Mimosa Recipe With Prosecco: Bright, Bubbly Brunch

A mimosa is a simple sparkling cocktail made with orange juice and chilled wine, served cold in a flute or small wineglass. Prosecco brings gentle fruitiness and lively bubbles, while fresh-tasting orange juice keeps the drink bright; the easy equal-parts ratio makes it simple to scale for brunch or a small gathering.

Ingredients

1 bottle (25.4 fl oz / 750 ml) chilled Prosecco
3 cups (720 ml) chilled orange juice, preferably pulp-free or with only a little pulp
6 thin orange slices or twists, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Chill everything. Refrigerate the unopened Prosecco and orange juice for at least 1 hour before serving. If you have room, chill six glasses too. Cold ingredients help the drink stay refreshing and fizzy without needing ice, which would dilute it. Keep the bottle sealed until you are ready to pour.
Set up the glasses. Arrange six Champagne flutes or small wineglasses on a tray. For a tidy pour, place the orange juice nearby and have a measuring cup or small pitcher ready. Each glass will hold about 1 cup (240 ml), so use glasses with enough room at the top to prevent spills when the bubbles rise.
Add the orange juice. Pour ½ cup (120 ml) chilled orange juice into each glass. This order gives the sparkling wine room to flow into the juice and combine naturally. If the juice has settled, stir it gently before measuring; avoid shaking it, which can make it foamy.
Top with Prosecco. Open the bottle carefully, pointing it away from people and keeping a hand over the cork as you loosen the wire cage. Tilt each glass slightly and pour in about ½ cup (120 ml) Prosecco, moving slowly so the foam does not spill over. The drink should have an even, pale orange color. Let the bubbles do most of the mixing; if needed, give each glass one gentle stir with a cocktail spoon.
Garnish and serve. Add an orange slice to the rim or drop a thin twist into each drink, if using. Serve immediately while the Prosecco is lively. This alcoholic drink is for adults of legal drinking age; drink responsibly.

Tips

Choose juice you enjoy drinking on its own. The orange flavor is prominent, so taste the juice before mixing. Freshly squeezed juice tastes vivid, while a good-quality carton juice is convenient and consistent. Pulp-free juice gives a smooth, classic texture; pulpy juice works too, but can settle and make each glass taste less uniform.
Keep both ingredients properly cold. Chilling the bottle and juice ahead of time is more effective than adding ice to the glasses. Ice melts quickly in a mixed drink and softens both the flavor and bubbles. If your glasses are not chilled, the recipe still works; simply assemble it just before serving.
Pour slowly and do not overfill. Prosecco foams when it meets juice, particularly if either ingredient is warm or the juice is freshly shaken. A tilted glass and a steady, gentle pour help control the bubbles. Leave a little space at the rim, and top up after the foam settles if you prefer a fuller glass.
Adjust the balance by taste. The equal-parts mixture is a useful starting point, not a rule. For a lighter, less sweet drink, use more Prosecco; for a softer, fruitier glass, add more orange juice. Make one small test glass before preparing a full tray, especially when the juice is unusually tart or sweet.

Serving Suggestions

Serve mimosas as soon as they are mixed, ideally in chilled Champagne flutes or small wineglasses. Flutes show off the rising bubbles and keep the drink neat, while wineglasses are easier to fill and make it simpler to add a slice of orange. A brunch tray with a small pitcher of juice and a chilled bottle lets guests choose their own balance, though it is best to pour each drink close to serving time rather than leaving a large batch mixed.

This orange-and-sparkling-wine combination pairs naturally with breakfast and brunch dishes that are not overly sweet. Offer it alongside savory egg dishes, quiche, smoked salmon, toast, fresh fruit, or pastries. For a gathering, set out water and nonalcoholic options as well, and keep the bottle in an ice bucket between pours. Avoid putting ice directly into the drink; if you want a colder glass, chill the glass beforehand.

Variations

Use a different sparkling wine. Cava or another dry sparkling wine can stand in for Prosecco in the same quantity. Champagne also works, though it may taste less fruity and can make the drink feel more formal. Choose a dry or extra-dry bottle if you want the orange juice to remain the main source of sweetness.
Make it less sweet. Use a dry Prosecco and add a splash of fresh lemon juice to the orange juice before dividing it among the glasses. Start with 1 teaspoon (5 ml) lemon juice for the whole recipe, taste, and add a little more only if needed. Too much lemon can overpower the orange, so keep the amount modest.
Try another juice. Replace up to half of the orange juice with grapefruit, blood orange, or peach nectar for a different flavor. Grapefruit makes the drink more tart and slightly bitter; blood orange gives it a deeper color and berry-like citrus notes; peach nectar makes it rounder and sweeter. Keep the total juice amount at 3 cups (720 ml) for the same six-serving yield.
Add a restrained garnish. A thin strip of orange zest, a small sprig of mint, or a few pomegranate arils can dress up the glass without changing the basic recipe. Use clean, dry garnishes and add them just before serving. Avoid squeezing a large amount of citrus into the drink at the last moment, which can unbalance the flavor and flatten the bubbles with vigorous stirring.
Prepare a small pitcher. For a casual group, combine equal volumes of juice and Prosecco in a chilled pitcher immediately before serving, then pour gently. A pitcher loses carbonation faster than individual glasses, so make only what guests are likely to drink soon and refresh it with another small batch when needed.

Storage and Reheating

Mimosas are best made to order because the bubbles begin to fade as soon as the Prosecco is opened and mixed with juice. If you have assembled extra drinks, refrigerate them within 2 hours in a covered container and use them within 24 hours for the best flavor and quality. They will be safe to chill, but are likely to be noticeably flatter; give them a gentle stir before serving and do not expect them to regain their original fizz. There is no reheating step for this drink.

Keep leftover orange juice covered and refrigerated, following the date and storage directions on its package. Freshly squeezed juice is best used within 2 to 3 days when kept refrigerated. Reclose an unfinished bottle of Prosecco with a sparkling-wine stopper and refrigerate it; its bubbles and flavor are usually best within 1 to 3 days, though the exact result depends on the bottle and stopper. Do not leave opened juice, wine, or mixed drinks sitting at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best ratio of Prosecco to orange juice?
The recipe uses equal parts, which makes a balanced, approachable mimosa and is easy to measure for a crowd. If you prefer a drier drink with more bubbles, try two parts Prosecco to one part juice. If you like a fruitier, gentler drink, use a little more juice. Keep the glasses small enough that the drink can be enjoyed while it is still sparkling.

Should I use Brut or Extra Dry Prosecco?
Both work. Brut is generally the drier choice and is a good match for sweet orange juice. Extra Dry Prosecco, despite its name, is typically a little sweeter than Brut, so it can make the finished mimosa taste softer and fruitier. If your juice is already sweet, start with Brut; if it is tart, Extra Dry may suit your taste.

Can I make mimosas ahead of time?
Chill the juice, bottle, glasses, and any garnishes in advance, but wait to combine the ingredients until just before serving. A pre-mixed pitcher loses its sparkle, and stirring it later will not restore the bubbles. If you need to serve a group quickly, measure the juice into glasses first, then pour the Prosecco over it when everyone is ready.

Can I use frozen orange juice or orange juice with pulp?
Yes. Thaw frozen concentrate fully and dilute it according to its package directions before measuring; concentrated juice used undiluted will make the drink too intense. Juice with pulp is also fine, but stir it gently first so the pulp is distributed. For the smoothest texture and easiest pouring, choose pulp-free juice.

Can I make a nonalcoholic version?
Yes. Replace the Prosecco with chilled nonalcoholic sparkling wine or sparkling white grape juice, using the same volume. Nonalcoholic sparkling options vary in sweetness, so taste yours with the orange juice before filling all the glasses. A splash of plain sparkling water can lighten a sweeter alternative, though it will give a less wine-like flavor.

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