Name: Aperol Spritz with Fresh Mint
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3 oz chilled prosecco, preferably Extra Dry; 2 oz Aperol; 1 oz chilled soda water or club soda; 6 to 8 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish; 1 orange wheel or half-wheel for garnish; Plenty of ice, preferably one large cube or a handful of standard cubes

Aperol Spritz with Fresh Mint is a sparkling Italian aperitif reimagined with fragrant garden mint. Bittersweet Aperol, crisp prosecco, and soda mingle over ice, while muddled mint adds a cooling, aromatic lift that makes every sunny sip feel like an Amalfi coast breeze.

Why You’ll Love This recipe

You’ll love this recipe because it takes the classic 3-2-1 Aperol Spritz formula and makes it even more refreshing without any extra effort. The fresh mint wakes up the orange and rhubarb notes in Aperol, balancing the sweetness and adding a layer of garden-fresh aroma that feels fancy but takes 3 minutes.

It’s endlessly sippable, low-ABV so you can linger over a second glass, and it looks stunning with that sunset-orange hue and green mint confetti. Whether you’re hosting brunch, winding down on a patio, or pretending it’s vacation at 5pm on a Tuesday, this cocktail turns any moment into aperitivo hour. No shaker, no fuss, just pure Italian summer in a glass.

Yield: 1 cocktail

Aperol Spritz with Fresh Mint

small Description in 20 wordsBubbly, bittersweet Italian cocktail brightened with fresh mint for the ultimate easy, refreshing summer aperitif.

Prep Time 3 minutes

Total Time 3 minutes

Ingredients

3 oz chilled prosecco, preferably Extra Dry
2 oz Aperol
1 oz chilled soda water or club soda
6 to 8 fresh mint leaves, plus a sprig for garnish
1 orange wheel or half-wheel for garnish
Plenty of ice, preferably one large cube or a handful of standard cubes

Instructions

Start by chilling everything. Pop your prosecco, Aperol, and soda water in the fridge at least 1 hour before you plan to mix. Cold ingredients are the secret to a spritz that stays bubbly and crisp to the last sip.
Choose your glass. A large wine glass or balloon spritz glass gives you room for ice and aroma. You want the drink to breathe so you can smell the orange and mint with every sip.
Fill the glass generously with ice. If you have one big clear cube, use that. If not, fill the glass to the top with standard cubes. More ice means slower dilution and a colder drink.
Add the mint leaves to the glass. Using a muddler or the back of a spoon, gently press the leaves 3 to 4 times against the ice. You’re just waking up the oils, not shredding them into green confetti. You should smell mint when you stop.
Pour 2 oz of Aperol right over the ice and mint. Watch that gorgeous orange color swirl. The Aperol will start to chill down and pick up the mint aroma immediately.
Slowly pour 3 oz of chilled prosecco down the side of the glass. Tilting the glass slightly and pouring slowly keeps the bubbles lively instead of foaming up and dying fast.
Top with 1 oz of soda water, again pouring down the side. This classic 3-2-1 ratio keeps it balanced: bubbly, bittersweet, and refreshing without being too boozy or too sweet.
Take your bar spoon and give it one gentle lift from the bottom to the top. You don’t want to stir hard and kill the fizz. One or two turns is enough to marry the Aperol with the wine.
Garnish like you mean it. Slide an orange wheel into the glass and perch a fresh mint sprig on top. Slap the mint gently between your palms first to release the aroma right under your nose.
Serve immediately with a straw or without, and sip it while it’s icy cold. Take a moment to smell the orange and mint before the first taste. That’s the aperitivo ritual.

Notes

For the best flavor, use fresh mint you pick the same day. If your mint is strong, start with 4 leaves and add more to taste. Never shake a spritz. The bubbles are the magic. If making for a party, set up a DIY spritz bar with pre-chilled bottles, sliced oranges, and a little bowl of mint so guests can build their own. To make it extra special, freeze orange slices and mint into your ice cubes.

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 170Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gSodium 28mgCarbohydrates 25gFiber 8gSugar 13gProtein 4g

The recipes and nutritional information on Yum Tonight are for informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare provider for personalized dietary advice.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

Use a large wine glass or balloon glass so there’s room for lots of ice, which keeps the drink cold without diluting it too fast. Chill your prosecco, Aperol, and soda water ahead of time because warm ingredients make a flat spritz.

Don’t over-muddle the mint or it turns bitter and vegetal. A gentle press 3 to 4 times releases the oils without tearing the leaves. Always add prosecco before soda to preserve the bubbles, and pour both down the side of the glass to protect the fizz.

If you want a stronger mint flavor, make a quick mint syrup instead of muddling. For the prettiest drink, use one large ice cube or clear cocktail ice. Taste and adjust: if your Aperol batch feels sweeter, add an extra splash of soda.

Ingredients Notes

Aperol is the star, an Italian bitter liqueur with notes of sweet orange, rhubarb, and herbs. It’s lower in alcohol than Campari, making it perfect for day drinking. Choose a prosecco labeled DOC or DOCG for quality.

Dry or Extra Dry prosecco works best because Aperol already brings sweetness. Avoid sweet Asti Spumante. For soda water, use plain, highly carbonated club soda or sparkling mineral water. Tonic will make it too bitter and sweet.

Fresh mint should be bright green and perky, not wilted. Spearmint is ideal because it’s sweeter and less aggressive than peppermint. If your oranges are waxy, give the peel a quick rinse so the garnish oils taste clean. Big, solid ice cubes melt slower and keep the spritz from getting watery.

Variations and Substitutions

Swap Aperol for Campari if you want a deeper, more bitter Negroni Sbagliato vibe, but use a little less because it’s stronger. No prosecco? Cava, dry French crémant, or any brut sparkling wine works beautifully.

For a non-alcoholic version, use Lyre’s Italian Spritz or Wilfred’s with non-alcoholic sparkling wine and soda. Add seasonal fruit: muddled strawberries in summer, a splash of grapefruit juice for a Pink Spritz, or blood orange slices in winter. Make it a Mint Limoncello Spritz by replacing 0.5 oz Aperol with limoncello.

For a herbal twist, add a sprig of basil or thyme with the mint. If you like it less sweet, increase soda to a 3-3-2 ratio. To batch for a party, mix Aperol and mint in a pitcher, then top individual glasses with prosecco and soda so it stays fizzy.

Storage Options

Aperol Spritz is best made fresh because the bubbles fade fast and muddled mint turns brown. You can prep the Aperol and lightly muddled mint together in a sealed jar up to 4 hours ahead and keep it chilled, then just add ice, prosecco, and soda when serving.

Do not pre-batch with prosecco or soda or it will go flat. Leftover opened prosecco can be kept 1 to 2 days with a champagne stopper. Once mixed, drink within 20 minutes for best flavor and fizz.