Every bar is complete with a bottle of Campari. The Italian liqueur’s distinct red color and intense bittersweet flavor make it the star ingredient in every drink it graces. This blog will give you six tantalizing Campari cocktails highlighting this liqueur.
6 Classic Campari Cocktail Recipes
Campari is a versatile liqueur that can be used in many beverages. Some drinks with Campari are designed to bring out the bitterness of the liqueur, while others are made to temper it. If you’re wondering how to drink Campari, it’s helpful to know that it’s an aperitif — meaning you can serve it before or after a meal. Below are six Campari recipes you can enjoy with friends or alone with your thoughts of moving to Tuscany and touring a Campari distillery.
1.) Classic Negroni
If you want to start or end your night with a potent Campari drink, the Classic Negroni is an excellent choice. It combines bold ingredients that complement Campari’s bittersweet flavor profile in an iconic beverage people have enjoyed since its invention in 1919.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce London dry Gin (regular gins are too sweet for this drink)
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
- Orange peel (for twisting around the glass rim and garnish)
- Ice cubes
Directions
- Chill your glass in your freezer
- In a mixing glass, combine and stir your gin, Campari, and Vermouth
- Add ice cubes (just enough to fill ¾ of the glass)
- Stir your beverage for 30 seconds
- Take your chilled glasses out of the freezer
- Using a strainer, pour the contents of the mixing glass into your chilled glass
- Take your orange peel and squeeze it over the glass to release its aromas and flavors
- Rub the orange peel along the rim of the glass to further release its flavors
- Enjoy!
2.) Negroni Boulevardier
The Negroni Boulevardier showcases just how diverse Campari cocktails can be. It swaps out the gin of the Classic Negroni for whiskey, creating a warmer, richer flavor that makes it a terrific nightcap or fireside beverage.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
- 1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
- 1 ounce Campari
- Orange peel or maraschino cherry (for garnish)
- Ice cubes
Directions
- Chill your glass in your freezer
- Combine your Vermouth, Campari, and whiskey or bourbon in a mixing glass
- Add ice cubes (just enough to fill ¾ of the glass)
- Stir your ingredients for 30 seconds
- Use a strainer to pour your beverage into your serving glass
- If using an orange peel, replicate steps 7 and 8 from the Classic Negroni recipe
- If using a cherry, add it now
- Drink up!
3.) Campari Rosita
If you’re looking for Campari drink recipes to mix things up on Taco Tuesday, this tequila-based drink is just the thing. With a complex flavor profile, it can complement a range of dishes or be enjoyed on its own.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces Reposado tequila
- 0.5 ounces Campari
- 0.5 ounces Dry Vermouth
- 0.5 ounces Sweet Vermouth
- Dash of Angostura bitters
- Lemon twist or orange peel (for garnish)
- Ice cubes
Directions
- Chill your glass in the freezer
- Combine your two Vermouths, Campari, tequila, and bitters in a mixing glass
- Add ice cubes (just enough to fill ¾ of the glass)
- Stir your ingredients for 30 seconds
- Using a strainer, pour your cocktail into your chilled glass
- Express your citrus peel over the drink before rubbing it along the rim
- Enjoy!
4.) Campari Spritz
When summer comes around, you might look for refreshing cocktail recipes. Campari can be the central ingredient in a bubbly, light spritz, which is perfect for pairing with appetizers or enjoying a lunch al fresco. This Campari cocktail is a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Campari
- 3 ounces Prosecco
- 1 ounce soda water
- Orange slice (for garnish)
- Ice cubes
Directions
- Fill a large wine glass with ice cubes
- Pour the Campari over the ice
- Add your Prosecco
- Top it off with soda water
- Add in your orange slice
- Gently stir
- Enjoy!
5.) Negroni Sbagliato
The Negroni Sbagliato is one of many Campari drinks that incorporate Prosecco for a fizzy and light cocktail.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce Sweet Vermouth
- 1 ounce Prosecco
- Ice cubes
- Orange slice or peel (for garnish)
Directions
- Fill a large wine glass with ice
- Pour your Campari and Vermouth over the ice cubes
- Add the Prosecco
- Gently stir the cocktail
- Add in your orange peel or slice for garnish
- Bottoms up!
6.) Jungle Bird
This is one of the more complex campari cocktails. Recipe ideas for this colorful liqueur usually only call for a few ingredients. Still, the Jungle Bird combines various juices and alcohol for a tropical beverage in which you’ll want to stick a tiny umbrella. This fruity cocktail will make your home feel like a tiki bar.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces dark rum
- 0.75 ounces Campari
- 1.5 ounces pineapple juice
- 0.5 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- 0.5 ounces simple syrup
- Ice cubes
- Pineapple cube or lime slice (for garnish)
Directions
- Put all liquid ingredients in a shaker
- Fill the shaker with ice
- Shake enthusiastically for 10 to 15 seconds
- Pour the drink through a strainer into a glass filled with ice
- Add your lime slice or pineapple cube for garnish
- Cheers!
Mix the Perfect Cocktail with CocuSocial
Learn to make these cocktails with Campari and other delicious adult beverages with CocuSocial! Our mixology classes in NYC will teach you how to make cocktails as tasty as those at your favorite bars.
Do you want to learn how to make the perfect dishes to pair with your cocktails? We also offer online classes and in-person cooking classes in your area, including major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and across the US. Take your hosting skills to the next level with CocuSocial, where you’ll learn how to make classic and innovative recipes that will impress your guests and awaken your inner gourmand.
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