How to Make Balsamic Glaze worth repeating

Want a finishing touch that will elevate your dish and add so much flavor? Follow these simple steps for how to make balsamic glaze and elevate meat and seafood dishes, pizzas, and salads, and more!

In many fine dining restaurants, you'll find some of the most tasty dishes elevated even further by a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

The rich, thick sauce adds so much umami, tangy flavor to so many different dishes. We love to add it onto our chicken pesto flatbread pizza, bruschetta chicken, and caprese crostini.

And it's such an simple recipe to make at home!

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🌟 Why this recipe works

Making balsamic glaze from scratch couldn't be simpler. And there are so many reasons why you'll love it.

This simple recipe:

is simple to make
can be made in less than 30 minutes
adds intense flavor to so many different dishes
stays fresh in the refrigerator for up to two weeks
adds a professional touch to any dish. And simple way to enhance your food presentation and impress guests!

🛒 Ingredient notes

You only need two simple ingredients to make this at home:

Balsamic vinegar – If you have a good quality balsamic like balsamic vinegar of Modena, that arguably has the most complex flavor and makes the best balsamic glaze. But use your best quality balsamic vinegar that you have or that you can find at your local grocery store.
Brown sugar – use packed light brown sugar.

✅ Step-by-step instructions

Can't believe it's simple to make this at home? Check out these step-by-step photos and see simply how simple it is to make this homemade balsamic glaze recipe from scratch! Then find the ingredient measurements and more detailed instructions in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the brown sugar.

3. Whisk and bring the mixture to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce to low heat and bring to a gentle simmer for 20-30 minutes, whisking every once in a while.
5. Once the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon (it will be slightly reduced), remove from the heat and allow to cool down to room temperature.

Then pour into a container and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to use the good stuff!

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

Can We use dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar?

While you can make this substitution, dark brown sugar contains more molasses and will thicken up faster. So you'll simply need to watch it and likely take it off the heat sooner. It will also have a much richer, more caramelized, sweet flavor than if you used light brown sugar.

How long will homemade balsamic glaze keep in the refrigerator?

Stored properly in an airtight container like a mason jar, your balsamic glaze will stay fresh in the fridge for up to two weeks.

🍽 Balsamic glaze uses

One great thing about this yummy glaze is how many different ways you can use it! Here are a few ideas of our favorite ways to use balsamic glaze to inspire you:

Drizzle over steak crostini, salmon crostini, classic tomato bruschetta, or mushroom crostini.
Add a light drizzle of glaze to barbecue chicken flatbread pizza or prosciutto flatbread.
Add to olive oil for an olive oil & balsamic glaze dressing for salads.
Drizzle over steak bites, pork belly bites, or chicken thighs.
Add a pop of flavor of vegetables like air fryer broccoli, sautéed peppers and onions, or grilled asparagus.
Drizzle over caprese salads like this corn and quinoa caprese salad or melon and prosciutto caprese salad.
It's also great drizzled over vanilla ice cream, and over fresh fruit desserts! Try it on strawberry spoon cake, air fryer peaches, or air fryer pineapple.

🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment

Ready to make this simple balsamic glaze recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you'll need:

Small saucepan
Whisk

More sauces, glazes, and seasonings

Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you truly loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!