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How to make homemade Balsamic Glaze or reduction in minutes with just one ingredient!
Balsamic glaze (also known as balsamic reduction) is so easy to make in your very own kitchen. Balsamic vinegar cooks down and transforms into a much-loved condiment you can drizzle over anything. Chicken, fish, salad, pasta, bruschetta, steak, vegetables, fruit – the options are endless!
Turn any regular dish into something restaurant quality with a rich balsamic glaze.
BALSAMIC GLAZE
With a perfect balance of sweet and tangy, balsamic glaze adds a deep, rich colour and flavour to any recipe. Whether you pop it on a Caprese Salad with Avocado or drizzle it over Italian Herb Bruschetta, it elevates every dish it touches. Make a large batch and store it in the refrigerator for when the craving hits. Once you try it, you’ll be adding this reduction to everything you cook!
HOW TO MAKE BALSAMIC GLAZE
Start with a good quality balsamic. Classic balsamic vinegar comes from the Modena and Reggio Emilia areas in Italy. If you look at all of the different types available in your store, you will see the area each vinegar was made in, marked on the labels.
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. However, balsamic vinegar on its own turns into a sweet syrup as it reduces.
The time it takes your balsamic glaze to reduce will vary based on the quality of the vinegar you’re using. Generally, the good-quality vinegars cook down a little faster than watered down, cheaper vinegars.
If you like a hint of extra sweetness and the flavour of molasses, add a little brown sugar as it cooks down.
WHAT DOES BALSAMIC GLAZE TASTE LIKE?
A sweet and tangy syrup that you only need a small amount of, depending on the recipe you are using it for. It is quite an intense flavour, so start adding it slowly.
WHAT SHOULD BALSAMIC GLAZE LOOK LIKE?
The vinegar needs to reduce to half. It becomes glossy and needs to be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Glaze should be pourable; a similar consistency to warm honey.
It is important to note that glaze continues to thicken while it cools. Take it off the heat immediately to let it cool.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE BALSAMIC GLAZE
Pour it out into a clean glass jar or dressing bottle and refrigerate for up to a month.
Make a larger batch than the recipe calls for if you need a lot of it, or halve it.
WHAT GOES WITH BALSAMIC GLAZE
Caprese Stuffed Avocado
Stuffed Mushrooms
Caprese Stuffed Balsamic Chicken
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
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Balsamic Glaze (Reduction)
Ingredients
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar good quality
- 1/2 cup brown sugar optional
Instructions
- Heat balsamic vinegar in a small pot or saucepan over medium heat. *If adding sugar, combine both into the pot and heat together.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to medium-low heat and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vinegar thickens and is reduced to about 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.*If simmering with sugar, it will take about 8-10 minutes to reduce.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before serving (about 15 minutes).
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! I had mine in the oven for about 40 mins total. The balsamic glaze is a nice touch. I highly recommend trying this!
Yum! This recipe is so delicious and easy to make. Definitely worth the extra time to make it! I hope that you don’t mind that I linked your recipe to my blog article on stuffed portobello mushrooms with a balsamic glaze! (simplywanderfull.com)
I ran across a store in Creede, Colorado (of all places) that imported specialty vinegars and olive oils from all over the world. They sold infused vinegars and oils as well as house blended oils. The fantastic thing about this place was that they offered small samples of everything they sold. They had little chunks of bread available for dipping. I was looking at a “TRADITIONAL 18 YEAR BALSAMIC” from Modena, Italy that was wooden cast aged. The shelf label said that it was so smooth you could sip it after dinner. I thought “Ok. I need to give THAT one a try.” One of the salespeople drew a little cup of it for me and I sipped dubiously. The label was COMPLETELY CORRECT! The balsamic was thick and sweet and incredible. I bought a bottle along with a white balsamic and several oils. I think I went back to get something else almost every day. My husband was thrilled the day we left.
The balsamic vinegars were $20 a piece for 375ML and I paid it gladly. I was super stingy with it when we got back home and I almost cried when it was gone. I bought some aged balsamic at another specialty store while we were in Jackson, Wyoming but it wasn’t even close to as good. They even bottled it on site for me and sealed it with hot wax. Nice touch, but I’m going to have to break down and order some from the Creede Olive Oil Company. I’m just waiting until I run out of the other stuff so the shipping will be a bit more palatable. BTW: The traditional balsamic was to die for drizzled over watermelon with feta crumbles!
I just made this to go over roasted Brussel sprouts and it was easy, and so delicious. I’m going to get a Costco sized bottle of balsamic vinegar so I can make a big pot of it. Thank you for sharing!
A visiting chef at the Del Mar Fair showed me how to make this years ago. I drizzle it over salmon on a bed of fresh baby spinach. Delicious!! Your recipe is spot on!!
If it only needs reduced to half, how come out of two cups you only end up with half a cup.