25 Balsamic Vinegar Recipes

A selection of balsamic vinegars in glass bottles — Dana Galagher / Getty Images

A bottle of balsamic vinegar made in the traditional style in Modena, Italy, can run into hundreds of dollars. These top-tier products carry a flavor so complex, with undertones of cherries, chocolate, molasses, and wood smoke, they are best enjoyed by the drizzle on a piece of cheese or fresh fruit or even a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Balsamic vinegar starts with the must (the crushed juice, seeds, skins, and stems) of sweet white grapes, usually the trebbiano variety grown in the Emilia-Romagna region. The must gets cooked down, strained, and aged for up to 12 years in a variety of wooden casks, beginning with oak and progressing through ash, chestnut, juniper, and other types of wood. During this process, the grape juice slowly sweetens and thickens, resulting in balsamic's syrupy characteristic.

The everyday balsamic found in U.S. grocery stores does not follow the same strict production standards, but many brands bottle a perfectly acceptable and affordable stand-in for use in vinaigrettes and cooking, making it a versatile pantry staple.

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Balsamic Salad Dressing―Basic and Simple

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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.
02 of 25

Easy Balsamic Reduction

The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

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.
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Balsamic Honey Salad Dressing

The Spruce / Molly Watson

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.
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Vegan Orange Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

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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.

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White Balsamic Vinaigrette

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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.
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Balsamic Onion Jam

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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.
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Fig Jam With Wine and Balsamic Vinegar

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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.
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Balsamic Tomato Salad

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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.

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Greek Watermelon and Feta Salad

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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.
10 of 25

Green Salad With Dried Cranberries and Fig Balsamic Dressing

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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.
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Balsamic Roasted Vegetables

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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.
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Grilled Endives With Garlic and Balsamic Vinegar

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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.

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Grilled Treviso

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Treviso, a type of bitter radicchio, benefits from a quick flip above an open flame and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
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Easy Oven-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Balsamic Vinegar

The Spruce

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.
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Oven-Broiled Eggplant With Balsamic Vinegar and Garlic

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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.
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Balsamic Peppers Side Dish

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

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17 of 25

Balsamic- and Brown-Sugar-Glazed Beets

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

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.
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Balsamic-Marinated Chicken Breasts

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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.
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Balsamic-Cherry BBQ Sauce for Chicken

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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.
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Seared Bay Scallops With Brown Butter Emulsion

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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.

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Salmon With Citrus-Balsamic Vinaigrette

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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.
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Pork Chops With Balsamic Sweet Onion Sauce

The Spruce / Diana Rattray

Balsamic vinegar adds slow-cooked flavor without much effort to many quick skillet dishes, including these pork chops with balsamic sweet onion sauce.
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Pork Loin Roast With Balsamic Vinegar and Brown Sugar Glaze

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

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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.

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Strawberries With Balsamic Black Pepper

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

How Do You Select and Store Balsamic Vinegar?