Make your own homemade balsamic vinegar reduction (balsamic glaze) with minimal effort in little time! Drizzle over roasted veggies and pizzas, on top of salads or mixed into marinades, over fish, grilled meats and so much more!
⭐Balsamic Glaze Highlights⭐
- Simple Recipe: All you need is a small or medium saucepan, a spoon, balsamic vinegar and about 15 minutes.
- Incredible Flavor & Texture: Since a balsamic reduction is basically a super concentrated balsamic vinegar, the final flavor is even bolder, sweeter and more complex than before with a super luscious, syrupy consistency that grips onto your food.
- Versatile Use: Elevate just about any recipe by drizzling balsamic glaze over as a finishing touch or mixed into salad dressings and marinades. You can use this in place in just about any recipe that calls for balsamic vinegar. All-in-all it’s a super useful and delicious condiment and great recipe to keep on hand!
What Kind of Vinegar Do I Need to Make a Balsamic Glaze?
Great question!
You do not want the best quality balsamic vinegar to make homemade balsamic reduction. Choose a balsamic vinegar that’s not too expensive, but try to avoid ones with caramel coloring or too many extra additives in the ingredient list.
The magic of this recipe is in transforming an average, runny vinegar into a thick, glossy and delicious glaze through cooking it down into a thicker consistency.
This process works by toning down the initial, acidic flavor and amplifying the natural sugars. It still has quite an intense flavor, but in a richer, more mellowed out way.
Did You Know?
Authentic, traditional Balsamic Vinegar (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale) must be aged for a minimum of 12 years and be made with grapes grown in tReggio Emilia and the Modena regions of Italy.
Does Balsamic Glaze Need Added Sugar?
It’s up to you!
Feel free to use additional sweeteners to make it more palatable for your personal tastes.
A pure concentration of balsamic vinegar will be very tart. I’m all for it, but pure tang isn’t for everyone. Depending on what you plan on serving it with, a sweeter flavor might also be ideal.
- Honey and pure maple syrup are great options if you want something refined sugar free.
- Use maple syrup or brown sugar for vegan options.
- Honey/Maple are sweeter to taste than sugar, so use less.
Balsamic Glaze Uses:
- It goes great with number of chicken recipes like this Baked Italian Chicken Breasts with Cherry Tomatoes.
- Replace the regular balsamic vinegar in salads like in: Balsamic Strawberry Chicken Salad or this Tomato Arugula Salad With Walnuts.
- Mix with olive oil and create a dipping sauce for bread, focaccia and flatbreads.
- Drizzle over roasted root vegetables, Brussles Sprouts, Broccoli,
Enjoy!
Let me know if you try making your own simple balsamic glaze recipe! Leave a comment and review with your thoughts. I always appreciate the feedback and serving suggestions that you come up with!
How to Make a Balsamic Glaze (Reduction)
All you need is a small saucepan, balsamic vinegar and about 15 minutes to simmer the vinegar down into a thick and tangy, concentrated balsamic glaze.
Ingredients
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar (240ml)
Instructions
- Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat if needed to maintain a gentle simmer. Let cook about 10-15 minutes or until the vinegar reduces to about half of tis original volume or it has thickened up enough that is coats and sticks to the back of a wooden spoon when stirred. Make sure to stir every so often to keep the bottom from burning. Keep in mind that the vinegar will continue to thicken up even more as it cools.
- Remove the pot from heat and let cool. Serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container for later. Keep stored in the refrigerator until ready to use - up to 2 weeks.
Notes
- The glaze will reduce to about 1/2 cup after simmering. You can scale up the amount as needed to make a large batch - just keep in mind that you will need more time to simmer/thicken.
- Choose balsamic vinegar that's not too expensive, but try to avoid ones with too many extra additives and colorings in the ingredient list.
- Optional Sweeteners: For a sweeter, less tart glaze feel free to add honey, maple syrup or brown sugar. The amount is up to you, but I recommend no more than 1/4 cup honey or maple or up to 1/2 cup brown sugar.
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