Drink
Summer is in full swing, which means w're scouting out only the coolest recipes to serve up for poolside parties and backyard soirees. Our newest favorite cookbook, Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin, is chockfull of impressive summer recipes. Of course, it's not a party without a delicious drink, so we're sharing this refreshing Aperol Spritz recipe to get you started! Take it away, Katherine.
Ingredients for Any-Amaro Spritz
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- 2 ounces amaro (my favorites are Contratto and Cocchi Americano)
- 4 ounces very dry, good-quality Prosecco or other sparkling wine
- Seltzer (I like Pellegrino)
- Angostura bitters (optional)
- 1 strip of citrus zest (lemon, orange, or grapefruit), for garnish
- Castelvetrano olives, for garnish (optional)
Amaro Aperol Spritz Recipe Directions
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- Fill a chilled wineglass or rocks glass with ice.
- Add the amaro, Prosecco, a splash of seltzer and a couple dashes of bitters (if using) to the glass and stir.
- Pop the zest and/or olives into the cocktail. Drink immediately.
Mixology Tips For Any-Amaro Spritz
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Want Lewin's best tip for the perfect Aperol spritz?
"Memorize this combination: 2, 4, splash. That’s amaro, bubbles and seltzer, respectively—and now you’re on your way to a lifetime of perfect spritzes," she says. "It’s such a short ingredient list that all three of those ingredients really matter, as do the ice and the glassware."
A Note On Ingredients
Photo by Emma Fishman excerpted from Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin
This Aperol spritz recipe is fairly flexible in terms of what ingredients you use. Have fun creating your own mix until you find the perfect ratio!
"For the amaro, when I say 'any,' I mean it," Lewin says. "If you’re not sure where to start, try Aperol for something on the sweet side, Campari for something sweet-bitter, Cynar for something bitter or Fernet-Branca for something very bitter."
"For sparkling wine, I implore you to buy a bottle you’d want to drink on its own—the better the bubbles, the tastier the spritz. For the seltzer, I personally prefer something with smaller bubbles, like Pellegrino, but technically any seltzer will do. Use a glass that can fit a lot of ice. Then add a few cubes more than you think you need."
Want More Easy Recipes? Buy The Book
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Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin
This vibrant cookbook is packed with more than 80 recipes for snacks, apps, mains, desserts, and cocktails, all ideal for serving a crowd and simply making the process feel more special. Lewin incorporates easy hosting tips into each and every recipe so you can find moments of joy in the kitchen and at the dinner table.
Big Night: Dinners, Parties, and Dinner Parties is currently available for purchase for $27 (was $35).
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Lead photo by Olena Malik / Getty Images. Recipe reprinted from Big Night: Dinners, Parties, & Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin © 2024. Published by Union Square & Co. Photographs © Emma Fishman.