Italian

Italian Quick & easy

Aperol Spritz

Name: Aperol Spritz
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 oz Prosecco, well chilled; 2 oz Aperol; 1 oz club soda; 1 cup ice cubes; 1 orange slice, for garnish

Italy's sunset-orange aperitivo, a bittersweet sparkle of Aperol, Prosecco, and soda over ice.

5 minutes

Serves 2

Drink

5 min prep

5 min cook

No common allergens detected

Based on this recipe's ingredient list. Always verify with your own brands and labels.

Good to know

Ready in under 30 minutes

Matched from this dish's own ingredients and timing. Browse more: 30-minute meals

Instructions

4 steps

1
Fill a large wine glass or balloon glass to the top with ice cubes so the drink stays cold and dilutes slowly.
2
Pour the chilled Prosecco over the ice first, following the traditional "3-2-1" order, to preserve its delicate bubbles.
3
Add the Aperol next, watching it swirl down through the wine into a vivid orange gradient, then top with the club soda for a final lift of fizz.
4
Stir once gently with a bar spoon to combine without knocking out the carbonation, then garnish with a fresh orange slice perched on the rim and serve immediately.

Listahan Family Score™

72/100

Good fit for most families

Allergen-friendly 100

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 86

Budget-friendly 72

Great leftovers 50

Pantry-friendly 25

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

Calories

1 g

Protein

8 g

Carbs

0 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

The spritz belongs to northern Italy's aperitivo hour, especially around Venice and the Veneto, where a light bitter drink before dinner is part of the meal rhythm rather than a separate event. Aperol itself was introduced in Padua in the early 20th century, and the now-familiar orange spritz became a simple formula built around bitter liqueur, sparkling wine, soda, ice, and a citrus garnish.

Listahan note

This version keeps the classic 3-2-1 shape and focuses on temperature, order, and a very light stir. The goal is a cold, bubbly drink that tastes bittersweet and clean instead of flat or syrupy.

Technique cues

Build the drink directly over ice in the serving glass. Shaking would knock out the bubbles and make the texture feel heavy.
Pour the Prosecco before the Aperol so the bubbles lift the liqueur through the glass instead of sitting on top in a dense layer.
Use plenty of ice, not just a few cubes. A full glass stays colder longer and actually dilutes more slowly.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Put glasses and Prosecco in the fridge first, then slice the orange and set out the Aperol, soda, and measure.
Make-ahead: Do not mix the drink ahead; pre-chill the Prosecco, club soda, glasses, and orange slices instead.
Leftover move: Use leftover orange slices in sparkling water or squeeze them over a simple salad with olives and fennel.
Cleanup rhythm: Rinse the jigger and spoon right after pouring; the glasses only need attention once the ice has melted.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

Prosecco, well chilled

Sparkling wine base

Purpose: Prosecco brings the light fruitiness and bubbles that keep Aperol from tasting too concentrated.

Handling: Chill it fully before opening so the drink starts cold and keeps its fizz.

Adaptation: A dry cava or other dry sparkling wine can work, but a sweeter bottle will make the spritz feel rounder and less crisp.

Aperol

Bittersweet aperitivo

Purpose: Aperol gives the drink its orange color, gentle bitterness, and rhubarb-citrus edge.

Handling: Measure it so the drink stays balanced rather than turning too sweet or too bitter.

Adaptation: Campari makes a darker, more bitter spritz; other orange aperitivo liqueurs will shift the flavor depending on their sweetness.

Club soda

Final fizz and lift

Purpose: Club soda lightens the drink and keeps the finish from feeling sticky.

Handling: Add it last, right before the gentle stir, so the carbonation stays lively.

Adaptation: Plain sparkling water works, though it may taste softer and less snappy than club soda.

Ice cubes

Temperature control

Purpose: Ice keeps the drink bright and slows the sweetness from taking over as you sip.

Handling: Fill the glass to the top before pouring any liquid.

Adaptation: Large cubes melt more slowly; small cubes chill fast but dilute sooner.

Orange slice, for garnish

Citrus aroma

Purpose: The orange slice echoes Aperol's citrus notes and adds fragrance every time you lift the glass.

Handling: Cut a fresh slice with some peel attached and perch it on the rim or tuck it into the ice.

Adaptation: A wide orange twist gives more peel aroma; a blood orange slice makes the drink look deeper and slightly more dramatic.

Technique notes

Use a large wine glass or balloon glass so the ice, bubbles, and orange aroma have room without crowding the rim.
Stir only once or twice from the bottom. The drink should be combined, not flattened.
Taste the first glass before making a second round; a splash more soda makes it lighter, while a touch more Prosecco makes it drier and more wine-forward.

Ingredient swaps

Drier finish: Use a brut Prosecco and keep the Aperol measured; the drink will taste cleaner and less sweet.
More bitter direction: Replace part or all of the Aperol with Campari for a sharper, more grown-up edge.
Lighter spritz: Increase the club soda slightly and serve in the same ice-filled glass so the drink keeps its shape while tasting less intense.
No-Prosecco backup: Use a dry sparkling wine with fine bubbles; avoid very sweet sparkling wine unless you want a rounder, softer spritz.

Serve alongside

Prosciutto e melone
Marinated Castelvetrano olives
Rosemary focaccia
Venetian-style cicchetti with baccala mantecato
Sparkling mineral water
Sanbitter with soda
Chilled espresso after the meal

Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.

Storage & reheating

Do not refrigerate an assembled Aperol Spritz; it loses carbonation quickly, so store the chilled Prosecco and club soda separately.
Do not reheat this drink; if it has gone flat, build a fresh glass over new ice.
Do not freeze the finished spritz; freeze orange slices separately if you want a colder garnish.

Equipment

Large wine glass or balloon glass
Jigger or small measuring cup
Bar spoon
Sharp knife for the orange slice

Make this household-aware

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