This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.
The Campari spritz pairs vibrant orange hues with sparkling sweetness: a refreshing Italian cocktail made for sipping! You’ll need just 3 ingredients for this delightful drink.
In the mood for a refreshing drink? Try a Campari spritz! Alex and I are big fans of this bubbly drink that mixes the popular aperitif with sparkling wine and soda water. It’s a riff on the Aperol spritz where the bitter notes shine (but if you don’t love bitter flavors, go with the former!).
As cocktail experts, Campari is one of our favorite ingredients to play with. We love a good Campari cocktail, and this one is a fun change up from the Negroni or Americano. It’s one of our favorite summer cocktails to sip al fresco!
Ingredients in a Campari spritz
The Campari spritz is a spin on the popular Aperol spritz, an Italian aperitif made with Aperol, prosecco and soda water. The spritz was invented in the 1800’s in Italy as a way to water down wine. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that the Aperol spritz took the form it has today. A Campari spritz swaps the popular aperitif into the traditional formula:
- Campari: This Italian amaro—bitter liqueur—is also known as an aperitif, a liqueur meant to drink before a meal. We love its bright red color and its complex, extremely bitter flavor. While they’re in the same family, Aperol is much sweeter!
- Sparkling wine: Use either Prosecco or champagne: we like Prosecco because it has a great flavor and is typically more economical. Another option is sparkling rosé!
- Soda water: Use club soda or unflavored sparkling water (we use our SodaStream to make it at home).
🍾 Tip: A 750 ml bottle of Prosecco is 25 ounces, enough for 8 drinks. If you’re making 2 drinks, a mini bottle is perfect—it holds 187 mL or about 6 ounces!
Step it up: try clear ice!
If you really want to take your Campari spritz over the top, try making clear ice! This ice is crystal clear, with none of the cloudiness of normal ice. You can cut large chunks and they look just like a fancy bar! All you need is 24 hours and a small cooler! Go to How to Make Clear Ice.
Campari vs Aperol: what’s the difference?
You might know Aperol from the Aperol spritz, but Campari has been around even longer. What’s the difference between Campari vs Aperol? They’re both Italian aperitivos meant to be served before a meal, and they’re even sold by the same Italian company (Gruppo Campari). Here’s the difference:
- Campari is bright red and tastes very bitter, with sweet notes like cherry, clove, cinnamon and orange peel. It has a higher alcohol content (48 proof). Campari was invented in Italy in the 1860’s, and it’s used in classic cocktails like the Negroni and the Americano.
- Aperol is bright orange and consider more “easy drinking” than Campari: the flavor is sweeter and more balanced, with notes of herbs. It has a lower alcohol content (22 proof). It was also invented in Italy, but years later in 1919.
Similar drinks to the Campari spritz
If you like a Campari spritz, you’ll probably love one of these popular Campari cocktails:
- An Americano stars Campari, sweet vermouth, and soda water.
- The Negroni Sbagliato is a favorite of ours: it’s a spin on the classic Negroni using Prosecco. We like it even better than the original!
- The Aperol Spritz (aka, Spritz Veneziano) is the original: sweet, herbal and bubbly.
Frequently asked questions
Dry prosecco is ideal; look for a bottle labeled “brut” or “extra brut.” However, if you’d like to balance out the bitterness of the Campari, you can use a sweeter variety here.
The classic ratio for a Campari Spritz is 3 parts prosecco, 2 parts Campari, and 1 part soda water. Feel free to adjust the proportions to suit your taste preference.
A classic garnish is a simple orange slice. You can also get creative with a lemon wedge, a sprig of rosemary, or even a few fresh berries.
Campari Spritz
The Campari spritz pairs vibrant orange hues with sparkling sweetness: a refreshing Italian cocktail made for sipping! You’ll need just 3 ingredients for this delightful drink.
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktail
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 ounces* Campari, chilled
- 3 ounces* sparkling wine, such as Prosecco, sparkling rosé, or champagne, chilled
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) soda water
- Ice (try clear ice!)
- For the garnish: lemon wedge or orange slice, a straw if you’d like
Instructions
- Add the Campari to a glass filled with ice and stir. Top with the sparkling wine and soda water.
- Squeeze in the lemon wedge and stir gently, then serve. Serve with a straw to minimize dilution!
Notes
To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
*A 750 ml bottle of Prosecco is 25 ounces, enough for 8 drinks. If you’re making 2 drinks, a mini bottle is perfect: it holds 187 mL or about 6 ounces!
More spritz recipes
If you love bubbly spritzes, make sure to try these spritz recipes:
- The bubbly Amaro Spritz and Cynar Spritz have notes of caramel and cola.
- Our St Germain Spritz is a floral, refreshing drink perfect for summer!
- The Lillet Spritz is light and breezy, with Lillet Blanc and bubbles.
- A zingy Limoncello Spritz always hits the spot.
Wonderful combination of liquids! Even more amazing with a little orange juice replacing part of the soda water. Like a zestier mimosa! A truly well-balanced drink where the Campari doesn’t overwhelm. Campari is so powerful and easy to taste that a lot of the time it will overwhelm gentler flavors, but here it just shines and spreads out and mingles with the Prosecco. Perfect. This is my new favorite drink.
Let us know if you have any questions!