Drinks
An Appetite for Creativity
Amalfi Basil Smash
A bright limoncello cocktail with fresh basil, lemon and a splash of Prosecco or sparkling water. It tastes like summer, even with snow on the ground.
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Prep
5 min
Cook
0 min
Serves
1 cocktail
Level
Easy
Ingredients
8 fresh basil leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
2 oz limoncello (homemade if you have it)
1 oz vodka
¼ oz simple syrup
Ice
3 oz Prosecco or sparkling water
The snow is still lingering here in the mountains, but the sun says it’s time for something that tastes like summer. I’ve had a batch of Homemade Limoncello in the freezer, waiting for the right moment to turn it into something worth sharing. This is that moment.
The Amalfi Basil Smash is a riff on the classic Basil Smash, one of those cocktails that feels effortless and impressive at the same time. Fresh basil, bright lemon and a good pour of limoncello come together in a drink that’s herbaceous, citrusy and a little unexpected. It’s what you make when you want your guests to feel like they’re somewhere special.
Method
Muddle the basil. Add the basil leaves and lemon juice to the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Press and twist firmly 8 to 10 times, until the leaves are fragrant and well broken down. The lemon juice helps release the oils.
Pour in the limoncello, vodka and simple syrup.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake until well chilled, about 15 seconds.
Fill a glass with fresh ice and strain the cocktail over it with a regular strainer, not a fine mesh, so a few flecks of basil come through.
Gently pour the Prosecco or sparkling water over the top to keep the bubbles. Tuck in a basil sprig, stir and enjoy.
A note
Make this once and you’ll find yourself coming back to it all summer, for guests, for an afternoon on the porch, or just because you have fresh basil and a good bottle of limoncello.
Good to know
More About This Recipe
Nutrition
Calories
290
Protein
0g
Carbs
20g
Fat
0g
Tips & tricks
Really work the basil. Unlike mint, basil can take it, and the more you muddle, the more flavor you get.
Nutrition is an estimate per cocktail, made with homemade limoncello and Prosecco.
Substitutions
Storage & leftovers
Questions people ask
Postcards from my kitchen
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