The classic Italian Negroni recipe features an easy 1-1-1 ratio of Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth. Served over ice, this stunning, deliciously-bitter cocktail is both refreshing and complex. Here’s how to make a Negroni!
While visiting Italy, we squeezed in every delicious experience that beautiful country had to offer, from pastries to coffee to classic local drinks. (Literally, “when in Rome”!) And you can bet that when we got back home, enjoying an Aperol spritz or a glass of sunny limoncello took on a whole new meaning. Now I have another classic Italian cocktail recipe to share, the Negroni. I took my first sip of this enticingly-bitter, boozy drink in a snazzy cafe in Florence – and immediately knew this was going in my cocktail recipes folder!
Why I ❤️ Love This Classic Cocktail
I find this drink very sip-worthy and enjoyable – perfect for a special cocktail hour with friends, paired with a simple plate of olives and nuts, and perhaps some Italian cheese. Here’s why I love it:
- Always start with the classic. I enjoy creating different spins on traditional recipes. But I always like to start with the classic, so I can first experience that recipe’s authentic flavor and appearance.
- Easy recipe to remember. This drink consists of just three ingredients, all in equal measurements (called a 1-1-1 ratio). You don’t even need to shake it up! Just stir and serve over ice, simple and fast!
- A slow, delicious sipper. This drink does not include mixers such as club soda, fruit juices, or syrups/sweeteners. It’s a strong cocktail that’s meant for relaxed, slow sipping, along the same lines as a classic Manhattan or old fashioned. For a lighter Campari drink, give the Campari spritz or Americano cocktail a try!
- Takes me back to Italy. What can I say – I think/dream about Italy nearly every day. So this is a fun, delicious way to serve up some memories!
What is a Negroni? What Does It Taste Like?
What it is: The Negroni, an Italian cocktail, is a gorgeous jewel toned drink made from equal amounts of Campari (a bright red Italian liqueur with a distinctively bitter taste), gin, and sweet Vermouth.
How it tastes: This drink pairs bitter, herbal, and just-barely sweet flavors. It has a very complex character, both warming and refreshing at the same time.
Its history: Most will say that this drink was invented in 1919 at Caffè Casoni in Florence, Italy by Count Camillo Negroni. It’s believed that Count Negroni ordered an Americano cocktail made with gin in place of the usual soda water.
“I take a ridiculous pleasure in what I eat and drink.”
– James Bond, from Ian Fleming’s book Casino Royale
Its Hollywood fame: My husband is a huge James Bond fan, so I had to include this piece of movie trivia. Bond is known for his martinis, but he also liked to switch it up to suit the occasion and location. In For Your Eyes Only, while in Rome, Bond orders a Negroni, specifying Gordon’s gin. This gin is an integral ingredient of The Vesper, aka The James Bond Martini – shaken not stirred, of course!
Negroni Ingredients
The Negroni drink recipe is a cinch to make and to memorize: just use 1 ounce of each of the three ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for more details.
- Campari – Campari is an Italian liqueur with a complex combination of bitter, fruity, and spicy flavors. It’s what makes a Negroni a Negroni, so do not substitute.
- Gin – Although this is not the most dominant flavor in this drink, do still use a good quality gin.
- Sweet vermouth – I really like Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth for this drink, but you can use a sweet vermouth of choice. Vermouth is a fortified wine, and sweet vermouth adds fabulous depth to this cocktail. Note: Once you open a bottle of vermouth, you’ll want to store it in the fridge; it’ll stay good for up to 3 months. Use it in other vermouth cocktails, such as a Manhattan and the oh-so-lovely Tinto de Verano.
- Orange peel – Optional garnish!
How to Make a Negroni
Stir, strain, and serve. It couldn’t be any easier! Here’s how to make this Negroni drink. Find the detailed instructions in the printable recipe card lower down.
- Stir. Add the Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass with ice and stir for 30 seconds, to perfectly chill and lightly dilute the drink.
- Strain. Strain into an ice-filled glass.
- Serve. Add (optional) orange peel garnish, then serve.
What Goes With This Negroni Drink?
Italy is famous for its aperitivo tradition, which simply means enjoying a drink and small snacks before dinner – so that’s how I most often serve it. But you can certainly enjoy it any time you want. Here are a few of my favorite things to serve when I make a Negroni drink:
- Small, salty snacks. Aperitivo is meant to pair with foods like olives, assorted nuts, salty cheeses, and potato chips.
- Appetizers. Serve Negronis with larger appetizers, such as Italian pinwheel sandwiches, grilled shrimp skewers, or sausage cheese balls. Garlic butter steak bites, truffle fries, or classic deviled eggs would also be great.
- Chips & dips. Try cold, creamy dips, such as dill pickle dip, million dollar dip, or my mom’s famous shrimp dip.
- Charcuterie. Set out a cheese plate, holiday charcuterie board, or a butter board with bacon butter with your favorite crackers or bread.
More Classic Cocktail Recipes
Negroni
Ingredients
- 1 ounce Campari
- 1 ounce gin
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth (I recommend Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth for this drink.)
- 1 orange peel, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass filled with ice. Stir until very cold and perfectly diluted, about 30 seconds.
- Strain into a rocks glass over ice and (optional) garnish with an orange peel.
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