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Italian

Ristretto

Vegetarian

Caffè ristretto

A 'restricted' espresso: the usual dose of coffee, but the shot is stopped early at about 1:1–1:1.5, giving a short, thick, sweeter and less bitter coffee of 18–27 g.

Ristretto is an Italian hot drink from Italy, ready in about 4 minutes and made with finely ground coffee. It serves 1 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Prep
3 min
Cook
1 min
Total
4 min
Serves
1
Level
Intermediate
Calories
4

Ingredients

1 short shot

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Heat the machine fully (brew water 90–94 °C) and warm a small cup.

  2. Step 2

    Grind 18 g of coffee fine into the dry basket, level and tamp evenly.

  3. Step 3

    Start the shot with the cup on a scale and stop it at 18–27 g in the cup, usually after 15–20 seconds. The stream should be thick and dark, never pale.

    Stopping early keeps the sweeter, heavier first part of the shot and leaves out the thinner, more bitter end.

  4. Step 4

    Stir and drink at once.

    About this dish

    Origin
    Italy · Commonly attributedAn Italian espresso-bar term for a shorter shot.Also popular in Australia, United KingdomMore food from Italy
    Dish
    Breakfast · Snack · Hot drinks
    Cooking method
    Boiled
    Taste
    rich, sweet, bitter
    Diet
    Vegan · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Low-carb
    All labelsVegan · Plant-based · Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Ovo-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-carb · Low-fat · Low-sodium · DASH-style
    Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
    Good for
    Everyday
    Cook more with
    Finely ground coffee
    Techniques
    Boiling

    Allergens

    None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

    Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

    Nutrition

    4 kcal per serving

    Estimated

    1 serving ≈ 41 g · recipe makes 1

    Where the energy comes from

    • Protein 11%
    • Carbohydrate 89%
    • Fat 0%
    Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
    NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
    Energy4 kcal9 kcal
    Protein0.1 g0.3 g
    Carbohydrate0.8 g1.8 g
    Net carbohydrate0.8 g1.8 g
    Sugars0 g0 g
    Added sugars0 g0 g
    Fibre0 g0 g
    Fat0 g0 g
    Saturated fat0 g0 g
    Trans fat0 g0 g
    Cholesterol0 mg0 mg
    Sodium1 mg3 mg
    Salt equivalent0 g0 g
    Vitamins & minerals per serving
    Potassium
    35 mg
    Calcium
    5 mg
    Iron
    0 mg
    Magnesium
    4 mg
    Vitamin A (RAE)
    0 µg
    Vitamin C
    0 mg
    Vitamin D
    0 µg
    Vitamin B12
    0 µg
    Folate (DFE)
    0 µg

    How these numbers were made

    • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
    • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
    • Finely ground coffee: Instant coffee powder used as a stand-in for the soluble part of roasted ground coffee; list the grams actually consumed with consumedGrams.
    • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
    • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

    Good to know

    Tips

    • Light-roast beans can taste sour as ristretto; medium to dark roasts suit it best.

    Common mistakes

    • Making it by grinding so fine that the shot chokes — the time should still be under about 25 seconds.

    Storage

    • Drink immediately.

    Variations

    • Ristretto in milk: Used in place of a normal shot for a stronger-tasting flat white or cortado.

    Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

    Recipe DNA

    How this dish is built

    Customise in Sip & Blend

    Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

    The body of the dish

    Gravy, sauce & base

    Used in steps 2, 3

    Less sweet, dairy-free, caffeine-free or for more people — the original stays as it is.

    Customise in Sip & Blend

    Reviews & corrections

    Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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