A delicious and easy recipe for balsamic reduction sauce. Just like you’d find drizzled over your favorite steak or vegetable in an elegant restaurant. This recipe uses brown sugar and soy sauce to uniquely season the balsamic vinegar to make the best balsamic glaze.
What is Balsamic Glaze?
Balsamic Glaze, also called “balsamic reduction” is simply a reduction of Balsamic Vinegar. Balsamic vinegar is simmered stove top until it has reduced down and thickened to a maple syrup consistency. Reducing balsamic vinegar makes it darker in color and intensified in flavor.
About This Recipe
A few years ago at a highly acclaimed Denver restaurant, I ordered Beef Tagliata, an Italian Steak, which was drizzled with a wonderfully rich balsamic glaze.
One bite and I was inquiring with the waitress about the glaze. She explained that it was not simply a pure balsamic reduction sauce, but a balsamic reduction which included the ingredients of brown sugar and soy sauce to season the vinegar.
It was so delicious, the very next day I went to work in my kitchen to recreate the process.
Making this balsamic glaze recipe or balsamic reduction is easy, I promise! It’s a simple one saucepan project that takes about 20 minutes to complete stovetop.
With just three ingredients, you can have your own little squeeze bottle of this black gold in your refrigerator. And once you learn how to make balsamic reduction, you’ll be drizzling it over everything.
Let’s take a look.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Brown Sugar, Dark or light.
- Soy Sauce
Ingredient Substitutions
Brown Sugar: You can make balsamic reduction with honey or maple syrup.
Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy
This recipe makes about 1/2 cup of Balsamic Glaze. You can double the recipe if you’d like, and increase the cook time to 30 minutes. Here’s how to reduce balsamic vinegar:
- Step 1: Combine vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool.
No. To make Balsamic Glaze, I buy the big bottle of balsamic vinegar from Costco. Or look for a moderately priced balsamic vinegar at the grocery store.
If you’re worried about buying that large bottle from Costco, not to worry, stored in a cool dark place, balsamic vinegar will last up to five years.
Tips for Success
- The more you let the vinegar reduce, the thicker it will be, however, keep a close eye on the vinegar as it nears the end of its cooking time. If you over cook it, it will take on a “burnt” flavor and you’ll have to start over. I’ve never reduced it more than the 20 minute recommended time.
- Let it come to room temperature before trying to drizzle it.
- The balsamic glaze will thicken even more as it cools.
- If the balsamic glaze ends up too thick, add a little water and reheat slowly stovetop.
- You can make a pure balsamic glaze (no soy sauce or brown sugar) just by simmering one cup of balsamic vinegar on low for about 30 minutes or until the vinegar has reduced by about half and thickened.
What To Serve With Balsamic Reduction Sauce
- Our favorite and most traditional way to use Balsamic Reduction is to drizzle it over Beef Tagliata. An Italian steak recipe. And over simple seasoned grilled chicken kabobs as shown above. All you need is a simple green salad for a side.
- We’re very proud of our Palisade Peaches here in Colorado. Simply drizzle a small amount over fresh sliced peaches. Or this Grilled Peach Salad with Arugula and Goat Cheese.
- It’s perfect to drizzle over Caprese Salad.
- Serve it on grilled chicken or seafood such as this Tomato Basil Salmon.
- We love it over steamed or sauteed asparagus or Brussels sprouts.
Storage
- Store Balsamic Glaze in a squeeze bottle in the refrigerator. That way it’s ready to drizzle whenever you’re read to use it. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to four weeks. It’s good on chicken, fish, pork, beef, parmesan cheese, strawberries, ice cream, cheese and more!
Recipe for Balsamic Reduction Sauce
Balsamic glaze may just be the best condiment ever. It’s sweet and tangy flavor goes will with both sweet and savory items. It’s great on vegetables, meat, cheese and even fruit.
Related Recipes
Looking to lose the preservatives in store purchased condiments and make more sauces in your own kitchen? Take a look:
- Quick Red Onion Chutney (great on burgers)
- Sweet Red Wine Vinaigrette Dressing
- Homemade Catalina Dressing
- Homemade Chipotle Mayo
And don’t miss the most popular homemade salad dressing on my site for Creamy Chunky Blue Cheese Dressing. It’s so good, it’s gone viral.
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Balsamic Reduction Sauce (Balsamic Glaze)
Ingredients
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar doesn’t have to be expensive brand
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
Instructions
- Combine vinegar, brown sugar, and soy sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick and syrupy, about 20 minutes. Stir often so the vinegar doesn't burn. Remove from heat and let cool.
Notes
- The more you let it reduce, the thicker it will be, however, keep a close eye on the vinegar as it nears the end of its cooking time. If you over cook it, it will take on a “burnt” flavor and you’ll have to start over. I’ve never reduced it more than the 20 minute recommended time.
- Let it come to room temperature before trying to drizzle it.
- The balsamic glaze will thicken even more as it cools.
- If the balsamic glaze ends up too thick, add a little water and reheat slowly stovetop.
- You can make a pure balsamic glaze (no soy sauce or brown sugar) just by simmering one cup of balsamic vinegar on low for about 30 minutes or until the vinegar has reduced by about half and thickened.
Balsamic Glaze Recipe …It’s What’s for Making Dinner Special.
This Balsamic Reduction Recipe was first published in April of 2011 and updated with better photos and step by step instructions, June 2023.
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
So I tried this but my glaze never thickened up, I’m assuming it’s because of the kind of balsalmic vinegar I have, cause when I used it to marinate my chicken the taste was a lot different then I’m used to. Do you have a favorite brand you like to use?
You know, that might be a good point. I’ve made this several times and usually use Costco brand.
I have seen a similar idea with Honey instead of brown sugar. I will add in the butter idea on my next batch!
Thank you!
Mmmmmm…
I want to run to the kitchen right now and make this! Oh, wait… I need to get the recipe 🙂 Hubby doesn’t like balsamic, so more for me! Yay! I think this would be wonderful over chicken – or anything, really.
After tasting it, I agree, it would be wonderful over about anything. Thanks Karen.
Thanks for the great tip about keeping it in a squirt bottle on hand. I’ll have to do that so it’s ready when I need it.
You’re welcome Chris!
How silly is that brocolli??? I saw a photo of chicken skewers with a completely different sauce and it had the cutest little biased cut chunk of green onions at each end. No green onions, so I tried it with a small chunk of brocolli. Kinda looks pitiful don’t you think??? 🙂 It’s my favorite beef curry for us tonight. One of my favorite recipes that I make alot and have never blogged.
I don’t think it looks pitiful at all – just teasing you. I sure hope you plan to share the curried beef recipe! Being one of your favorites is a pretty darned good endorsement!
What an exquisite photo! I loved the token brocooli. 😛
I clicked over and read that recipe and was very tempted to get up and make it before I even left my comment. (but I’m making a concerted effort to stay on task) Having said that, I am making the asparagus for dinner, but I’ll be trying this glaze on chicken like you did. Yum!!
And by the way, thanks for the compliment on the photo.
Thank you for passing this recipe along! I might make this today. I just picked up some of those clear culinary squeeze bottles and I am dying to fill them up w/something! Beautiful skewer too!
I need more of those plastic squeeze bottles. I only bought one … a DUH
Interesting post on a sauce that I promised myself I would explore soon!
Thanks to Michele, our exploring time has been done for us.
I made a balsamic reduction yesterday and now I absolutely swear that I’m going to use it in place of maple syrup on my pancakes. It’s truly amazing stuff!
I like the way you think…pancakes would be divine.
This I gotta try. I have a bottle of balsamic reduction that I purchased several years ago when I, like you, fell in love with it. I’ve often thought “could I make my own?” but never got around to experimenting with it. Thanks Lea Ann for introducing us to Michele. I’m off now to check out her recipe.
Sam
Michele is very talented. I’m sure you’re going to love her site.
Love the recipe, LeaAnn, thanks! We use balsamic on everything!
I will now too. 🙂
This sounds great Lea Ann. Anything with Balsamic Vinegar I’m surely to love. A favorite local restaurant does a broken Balsamic dressing and like your experience their description sounds so easy but I doubt the results would turn out for me as theirs does. Love that Michele helped out too. Will go look at her site.
We missed you yesterday Toni! As always, thanks for the comment and yes, Michele’s site is a “must visit”
So glad you liked it!
Loved it Michele.
I’m going to have to get a bottle of this in my fridge too! It sounds great.
You definitely need a bottle Karen. How about over stuffed mushrooms? yum
We’re just beginning to appreciate the benefits of a balsamic drizzle – especially Bev – so I believe this is one we’ll have to try out.
So many possibilities for uses. I’ll be making Asparagus very soon.
Crab cakes are tricky for me — I’ve had more bad to mediocre ones than really good ones.
I couldn’t agree more Russ, good ones for me are few and far between.
Awesome! I love a balsamic glaze on berries. Thanks for the link!
I don’t think I’ve ever had it on berries…I think it sounds delicious and can’t wait to get some strawberries in this house.
Hi Lea Ann, Balsamic reduction sauce is heavenly. I make mine with butter (lots of butter) and tilapia. It is unbelievably good. I need to try Michele’s version since I have green asparagus in the fridge. Sorry I missed the meet up today. Kirsten
I bet butter would make it ever that much more heavenly. I’ll be adding some next time I make it. 🙂