Bellini
A Bellini is a simple Italian sparkling drink made with peach puree and chilled Prosecco. It is light, fruity, and easy to mix by the glass for brunch, showers, or a warm afternoon aperitif.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Yield
- 6 cocktails
- Difficulty
- Easy
Prep 15mCook 0mItalianDrinks
The Bellini was created in Venice and is still loved for its clean, simple formula: ripe peaches plus cold sparkling wine. When the fruit is sweet, you do not need much else.
This version uses fresh peaches blended into a smooth puree with a little lemon juice and sugar. The lemon keeps the fruit bright, while the sugar rounds out peaches that are not quite peak-season sweet.
Serve Bellinis right after mixing so the bubbles stay lively. Keep everything cold, pour slowly, and stir gently so the drink stays pretty in the glass.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
5 items · 6 cocktails
- 2 1/2 cups sliced ripe peaches, peeled and pitted if desired (about 350 g)
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups well-chilled Prosecco or other dry sparkling wine (720 ml)
- Thin peach slices, for garnish, optional
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Chill the glasses
Place 6 flute glasses or small wine glasses in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes. Cold glasses help the Bellinis stay bubbly longer.
2. Prepare the peaches
Slice the peaches and remove the pits. Peel them if you want a very smooth drink. If the skins are thin and tender, you can leave them on, but the puree may be a little more textured.
3. Blend the puree
Add the peaches, sugar, and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until very smooth, stopping once to scrape down the sides if needed.
4. Strain if desired
For a silky Bellini, pour the puree through a fine-mesh strainer into a measuring cup. Press gently with a spoon. If you like a thicker, more rustic drink, you can skip this step.
5. Taste the puree
Taste a small spoonful. It should be bright and peachy, not sharply sour. If your peaches are very tart, use a slightly sweeter sparkling wine rather than adding a lot more sugar.
6. Add puree to each glass
Spoon or pour about 1/4 cup peach puree into each chilled glass. This gives each drink roughly 2 ounces of puree.
7. Pour in the Prosecco
Slowly top each glass with about 1/2 cup chilled Prosecco. Pour down the inside of the glass to control the foam.
8. Stir and serve
Stir each drink once or twice with a long spoon, just enough to combine. Garnish with a thin peach slice if you like, and serve right away.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Blend the peach puree up to 24 hours ahead. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator with plastic wrap pressed directly on the surface to slow browning.
- Do not pre-mix the full drink. Once Prosecco is added, the bubbles fade quickly. Combine the puree and sparkling wine right before serving.
- Frozen peaches work well when fresh peaches are out of season. Thaw them fully and drain off extra liquid before blending.
- For a smoother drink, strain the puree. For more peach flavor and less waste, leave it unstrained.
- Use a dry Prosecco labeled brut or extra dry. Brut tastes drier; extra dry is lightly sweet. Either works with peaches.
- For a nonalcoholic Bellini, replace the Prosecco with chilled sparkling white grape juice, nonalcoholic sparkling wine, or a mix of peach nectar and plain seltzer.
Cook's note
Nutrition is an estimate per cocktail and excludes the optional peach-slice garnish. Values are calculated using fresh peaches, 2 teaspoons sugar, lemon juice, and dry sparkling wine; exact numbers vary by the Prosecco you choose. Serve alcoholic drinks only to adults of legal drinking age.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Can I make Bellinis without a blender?
Yes. Use store-bought peach puree or peach nectar. If it is very sweet, skip the sugar and use a dry sparkling wine to balance it.
Can I use canned peaches?
Yes, but choose peaches packed in juice rather than heavy syrup when possible. Drain them well before blending. Canned peaches will make a sweeter, softer-tasting Bellini.
Why did my Bellini foam over?
The puree gives the bubbles lots of tiny places to expand. Use cold ingredients, pour the Prosecco slowly down the side of the glass, and leave a little space at the top.
What is the best glass for a Bellini?
A flute keeps the drink bubbly and looks classic, but a small white wine glass is easier to drink from and works just as well.
Can I double the recipe for a party?
Yes. Double the puree and keep it chilled in a pitcher. When guests arrive, add puree to each glass and top with Prosecco one drink at a time.
05Per serving
Nutrition facts
Nutrition Facts
6 cocktails
Amount per serving
% Daily Value*
- Total Fat0 g
- 0%
- Saturated Fat0 g
- 0%
- Cholesterol0 mg
- 0%
- Sodium6 mg
- 0%
- Total Carbohydrate10 g
- 4%
- Dietary Fiber1 g
- 4%
- Total Sugars8 g
- Protein1 g
- 2%
- Vitamin D0 mcg
- 0%
- Calcium14 mg
- 1%
- Iron0.5 mg
- 3%
- Potassium199 mg
- 4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
05Keep cooking
You might also like
DrinksHugo Cocktail
The Hugo cocktail is a light, bubbly aperitif made with Prosecco, elderflower liqueur, mint, lime, and soda water. It is floral, fresh, and easy to build right in the glass.
DrinksGrapefruit Negroni
This grapefruit Negroni keeps the classic bitter-sweet shape of the Italian cocktail, then brightens it with a splash of fresh pink grapefruit juice. It is simple to stir, easy to batch, and made for slow sipping.
DrinksAperol Spritz
This classic Italian aperitif is light, bubbly, and bittersweet, with a bright orange color that feels made for warm evenings. The 3-2-1 ratio keeps it easy: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, and one part soda.
DrinksGaribaldi Cocktail
The Garibaldi is a bright Italian aperitivo made with bitter Campari and fresh orange juice. It is simple to pour, but a quick froth of the juice gives it that soft, sunny texture people love at aperitivo hour.