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Home » Recipes » Food

Published: Feb 17, 2023, By: Melissa, Updated: Oct 15, 2023

Simple Balsamic Reduction (10 Minute Recipe!)

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This balsamic reduction takes just one ingredient and 10 minutes to make. This delicious balsamic glaze tastes amazing drizzled over fruit, vegetables, pasta, crostini, and meat.

simple balsamic reduction

I love balsamic vinegar! I use it to make macerated Italian strawberries, I add it to my pesto pasta , I even drizzle it over crostini. Balsamic vinegar just makes so many recipes taste even more amazing and it adds such an amazing depth of flavor.

When you reduce balsamic vinegar over medium heat on the stovetop, it produces the most delicious sweet and thick glaze. This deepens the flavors of the balsamic and really elevates the sweet notes of the balsamic vinegar.

Any recipe that calls for balsamic vinegar will get a real flavor boost with this balsamic reduction.

How to make balsamic reduction

You only need one simple ingredient to make this balsamic reduction and that is balsamic vinegar. There is no additional sugar or other ingredients that are necessary.

Here is what it looks like:

  1. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a small saucepan over medium heat.
balsamic vinegar in pan
  1. Bring to a gentle simmer and then reduce heat to medium-low.
  2. Allow the balsamic vinegar to simmer for about 10-15 minutes. This timing will depend on your balsamic vinegar and the type of pan you are using.
reducing balsamic vinegar
  1. Once the balsamic vinegar reduces to about half, remove from the heat and pour into a container to cool.

Tip: You will know when the balsamic is reduced enough when you place a spoon in the vinegar and the balsamic glaze coats the spoon and sticks and the vinegar is reduced by almost half. It will continue to thicken when it cools. If you find you over-reduced your vinegar (too thick), you can add a little more balsamic vinegar to the reduction and mix it well.

Substitutions

For this recipe, I have used a regular balsamic vinegar from Modena which most people are familiar with. There is also a white balsamic vinegar that is available in stores and it can be reduced the same way.

balsamic reduction

Storage

If you do have any leftover, you can store it in an air-tight container in your pantry for quite a while. Much like storing regular vinegar in the pantry, you want to make sure it is not exposed to light or heat during storage.

FAQ

How long does it take to reduce balsamic vinegar?

It will only take about 10-15 minutes to reduce balsamic vinegar over medium heat.

Can you reduce white balsamic vinegar?

Yes, you can. Just follow the same steps that you use to reduce any balsamic vinegar to achieve a white balsamic reduction.

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simple balsamic reduction closeup
Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Balsamic Reduction Recipe

This balsamic reduction takes just one ingredient and 10 minutes to make. This delicious balsamic glaze tastes amazing drizzled over fruit, vegetables, pasta, crostini, and meat.
Cook Time10 minutes mins
Total Time10 minutes mins
Servings: 1 cup
Author: Melissa Oleary

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Balsamic vinegar preferably from Modena.
  • Honey optional. If you prefer a really sweet reduction, add 1 tablespoon of honey.

Instructions

  • Add balsamic to a small sauce over medium heat and bring to simmer. If you prefer a very sweet reduction, add 1 tablespoon of honey (optional).
    2 cups Balsamic vinegar
  • Once simmering, reduce heat to low and cook until the balsamic is reduced by half.
  • Once reduced, pour balsamic into a small bowl and set aside to cool.
  • Once cooled, use over chicken, crostini, fruit or pasta.

Notes

To store:
Store any leftover balsamic reduction in an air tight container in a cool place like the pantry for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 3g | Sodium: 117mg | Potassium: 571mg | Sugar: 76g | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition Values are estimates only.

See full nutrition disclaimer here

Tried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!

Course :entertaining, holidays, sauce, Side Dish

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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  1. Amanda says

    February 23, 2023 at 5:04 pm

    5 stars
    We made this balsamic reduction and it was so good! Very easy in fact I was surprised how fast it happens 🙂
    Thank you for this recipe.

    Reply
    • Melissa says

      February 23, 2023 at 5:05 pm

      Hi Amanda. I am so glad to hear you enjoyed it 🙂 it does cook up really fast!

      Reply

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I am so excited you are here. My name is Melissa and I started this recipe website to share easy recipes that I have been cooking for years. I have written hundreds of easy recipes that are tested and perfected. Some of the recipes I learned during my years of working in restaurants, some from owning my own food company, and others from friends and traveling.

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