25 Balsamic Vinegar Recipes

A simple vinaigrette accentuates the complexity of balsamic vinegar. You don't need the most expensive bottle to make a good balsamic salad dressing, but look for a commercial-grade brand labeled "aceto balsamico di Modena" for the best flavor.

Heat mellows balsamic vinegar, turning it sweet and syrupy. Simmer it on the stovetop for an easy balsamic reduction you can use to glaze a piece of fish, drizzle on roasted vegetables, or surprise your family and friends with an unexpected dessert topping.

To the base of a basic balsamic vinaigrette, you can add sweetness and spice with honey and Dijon mustard, which also give this balsamic honey salad dressing a little heft and helps it adhere to the lettuce better.

Fruit and balsamic pair nicely, and the addition of orange juice to a basic vinaigrette turns it into a crisp splash of flavor. Use vegan orange balsamic vinaigrette to dress a fennel salad or a simple bowl of mesclun.

The sweet-tart flavor and golden color of white balsamic vinaigrette makes it a good choice for dressing salads and vegetables when you want a lighter, brighter floral flavor.

Balsamic vinegar deepens the caramelized effect, giving slow-cooked onions a rich, mellow flavor in a balsamic onion jam perfect for topping burgers, a pork roast, or even just toast.

Honey and figs enhance the inherent sweetness of balsamic vinegar, yielding a jam that pairs well with soft cheeses, summer fruits, yogurt, and freshly baked bread.

Balsamic vinegar takes the flavor of vine-ripened summer tomatoes over the top in this simple balsamic tomato salad recipe you can plate individually or serve in a big bowl.

This Greek watermelon and feta salad stars two of balsamic vinegar's favorite playmates, fruit and soft cheese. The sweet-tart flavor of the balsamic heightens the sweetness of juicy watermelon and the salty bite of feta cheese.

The salty bite of feta cheese balances this sweet and crunchy green salad with dried cranberries and fig balsamic dressing. The use of figs and cranberries gives it a winter holiday air, but you can adapt it to the summer season with chunks of fresh peaches or melon instead.

Picture the base for your favorite pot roast with the flavor power of balsamic vinegar and you will understand the wisdom behind balsamic roasted vegetables. Serve them as a comforting side to any piece of meat.

Add a fresh side to your backyard grill menu with Belgian endives. These compact little heads of lettuce hold together when you slice them in half, making them a good candidate for cooking on the grill. The addition of balsamic vinegar in this recipe for grilled endives adds balancing sweetness to the bitter flavor of the vegetable.

Treviso, a type of bitter radicchio, benefits from a quick flip above an open flame and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Balsamic vinegar adds caramelized crunch to oven-roasted Brussels sprouts, turning this homey vegetable into a certain favorite that complements everything from a chicken breast to a steakhouse-style hunk of beef.

Eggplant may not spring to mind when you think about sides to serve at your next cookout, but this oven-broiled eggplant easily adapts to the grill.

This quick and easy balsamic peppers side dish turns colorful bells into an accompaniment for grilled meat or fish.

Balsamic vinegar plays up the earthy flavor of beets in this recipe for brown-sugar-glazed beets. Serve them chilled on top of a salad or still warm alongside meat and potatoes. Cut into bite-sized chunks, they also make a good appetizer or a topping for a loaf of French bread.

Dependable chicken doesn't always score big for excitement, but you can shake up that perception with balsamic-marinated chicken breasts. Just be sure to plan ahead so they can soak in the flavor-packed marinade for at least an hour.

Luscious cherry preserves and balsamic vinegar add a sweet-tart element to basic barbecue sauce. You can add a fiery kick with optional chipotle pepper chili powder and make this balsamic-cherry BBQ sauce up to five days in advance.

Delicate bay scallops cook in about 5 minutes, so this recipe for seared bay scallops with brown butter emulsion relies on a balsamic vinegar reduction to add complementary flavor without overwhelming the fresh seafood.

This recipe for salmon with citrus-balsamic vinaigrette from the "The Union Square Cafe Cookbook" by Danny Meyer and Michael Romano uses a classic pairing of balsamic vinegar and fruit to add a fresh, tangy flavor to salmon.

Balsamic vinegar adds slow-cooked flavor without much effort to many quick skillet dishes, including these pork chops with balsamic sweet onion sauce.

When you have time to cook a pork loin roast, add a balsamic vinegar-based glaze for deeper flavor and color.

A cooking style rather than a cut of meat, London broil starts with a marinade, in this case built on a foundation of red wine and balsamic vinegar.

The unexpected pairing of strawberries with balsamic and black pepper provides a conversation-starting salad ingredient or dessert topping.