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
Balsamic Glaze (Reduction)
Ingredients
- 2 cups balsamic vinegar good quality
- ½ 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 ½ 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).
Tyler Tapia says
Made homemade pizza, I did a Caprese pizza. After I took it out of the oven I finished it off by Drizzling this over the top! It was amazing and now I have a great Balsamic Glaze/Reduction on hand!
Thanks for the help
Patrick Ford says
I used an inexpensive store brand balsamic and it took much longer to reduce. In the end it still tasted pretty good, but next time I’ll use a much higher quality to start with.
Pam says
These are the most delicious, yummy brussels sprouts EVER. I can eat the whole batch for dinner. Going to share for Thanksgiving..Guess will have to double the recipe!
Kelly Champion says
Is the cooking time the same for using honey?
Anon says
Honey is more liquid than brown/dry sugar so I assume/educated guess it would take the 20 minutes stated for vinegar as it is 🙂
Amanda Hassall says
It’s just delicious
How long can you store in the fridge and can you reheat it please?
Keith baker says
Doesn’t need refrigerated. The high acid content of vinegar keeps it from spoiling. We have a bottle of high quality Italian commercial glaze that we opened about 6 years ago and some some of it is still sitting on a shelf in the cabinet. Since it was aged 6 years before it was sold, another 6 years of aging might be making it better.
Anon says
I read on google that it keeps in the fridge for a month. Back of the fridge is better than the door to keep it cold as possible. And I can’t see why it wouldn’t reheat, best to use a small pan/low heat to stop it burning, and adding a touch of water would help with the burning issue too 🙂
Kris L. says
For up to 1 month in a tightly covered glass jar and yes you can reheat it
Jayne Hughes says
This was soooo good. Did not add any sugar. Incredibly easy. We used it to drizzle over our blue cheese dressing on a salad. Totally calms the blue cheese. Can’t wait to try it on other dishes.
V says
Perfect! I had just ordered a pizza and was thinking how good it would be a nice drizzle. This was fast and easy and just what I needed.
Chris says
This has always been my go-to condiment to put on a pizza with some dried Italian herbs. Simply amazing!
Mac says
Thank you! I used the brown sugar because I wanted balsamic glazed brussel sprouts but my family is less into vinegar than I am. The glaze was such a hit my 9 year old added it to his salmon, too!
Monique Kauffman says
Thank you so much for posting this! I made it tonight using about 1/3 cup of “Truvia’s Brown Sugar Blend” and it turned out great!
Pat says
Worked perfect! I made it without added sugar as I lean more towards tart flavors.