27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (2024)

Campari isn't for everyone. But those who get it get it.

Rachel SandersPublished on May 02, 2014
27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (2)

If you don't know from Campari — a bittersweet, bright red Italian aperitif infused with oranges, rhubarb, and a top-secret blend of interesting herbs — then it's time you took the plunge.

The first time you try Campari, you'll probably think anyone who says they love it is either crazy or lying; that's normal. It's bitter. Then you'll try it again, with plenty of seltzer and a slice of orange, and you'll start to understand. Pretty soon you'll be fully addicted. And once you are, here are some creative ideas to help you proceed.

1. Campari Strawberry Limeade Ice Pops

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (3)

Tara O'Brady / sevenspoons.net

Recipe here.

2. Negroni

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (4)

chow.com

Gin, vermouth, Campari. Truly the co*cktail to rule all other co*cktails. Get the recipe.

3. Rum Campari Punch

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (5)

smittenkitchen.com

A hint of bitterness gives this fruity punch a kick in the pants. Get the recipe.

4. Campari Basil Mojito

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (6)

Rachael White / rachaelwhite.me

Q: Is it still a mojito if it doesn't have mint or rum in it?

A: Shut up and drink.

Recipe here.

6. English Bloodhound

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (8)

runningwithtweezers.com

A greyhound (gin and grapefruit) turns into a bloodhound when you add bright-red Campari. Get the recipe.

7. Campari & IPA Spritzer

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (9)

Anjali Prasertong / thekitchn.com

You wouldn't necessarily think so, but bitter beer plus bittersweet booze just works. Get the recipe.

8. 522 North Pinckney co*cktail

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (10)

Christina Holmes / bonappetit.com

Add fresh grapefruit juice, St. Germain, and bubbly. Get the recipe.

9. Lemon Layer Cake with Campari Frosting

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (11)

Caroline Russock / seriouseats.com

Perfect for your classiest friend's birthday. Get the recipe.

10. Campari Spritz

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (12)

allparenting.com

Add a little Prosecco to glitz up your average Campari-and-soda. Get the recipe.

11. Precious Thyme

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (13)

sloshed.hyperkinetic.org

Campari, limoncello, vermouth, soda, and a sprig of fresh thyme. Get the recipe.

12. Campari Ice Cubes

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (14)

onemartiniatatime.com

Mix Campari with equal parts orange juice or water and freeze into cubes (you need to dilute the alcohol percentage or they won't freeze). Then you can eat them like a slushy or put them in pretty much any drink. More info here.

13. Campari Shandy

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (15)

Molly Wizenberg / food52.com

Any slightly fruity wheat beer will be happy to have a summer fling with Campari. Get the recipe.

14. Nacho Vidal

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (16)

Marcus Nilsson / bonappetit.com

Made with tequila and tangy "shrub" syrup, this hits all the important S's: sweet, sour, spicy, sassy, and summery. Get the recipe.

15. Campari Chip Ice Cream

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (17)

16. Venetian Cup

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (18)

Laura Sant / saveur.com

If you're looking for a drink to serve at your hip summer wedding reception, this could be it: Campari, Pimm's and ginger beer. Get the recipe.

17. Il Palio

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (19)

Helen Rosner / saveur.com

Highbrow-brilliant: The Campari ice cubes melt gradually into bourbon and vermouth, which turns your Manhattan into a Boulevardier. Get the recipe.

18. Campari Cantaloupe Popsicles

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (20)

Tracy Benjamin / shutterbean.com

Campari is a badass influence on the world's friendliest melon. Get the recipe.

19. Agavoni

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (21)

Robyn Lee / seriouseats.com

A fresh tequila-based take on the Negroni. Get the recipe.

20. Plume

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (22)

Nick Caruana / seriouseats.com

A little absinthe makes things interesting. Get the recipe.

21. Raspberry-Campari Sorbet

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (23)

Max Falkowitz / seriouseats.com

Raspberry makes a slightly sweeter, mellowed partner for Campari than the more common grapefruit. Get the recipe.

22. Americano

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (24)

MacKenzie Smith / saveur.com

Campari, vermouth, and soda makes for one of the greatest, simplest co*cktails you can drink before dinner on a summer night. Get the recipe.

23. Sparkling Jungle Bird

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (25)

Ilana Lepkowski / drinks.seriouseats.com

This tiki concoction involves making your own pineapple and lime-infused rum. Get the recipe.

24. Watermelon Squares in Campari

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (26)

marthastewart.com

All the best tea parties end with everyone drunk. Get the recipe.

25. Pink Negroni

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (27)

Zoe Schaeffer / saveur.com

Lighten up the old 'groni by swapping in Lillet and lemon for the vermouth. Get the recipe.

26. Campari & Orange

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (28)

27. Evening in Kingston

27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (29)

Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriot / bonappetit.com

A rummy spin on the ever-adaptable Negroni. Get the recipe.

Trending Recipes

Trending Recipes

More Tasty Guides

More Tasty Guides

    See all
    27 Important Recipes For People Who Love Campari (2024)

    FAQs

    What food pairs well with Campari? ›

    Campari food pairings

    Campari's bitter flavor profile makes it an excellent pairing for rich and savory foods. It pairs particularly well with charcuterie, cheese, and anything with a tomato-based sauce. It can also be used in cooking, where it adds a depth of flavor to marinades and sauces.

    What is the best way to enjoy Campari? ›

    We like drinking it with soda water and lots of ice in summer, or adding a dash to IPA for a beer spritz.

    How do Italians drink Campari? ›

    In the Veneto region, people drink their Campari in a much more complex co*cktail called a "spritz," made of Campari, Cynar (a bitter herb liqueur), white wine, and soda water garnished with an olive and a wedge.

    What is the dominant fruit in Campari? ›

    While the exact recipe is kept as a closely-guarded secret, we know that Campari is made by infusing herbs and fruit in alcohol and water, and many suspect its predominantly bitter flavor comes from the “Chinotto” fruit – a fruit that resembles a small orange, but tastes sour and bitter.

    Does the Queen drink Campari? ›

    It is said to taste a little like a sweeter version of Campari. But how did Her Majesty like to drink hers? Elizabeth II was known to prefer a co*cktail of two parts Dubonnet to one part gin, garnished with a wedge of lemon, and two ice cubes (or one large ice cube).

    What do jamaicans drink with Campari? ›

    CAMPARI AND TING

    This drink is definitely the most popular local soda in Jamaica, Ting grapefruit soda.

    What does Campari do to the body? ›

    Health Benefits, Campari supports the body's enzyme production in the digestive system. These enzymes break down starches into smaller, more manageable molecules. This improves energy, protects the body from diabetes and cancer, and also works as a stress regulator.

    Should Campari be refrigerated after opening? ›

    And to preserve the flavor of fruity, botanical Campari, tuck it in the fridge if you don't finish that open bottle within a couple of days. It's actually not necessary to keep this refrigerated, says deBary, because of the ways it's processed and its alcohol content of 20%.

    What is closest thing to Campari? ›

    Campari Alternatives: More Aperitivo Liqueurs to Try
    • 8 Contratto Bitter Liqueur. ...
    • 7 Peychaud's Aperitivo. ...
    • 6 Don Ciccio & Figli Ambrosia. ...
    • 5 Galliano l'Aperitivo. ...
    • 4 Gran Classico Bitter Liqueur. ...
    • 3 St. ...
    • 2 Luxardo Bitter Rosso. ...
    • 1 Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Bitter Liqueur.

    How long does Campari last once opened? ›

    How long does Campari last once open? Once opened, a bottle of Campari can last for over a year if properly stored. It won't become unsafe to drink, but the flavour may start to change thereafter.

    Do you drink Campari before or after dinner? ›

    Campari is an aperitif produced by the Italian company Gruppo Campari. An aperitif is a liqueur most often consumed before a meal (versus a digestif, which is generally consumed after a meal for digestion.)

    Can you drink pure Campari? ›

    You can drink both Campari pure on ice, or mixed with vermouth and gin, in order to make a Negroni co*cktail. This model has become rare. On the lower part of the glass the word Campari is printed with a pixelated style design. The true Campari's lovers will enjoy these Campari glasses "on the rocks".

    What bug is in Campari? ›

    It was originally coloured with carmine dye, derived from crushed cochineal insects, which gave the drink its distinctive red colour.

    What insect is in Campari? ›

    Campari is the most famous. Before 2006, Campari used little bugs called cochineals, dried and crushed, to get that natural carmine color. Now, Campari uses an artificial dye, citing the "uncertainty of supply" of cochineals.

    Which is better Aperol or Campari? ›

    Aperol is sweeter than Campari and has around 11 percent ABV level. The biggest difference may be how they're used. Aperol is used to complement other flavors in co*cktails and mixed drinks because it doesn't have a high alcohol level. Campari has a higher alcohol content and more flavor.

    What food does Negroni pair with? ›

    The Negroni's herbaceous and citrus notes pair wonderfully with seafood dishes. Consider serving the co*cktail alongside seared scallops, grilled shrimp, or a delicate ceviche. The Negroni's bright flavours will cut through the richness of the seafood, creating a delightful contrast of tastes and textures.

    What food goes good with Negroni? ›

    The answer, in a proper Italian bar, is salty olives, salted roasted nuts and bits of prosciutto or salami — salty cured pork. Lovely though they are, I suspect these are served with aperitivi in order to make you drink more.

    What does Negroni pair well with? ›

    With its distinct bitterness from the Campari, Negroni co*cktail needs strongly flavored foods, like salty, and mature cheeses like Parmesan, Pecorino cheese and blue cheese as well. It goes great with olives too. All ingredients that characterize the classic Italian ritual known worldwide as Aperitivo.

    References

    Top Articles
    Latest Posts
    Article information

    Author: Chrissy Homenick

    Last Updated:

    Views: 5437

    Rating: 4.3 / 5 (74 voted)

    Reviews: 89% of readers found this page helpful

    Author information

    Name: Chrissy Homenick

    Birthday: 2001-10-22

    Address: 611 Kuhn Oval, Feltonbury, NY 02783-3818

    Phone: +96619177651654

    Job: Mining Representative

    Hobby: amateur radio, Sculling, Knife making, Gardening, Watching movies, Gunsmithing, Video gaming

    Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.