How To Make Balsamic Glaze
Discover how to make Balsamic Glaze with this easy recipe. Also known as a balsamic reduction which explains how this sweet dressing is made – by reducing balsamic vinegar down to a syrupy sauce to be added to salads, roasted vegetables, and more!
I had been familiar with balsamic reductions from higher-end restaurants that used them to finish off plates like lovely salads, chicken dishes, and more and I wondered how do you make balsamic glaze from scratch?
It turns out, it’s not that difficult!
HOW TO MAKE BALSAMIC GLAZE
Is balsamic glaze the same as balsamic reduction? They are! In this recipe, I don’t use any sweetener because when the vinegar reduces I find it sweet enough, but they are in fact the same thing.
What is balsamic glaze made from? Balsamic glaze is simply balsamic vinegar reduced down to a syrup-like consistency by heating it.
Here is what you need:
- balsamic vinegar
- honey or sugar (totally optional and I mostly make it without)
And that is it!
The whole thing takes about twenty minutes and will really clear out your sinuses if you want a good nasal cleansing. Whew!
Basically, heat the vinegar to a low bubbling boil and stir until it reduces to half the amount. I like to use a whisk and keep stirring at a regular consistent pace so that nothing burns. It takes about twenty minutes but if you use a sweetener like honey or sugar the reducing time will be less. More like eight to ten minutes.
Watch to see when it coats the back of a spoon.
Once the balsamic glaze has reached the desired consistency you will want to remove your pan from the heat and place it on a trivet to cool down. It will reduce more while it cools.
FAQ
Are balsamic vinegar and balsamic glaze the same thing? Nope! The glaze or reduction is a cooked down version.
Heating the vinegar mellows the flavour and changes it from tasting acidic to capturing both a mildly sweet and savoury flavour.
What do you use balsamic glaze for? Use it in a salad dressing, drizzle over chicken or salmon. Balsamic reduction is also ah-mazing over cheese. Goat cheese or perhaps a mozzarella.
Here are some recipes using balsamic glaze:
Is balsamic reduction bad for you? Not if you take it easy on the sweetener. A lot of store-bought products use sugar so I cannot vouch for them. As mentioned before the sweetener in this recipe is optional and if you do use it I recommend a natural source like honey or coconut sugar.
How long does balsamic reduction last? Up to a month.
Should I refrigerate balsamic reduction? It’s not necessary. Store it in a sealed glass jar in a cool, dark spot.
Originally posted November 24, 2014. Updated November 17, 2020.
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How To Make Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey or coconut sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Pour the vinegar (and sweetener if using) into a small saucepan.
- Over medium heat, bring the vinegar to a low boil.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and let the mixture lightly simmer, whisking every couple of minutes to make sure nothing sticks and burns.
- When the vinegar has reduced in half, it should coat a spoon in thickness. If you use just the vinegar this will take about fifteen to twenty minutes. If you used a sweetener it will take less time – about eight to ten minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool down completely.
- Transfer the balsamic glaze to a glass jar with a lid. This will keep stored in a cool, dark spot for up to a month.
I followed this exactly how it says but it came out like rock candy, stuck to our teeth! Had to soak the pan I used overnight to remove the balsamic “candy” . I was very disappointed.. will not be making this again.
This is one of my fave things in this world, Sharon! Especially drizzled over Caprese skewers -yum! But I made it once and my husband (who is not a vinegar guy) told me I could never make it again because it permeated the house and clogged our stove fan. Any tips so I can avoid that next time??
It definitely clears out the sinuses! Our fan doesn’t work already so I don’t have the clogging issue. That is a tough one. You might have to stick with the store bought stuff – or kick the hubby out for the day! haha
I never knew it was this simple to make a balsamic glaze! We love it on salads and roasted veggies. Thanks a tonne for this recipe, Sharon!
Right? Sometimes trying the homemade version will surprise you how easy it is.
Love a good how to. We use balsamic reduction SO much here, it is so good on so many things!
It really is so versatile!!
10/10 i never thought to make my own balsamic reduction but this looks really easy to do. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
So easy!! I love homemade versions. Thanks Nancy.
Super easy!! And kind of satisfying at the same time. 🙂
Fantastic tutorial! So easy to make and yet magical how the balsamic vinegar is transformed.
Total transformation. 🙂 Thanks, Vanessa!
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This is awesome Sharon. I never knew it’s that simple to make balsamic reduction!
Blog glitches and issues are super scary. So glad to hear things are almost fully resolved for you 🙂
I remember when I had the ‘white screen of death,’ I thought all of my hard work went down in the dumps. Thankfully, after hours and hours of research, I fixed the problem.
Oh man, Melissa! Scary is right. I can’t believe you fixed it yourself! Nice one. I tried to remedy it myself, but considering the crash was my own fault (updated a stupid amount of things at once. Don’t recommend) I thought it best to consult an expert. So jealous of other bloggers living with computer whiz husbands. At least mine does dishes! 😉 Thanks.
What a nightmare! I’m glad you were able to fix it though.
I love balsamic reduction too. Although if I’m being honest, I recently cheated and bought a bottle of reduction to save time making it myself. 😛
Ugh. It’s been not fun, for sure. Looks like we may be pretty close to normal again. Phew!
And don’t feel like a cheater! Sometimes store bought is the way to go. I still buy nut butters (I think we had this discussion?) instead of homemade.
Glad the website is back to normal!
Thanks Julie! It’s still a little effed up but fingers crossed it will be back on track soon!