Why It Works
- Brut Prosecco’s low sugar content material permits the limoncello’s vibrant citrusy taste to shine via with out overpowering the drink with sweetness.
- Utilizing each membership soda and Prosecco creates a drink that is pleasantly mild and effervescent.
Final summer season, I traveled to Italy’s Amalfi coast. The journey was filled with ocean views, contemporary seafood, and citrus drinks. The working theme of the journey appeared to be lemons. Located simply south of Naples alongside the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Amalfi coast has a reasonable local weather that makes it the best place to domesticate lemons. The fruit was in every single place, filling the air with its candy, citrusy aroma, which was pretty mingled with the salt air. The abundance of fruit meant I encountered all types of lemon-themed meals. I loved refreshing scoops of lemon gelato and sorbet, and was pleasantly stunned to style citrus zest and juice in bread, pizza, and pasta doughs, too.
However my favourite lemon-themed concoction was limoncello, a conventional Italian liqueur created from the zest of native lemons, alcohol (extremely concentrated ethanol or vodka), and sugar. Bars and eating places served vibrant limoncello in a number of methods: straight up, in desserts, and paired with Prosecco and soda as a spritz, which was excellent for sipping on a scorching day by the seaside. In an effort to recapture that superb time in Italy, I’ve taken to recreating this summery spritz at dwelling.
3 Suggestions for Making the Finest Limoncello Spritz
As a result of a limoncello spritz has so few elements—limoncello, Prosecco, membership soda, and lemons—it is vital that every one tastes good by itself, and that begins by selecting a very good high quality limoncello. Certain, you could possibly make do-it-yourself limoncello, however in the event you do not wish to wait a few days for it to be prepared, there’s completely nothing fallacious with store-bought limoncello. Verify the label to make sure that the lemons are both sfusato Amalfitano or limone di Sorrento. Each of those lemons are discovered on Italy’s Amalfi coast and are typically sweeter than lemons from different elements of Italy— a lot in order that some locals even eat them entire, pith and all.
Use a dry Prosecco. Prosecco varies by sweetness; I exploit Brut within the recipe beneath, which is classed as having zero to 12 grams of residual sugar per liter of wine. You should use a fair drier Prosecco like Additional Brut (zero to 6 grams of residual sugar per liter) or Brut Nature (zero to a few grams of residual sugar per liter), however you will have to pay a premium as they aren’t as broadly distributed as Brut within the US. An important factor is that your bottle has a DOP, DOC, or DOCG. label—these varied Denominazione di Origine labels are Italian and European Union certifications that assure high quality, manufacturing, and native land.
Plain seltzer or membership soda, please. You could be tempted to make use of a lemon-, lime- and even limoncello-flavored seltzer, however this isn’t the place for it. Let the Amalfi lemons in your limoncello shine.
Dial within the ratio of Prosecco to limoncello for a balanced drink. Many recipes on the web name for 3 elements of Prosecco to 2 elements of limoncello to 1 half soda, however I like to recommend utilizing rather less limoncello and a bit of bit extra Prosecco, as this highlights the brilliant taste of the lemons with out making the drink too boozy or overpoweringly candy. Be happy to regulate to style, however this ratio of limoncello feels good to me.
Critical Eats / Amanda Suarez
July 2025
This 3-Ingredient Limoncello Spritz Tastes Like a Journey to the Amalfi Coast
Cook dinner Mode
(Maintain display screen awake)
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Ice
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1 1/2 fluid ounces limoncello
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4 fluid ounces brut Prosecco
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1 fluid ounce membership soda
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Lemon slices for garnish
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Fill a wine glass midway up with ice. Pour the limoncello over, then add the Prosecco and membership soda.
Critical Eats / Amanda Suarez
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Utilizing a cocktail stirrer, stir to combine and garnish with 1 to 2 lemon slices.
Critical Eats / Amanda Suarez