14 Sambuca Drink Recipes From Classics to Creative

Sambuca, sambuca, sambuca. Unlike some mythical things, a bottle doesn't just appear because you've said it out loud three times. But it can make you thirsty for a sambuca drink.

Straight from Italy to your home, this anise liqueur was once used for purely holistic therapeutic reasons. And who's to say that these sambuca drink recipes aren't therapeutic in their own ways? There's only one way to find out. Hint: Read on! 

14 Sambuca Drinks You'll Love

Consider this the only and last Sambuca drink menu you'll need, so screenshot away!

1. Sambuca con la Mosca
2. Raspberry-Basil Sambuca Martini
3. Sambuca Citrus Martini
4. Sambuca Vesper
5. Sambuca and Soda
6. Sambuca Lemonade
7. South of the Border BB Gun
8. Sambuca Mule
9. Sambuca-Orange Coffee
10. Sambuca Collins
11. Sambuca Aviation Cocktail
12. Sambuca Zambeer
13. Sambuca Sazerac
14. Sambuca Veneto

Sambuca con la Mosca

The most basic and classic of sambuca preparations, sambuca con la mosca is an Italian tradition, and it couldn't be easier to prepare. The three toasted coffee beans in the sambuca represent health, prosperity, and happiness, and what could be a better sentiment to toast to with your sambuca?

Ingredients

• 2 ounces sambuca
• 3 toasted coffee beans

Instructions

1. Add sambuca to a cocktail or shot glass.
2. Drop in the three coffee beans.

Raspberry-Basil Sambuca Martini

Whip up a sambuca martini that's enough for two, although if you're spending the night with your couch and a new show, you could enjoy both on your own. Earthy, juicy, and rich, just like that leading man.

Ingredients

• 10 raspberries
• 4 basil leaves
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¾ ounce sambuca
• ¾ ounce London dry gin
• Ice
• Raspberry and small mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the raspberries and basil leaves.
3. Add ice, lime juice, orange juice, gin, and sambuca.
4. Shake well to mix and chill.
5. Strain into the chilled glass.
6. Garnish with a raspberry and mint sprig.

Sambuca Citrus Martini

If you're looking for a citrus vodka martini that isn't the usual lemon drop or even cosmo, but with a touch of sambuca, there's something new to explore in the other familiar flavors.

Ingredients

• Lemon wedge and sugar for rim
• 1½ ounces citrus vodka
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce sambuca
• Ice
• Lemon ribbon for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
3. With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
4. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, citrus vodka, lemon juice, and sambuca.
5. Shake to chill.
6. Strain into the prepared glass.
7. Garnish with a lemon ribbon. 

Sambuca Vesper

James Bond fans likely recognize the name vesper martini as 007's martini of choice. While a traditional vesper is made with gin, vodka, and Lillet Blanc, the sambuca vesper replaces the Lillet Blanc with sambuca for a twist with an added sweet flavor profile.

Ingredients

• 3 ounces London dry gin
• 1 ounce vodka
• ½ ounce sambuca
• Ice
• Lemon peel for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a mixing glass, add ice, gin, vodka, and sambuca. 
3. Stir rapidly to chill.
4. Double strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish with a lemon ribbon.

Sambuca and Soda

Made with club soda, this simple cocktail is all anise all the time. Perfect for when you're itching for some black licorice. 

Ingredients

• 2 ounces sambuca
• Ice
• 4 ounces club soda to top off
• Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice and sambuca.
2. Top off with club soda.
3. Garnish with a lemon wedge. 

Sambuca Lemonade

Looking for something refreshing on a summer afternoon? Reach for the lemonade, but with a twist. It's easy to make a glass or a pitcher. The anise flavor matches with the sweet acidity of the lemonade makes for a dreamy drink. 

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces sambuca
• 5 ounces lemonade
• Ice
• Lemon slices and mint sprigs for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball glass, add ice, sambuca, and lemonade.
2. Stir to mix.
3. Garnish with a lemon slices and mint sprig.

South of the Border BB Gun

How about a little tequila with your sambuca? Sambuca combines with lime cordial and tequila in a zesty and refreshing drink that's a tasty alternative to a traditional margarita — perfect to go with your chips and salsa.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce sambuca
• 1 ounce tequila
• 1 ounce vodka
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce lime cordial
• Ice
• 1 ounce club soda to top off
• Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, sambuca, tequila, vodka, lime juice, and lime cordial.
2. Shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass or cocktail glass over fresh ice.
4. Garnish with a lime wheel. 

Sambuca Mule

The surprising combination of ginger and anise makes for a sweet and herbaceous twist on the traditional Moscow mule.

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces vodka
• ¾ ounce sambuca
• ¾ ounce lime juice
• Ice
• Ginger beer to top off
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a copper mug or rocks glass, add ice, vodka, sambuca, and lime juice.
2. Stir to mix.
3. Top off with ginger beer.
4. Garnish with a lime wedge. 

Sambuca-Orange Coffee

Sambuca's sweet licorice marries oh so well with bitter coffee and that whisper of orange liqueur. While this recipe doesn't call for sugar because both sambuca and orange liqueur are sweet, you can sweeten it to taste with a splash or two of simple syrup or your preferred sweetener. Easy! 

Ingredients

• 1 ounce sambuca
• 1 ounce orange liqueur
• 4 ounces strong, hot coffee
• Lightly whipped heavy cream

Instructions

1. Warm a heat-safe mug.
2. In the prepared mug, add sambuca, orange liqueur, and coffee.
3. Stir briefly and carefully to mix.
4. Garnish with heavy cream. 

Sambuca Collins

Sambuca's sweetness and herbaceous earthy flavors are the perfect element to add in place of simple syrup in a classic Tom Collins. You can even take it a little further and swap the gin and sambuca proportions. 

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces gin
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce sambuca
• Ice
• Club soda to top off
• Lemon wheel and maraschino cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. In a highball or Collins glass, add ice, gin, lemon juice, and sambuca.
2. Top off with club soda.
3. Stir to mix.
4. Garnish with a lemon wheel and maraschino cherry. 

Sambuca Aviation Cocktail

A traditional aviation cocktail is made with gin, maraschino liqueur, and that eye-catching crème de violette. This recipe adds a little sambuca for a deeper, mysterious flavor. After all, what plays better with gin than other herbal flavors? 

Ingredients

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce maraschino liqueur
• ¼ ounce sambuca
• ¼ ounce crème de violette
• Ice
• Cocktail cherry for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add ice, gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur, sambuca, and crème de violette.
3. Shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled glass.
5. Garnish with a cocktail cherry. 

Sambuca Zambeer

Root beer and sambuca collide in an easy highball drink that's sweet but gives your root beer a little extra zest of flavor. 

Ingredients

• 1½ ounces sambuca
• Ice
• Root beer to top off
• Lemon slice for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. In a highball glass or root beer mug, add ice and sambuca.
2. Top off with root beer.
3. Stir briefly to mix.
4. Garnish with a lemon slice, if desired. 

Sambuca Sazerac

Skip the absinthe and instead rely on a liqueur that's actually a staple most places. You might just find that you opt for a sambuca rinse from now on. 

Ingredients

• ¼ ounce sambuca
• 2 ounces rye whiskey
• 2-3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
• ¼ ounce simple syrup
• Ice
• Lemon twist for garish

Instructions

1. Chill a rocks glass.
2. In the chilled glass, add sambuca.
3. Swirl to coat the glass thoroughly.
4. Discard the remainder of the sambuca.
5. In a mixing glass, add ice, whiskey, bitters, and simple syrup.
6. Stir rapidly to chill.
7. Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice.
8. Garnish with a lemon twist. 

Sambuca Veneto

Brandy and egg white both join the sambuca party for a creamy and decadent after-dinner drink with a touch of sour.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces brandy
• ¾ ounce sambuca
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¼ ounce simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• Ice

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass or coupe.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add brandy, sambuca, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white. 
3. Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
4. Add ice to the shaker.
5. Shake to chill.
6. Strain into the chilled glass.

Mixers for Sambuca

Along with cocktails and other traditional ways of drinking sambuca, you can create your own concoctions and choose your own drink adventures by mixing sambuca with these suggestions.

• Club soda
• Tonic water
• Lemon-lime soda
• Lemon juice
• Lime juice
• Orange juice
• Sparkling wine
• Coffee
• Hot chocolate
• Apple cider
• Ginger ale
• Ginger beer
• Cranberry juice
• Pineapple juice
• Plum wine
• Grapefruit juice
• Root beer
• Port
• Lemonade
• Energy drinks
• Peach nectar
• Pear nectar

Tips for Adding Sambuca to Cocktails

When working with sambuca in crafting your own cocktails, keep the following in mind.

• Sambuca is extremely sweet, so if you're adding it to a cocktail that requires simple syrup or sugar, omit completely or reduce the amount of simple syrup in the recipe so you don't wind up with a cloyingly sweet cocktail.
• Balance the sweetness of sambuca with a sour element such as lime juice or a bitter element, like a few drops of cocktail bitters or a splash of tonic water.
• Anise balances nicely with fruit flavors, so feel free to add fruit flavors such as berries or honeydew melon to your cocktail.
• Sambuca will also complement herbal flavors such as mint, basil, tarragon, and thyme, so experiment with those in your cocktails to your heart's content.
• Spice flavors that work well with sambuca include cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg.

Add Sambuca to Your Cocktail Rotation

There's a wide world of earthy and herbaceous cocktail ingredients. And while sambuca may not jump to mind right away, after one of these cocktails or one you've crafted yourself, there's no way it won't now.