Homemade Balsamic Glaze is ridiculously easy to make and so versatile. We love it on Berry Goat Cheese Salad, steak, chicken, Caprese Salad, or drizzled over fresh fruit.
Just like our Strawberry Sauce, silky Caramel Sauce, and Pesto, this Balsamic Reduction proves that homemade condiments are best!
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What is Balsamic Glaze?
Balsamic glaze is also called a “balsamic reduction.” It is essentially a reduction of balsamic vinegar. Additional sweeteners like honey or sugar can be added. The balsamic vinegar is simmered in a saucepan until it has reduced down and thickened to a maple-syrup consistency. It is very dark in color and has deep concentrated flavor.
Ingredients for Balsamic Glaze:
This recipe makes about 1/3 cup balsamic reduction. It is easy to scale up or down. If doubling the recipe, it will take slightly longer to reduce. If cutting the recipe in half, it will cook faster.
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/2 Tbsp honey, or sugar (optional)
What Type of Balsamic Vinegar is Best?
Buy the best quality balsamic vinegar you can find. Balsamic vinegar of Modena is made in Italy and a great choice. (look up flavor profiles of balsamic vinegar)
Is Honey Necessary in Balsamic Glaze?
Adding sweetness is completely optional. As the vinegar boils down, it concentrates and has a natural sweetness. When I’m making a Caprese salad, I prefer a balsamic glaze that is less sweet, while I do like it slightly sweeter for fruit salads. We found that using 1/2 Tbsp honey or sugar is just right for both sweet and savory recipes.
How to Make Balsamic Glaze:
- Pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and add 1/2 Tbsp honey (if using).
- Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to keep at a simmer for 12-15 minutes.* Stir occasionally until reduced by half and lightly coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools.
*Reduction time depends on the surface area of your saucepan – a larger saucepan will reduce faster.
How to Fix Balsamic Reduction that is too thick?
If you overcook the glaze and it ends up too thick, you can heat and thin it out with a little water. Keep an eye on the glaze especially in the last few minutes of cooking. If you burn it, you won’t be able to salvage it.
What to Serve with Balsamic Glaze:
We use balsamic glaze most often over our Arugula Salad but here are some additional ways to use balsamic reduction:
- Any kind of “Caprese” style recipe (tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil)
- Drizzled on Caprese Crostini
- Over vanilla ice cream
- Drizzled over a platter of berries or fresh peaches
- On Strawberry Bruschetta
- Over roasted vegetables
- As a finishing touch for pizza
- On grilled chicken or steak
How to Store Balsamic Glaze:
Balsamic glaze keeps really well. Transfer to a mason jar or air-tight container, let cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 3 to 4 weeks.
More Italian Recipes to Discover:
- Arancini – cheese-stuffed rice balls
- Roasted Pepper Bruschetta – incredible flavor!
- Zuppa Toscana – a restaurant copycat recipe
- Lasanga – cheesy, beef and so saucy
- Chicken Tetrazzini – an Italian cheesy pasta bake
- Affogato – irresistible coffee ice cream
Watch Natasha Make Balsamic Glaze:
I hope this easy Balsamic Glaze recipe becomes a new favorite for you. Here is a quick tutorial on how we make balsamic glaze. We used it on our Caprese Salad to really amp up the flavor of the salad. Let me know in the comments how you love to serve it.
Balsamic Glaze
Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Homemade Balsamic Glaze is ridiculously easy to make and so versatile. We love it on salad, steak, chicken, or drizzled over fresh fruit.
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Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 15 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 8 people
Instructions
Pour 1 cup balsamic vinegar into a saucepan and add 1/2 Tbsp honey (if using).
Bring to a low boil, then reduce heat to keep at a simmer for 12-15 minutes.* Stir occasionally until reduced by half and lightly coats the back of a spoon. It will thicken more as it cools. Transfer to a mason jar or air-tight container, let cool to room temperature then refrigerate for 3 to 4 weeks.
Notes
*Reduction time depends on the surface area of your saucepan - a larger saucepan will reduce faster.
Nutrition Per Serving
32kcal Calories7g Carbs1g Protein7mg Sodium36mg Potassium6g Sugar9mg Calcium1mg Iron
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition Facts
Balsamic Glaze
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Condiments, Dressing, Sauce
Cuisine: Italian, Mediterranean
Keyword: balsamic glaze
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
Natasha Kravchuk
Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.
Read more posts by Natasha
FAQs
To make a glaze, you only need that one ingredient: balsamic vinegar. Many recipes call for an added sweetener of some sort – usually sugar or honey. Cooking it down with those additions helps it cook faster while adding a hint of flavour to the glaze.
Is there a difference between balsamic glaze and balsamic vinegar? ›
Balsamic vinegar offers a blend of sweetness, acidity, and woody undertones in a liquid form, ideal for dressings, marinades, and salads. In contrast, balsamic glaze is thicker and syrupy, with sweetness from added sugars and a rapid reduction process.
Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of balsamic glaze? ›
Substituting one for another depends on the recipe you're making. Balsamic vinegar glaze has the consistency of syrup and is sweeter than the vinegar because of the cooking process therefore usually it's best not to use balsamic vinegar in place of the glaze.
What is balsamic vinegar glaze used for? ›
Some of my favorite ways to serve it are with Gorgonzola cheese and green onions; on pasta, portobello mushrooms, or grilled beets and carrots; with salmon or pork; or as a dressing on a salad with toasted nuts, dried cranberries, or fresh strawberries.
Why is balsamic glaze so expensive? ›
It takes 12 years to make the best, aceto balsamico tradizionale (traditional balsamic vinegar), and at least 25 to make the finest, extra Vecchio. Because of traditional balsamic vinegar's painstaking artisanal production process, supplies are limited, and it tends to be rather pricey.
Do you refrigerate balsamic glaze? ›
Store your balsamic glaze in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. Then every time you're cooking and think, “This dish needs a little something,” that dark shimmering saucy balsamic glaze goodness will be on hand and ready to work its magic!
Do Italians use balsamic glaze? ›
One of the favorite and most used condiments in Italy and abroad is Italian balsamic vinegar. It's used to dress salads, as an ingredient in many dishes and to drizzle on top of foods like strawberries and Parmesan cheese.
Can I use Worcestershire sauce instead of balsamic vinegar? ›
Worcestershire Sauce
As with soy sauce, you can always try adding a drizzle of lemon juice and sweetener to Worcestershire to help it replicate balsamic vinegar's flavor more closely.
Is balsamic glaze healthy? ›
The antioxidants found in balsamic vinegar target the “scavenger cells” that are toxic to your body and inflate your LDL (unhealthy cholesterol) levels. By consuming balsamic vinegar as a dressing or glaze, you can consume enough to help your body protect itself against clogged arteries.
How do you keep balsamic glaze from hardening? ›
Remove from heat. Let reduction cool and serve or transfer to an air tight container and store in refrigerator. If reduction hardens after being in refrigerator for too long just place container in a bowl filled with warm water to heat up the reduction.
If you reduce the vinegar too much, it will harden when it cools.
Why did my balsamic glaze crystalize? ›
Crystallization is due to the rearrangements of the α-d-glucose monohydrate molecules; while, jamming is caused by the crowding of amorphous long-living colloids of unidentified substances that eventually separated into a space-limited solid-like phase or into a gel network spanning the available volume.
How long does homemade balsamic glaze last? ›
It'll last a long time in the refrigerator, three weeks or a month at least, as long as you didn't add anything weird to it. Note: in my mind balsamic reduction is balsamic vinegar, reduced. No cornstarch no, sugar, no nothing.
Can balsamic vinegar go bad? ›
We can say that aged balsamic vinegar has an indefinite shelf life. However, it would be convenient to use the product once opened, within two to three years, and the one that has yet to be opened, within five years. After that time, its color may change, and the flavor will no longer be as bright and fresh as before.
How do you remove balsamic glaze? ›
Put some baking soda on the stained area, and let it sit there for 5 minutes. After that, soak your dress in a 50/50 hot water & white vinegar solution. The stain should be gone in a few minutes. This is a very simple stain removal technique.
Does balsamic glaze have wine in it? ›
The ingredient list only contains grapes or grape must, the crushed juice that also has the skins, stems, and seeds. Grape vinegar or grape wine vinegar is okay, as long as it's the second ingredient.
Is balsamic glaze alcoholic? ›
Balsamic Vinegar of Modena does NOT contain alcohol.
The scarce alcohol content (close to zero) in Balsamic Vinegar of Modena, (both PDO and PGI) allows it to be used as a condiment by pregnant women, children and people suffering from disabling diseases, i.e. liver cirrhosis.
Is balsamic glaze anti inflammatory? ›
Last but not least, consuming balsamic vinegar can have an anti-inflammatory effect as well. Long-term, high levels of inflammation can be extremely detrimental to your health, and research shows inflammation plays a role in whether you develop chronic conditions, diseases, and even cancer.
