Amalfi Basil Smash Cocktail
Fresh basil, lemon, and limoncello — a cocktail that tastes like summer.
The snow is still lingering here in the mountains, but the sun says it is time for something that tastes like summer. I have had a batch of Homemade Limoncello sitting 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 both effortless and impressive at the same time. Fresh basil, bright lemon, and a good pour of limoncello come together in a drink that is herbaceous, citrusy, and just a little bit unexpected. It is the kind of thing you make when you want your guests to feel like they are somewhere special.
Everything you need for an Almalfi Basil Smash.
Amalfi Basil Smash
(Makes 1 cocktail)
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
Fresh basil for garnish
Shake, pour, and top with something sparkling.
Instructions:
1. Muddle the basil — Add your 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. You want to really work them — unlike mint, basil can take it, and the more you muddle the more flavor you get. The lemon juice helps release the oils.
2. Pour in the limoncello, vodka, and simple syrup.
3. Fill the shaker with ice and shake until it is well chilled — about 15 seconds.
4. Use a regular strainer — not a fine mesh — so a few flecks of basil come through. Fill the glass with fresh ice first.
5. Pour the sparkling water or Prosecco over the top gently to keep the bubbles. Tuck in a fresh basil sprig, stir, and enjoy.
Make this once and you will find yourself coming back to it all summer — for guests, for a slow afternoon on the porch, or just because you have fresh basil and a good bottle of limoncello and some things are worth celebrating.
Somewhere between the basil and the lemon and the cold glass in your hand, it starts to feel like summer — even if there is still snow on the ground.
If it’s sunny, it’s cocktail weather.
