Negroni Recipe

Crisp and bitter, the classic cocktail of gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth is dependably delicious, and remarkably difficult to foul up.

By
Paul Clarke
Paul Clarke
Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
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Updated April 03, 2024
Two Negroni cocktails served in old-fashioned glasses with orange peels, with one served on a glass tray

Serious Eats / Two Bites

Why It Works

  • Crisp and bitter, this easy stirred cocktail can be made directly in the drinking glass.

There are few things in life that you can reliably count on. Two of them, as the old saw goes, are death and taxes. With Tax Day now behind us and death hopefully not on the agenda for a while, we can turn our attention to one other thing that is dependably true: the deliciousness of the Negroni.

Made with only three ingredients—gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth— measured in equal amounts, a Negroni is also remarkably difficult to foul up, even for novice bartenders (though I won't say it hasn't happened).

Created in the Hotel Baglioni in Florence in the 1920s, the Negroni is an Italian classic that owes its longevity to its dependably delicious nature, and is a perfect drink to unwind with while settling in for the weekend.

April 2010

Recipe Details

Negroni Recipe

Total 5 mins
Serves 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce dry gin

  • 1 ounce Campari

  • 1 ounce sweet vermouth

Directions

  1. There are two common ways to serve a Negroni: on the rocks, or straight up. For the former, simply combine the ingredients in an old-fashioned glass filled with ice; stir to combine, twist a thin piece of orange peel over the drink for aromatics and use the twist as garnish.

    Four photos showing how to make a Negroni cocktail on the rocks. The first photo shows a hand pouring gin into an old-fashioned glass with a large ice cube. The second photo shows a hand pouring Campari into the old-fashioned glass. The third shows a hand pouring sweet Vermouth into the old-fashioned glass. The fourth and final photo shows a hand stirring the Negroni with a long spoon.

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

  2. To serve a Negroni straight up, combine the ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir well for 20 seconds, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Twist a piece of orange peel over the drink, and use the twist as garnish.

    Four photos showing how to make a Negroni straight up. The first photo shows the ingredients of a Negroni being stirred in a mixing glass filled with ice. The second photos shows the drink being poured from the mixing glass into an old-fashioned glass. The third phot shows a hand twisting an orange peel over the Negroni. The fourth and final photo shows a hand putting the twisted orange peel into the Negroni.

    Serious Eats / Two Bites

Special Equipment

Mixing glass, cocktail strainer (if serving straight up)

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
191 Calories
0g Fat
12g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 191
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 3mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 28mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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