Rucolino recipe (arugula liqueur)

If you are looking for an authentic rucolino recipe, you must have heard of this amazing herb liqueur. If you haven’t…you might be wondering what is rucolino?

Rucolino is the typical arugula based amaro from the lovely island of Ischia, out of Naples. Locals make it macerating fresh arugula in alcohol, with or without adding flavors (lemon zest, cloves, and cinnamon) and having it, cold, after dinner, as a digestif.

It’s not very famous, a very local thing, and I actually got to know about it for the first time when I had a Ischia vacation with my family… after that day, I recommended it to anyone going for a trip in the area.

Interesting, isn’t it? Want to find this, when it’s fresh arugula season? You can pin it 🙂

If you have loved my limoncello, consistently one of my most appreciated recipes, or my nocino (I admit, it is my favorite!) you should try this rucolino recipe! It is less sweet than limoncello, more on the bitter side, but what impresses the most is its flavor, so herby and fresh.

Print Recipe

Rucolino recipe (arugula liqueur)

If you have been to Ischia, you must have tasted this amazing liqueur at the end of some of your dinners. Follow this recipe to learn how to make an authentic rucolino at home!

Prep Time30 minutes mins

Resting15 days d

Total Time15 days d 30 minutes mins

Course: Amaro, Drinks

Cuisine: Italian, Naples, Regional

Keyword: Arugula, Bitter

Servings: 40 people

Calories: 60kcal

Author: Roberto

Cost: $ 0.2

Equipment

• a sealed glass container
• a pot
• a spoon
• a strainer
• some gauze (or another filter)
• a funnel

Ingredients

• 130 gr arugula
• 1 liter grain alcohol
• 1 lemon zest
• 6 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 liter water
• 500 gr sugar

Instructions

• Wash the arugula and dry it with a towel.
  
• In a glass container, add the lemon zest (not the white part, that is bitter), the cinnamon stick, and the cloves.
  
• Add the grain alcohol.
  
• Add the arugula, seal the container, and put it in a dark and fresh place for 2 weeks.
  
• After the resting period, use a strainer to remove the arugula and the flavors. In the meanwhile, prepare a syrup mixing the water and the sugar in a pan. Gently boil it and make it cool down.
• Add the deep green alcohol to the syrup and mix them. Your rucolino is almost ready..
• … but before you pour it into the bottles, you need to filter it with some gauze.
  
• The final result is a wonderfully colored and smelling arugula liqueur, that you will allow resting 1 more week before serving, always cold. Enjoy!
  

Edited: nowadays, I use an American coffee filter to filter the rucolino: I think it’s more effective than using the strainer with the gauze. I hope you will find this tip useful and if you want to help this project to share authentic Italian food you can buy your filters using this link.

Thanks and… enjoy responsibly 🙂

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Buon appetito!