--- title: "Balsamic vinegar: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates" description: "Balsamic vinegar is a dark, sweet Italian vinegar made from grape must. Learn which kind to buy, how to use it and what to swap in." url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/balsamic-vinegar" --- # Balsamic vinegar Balsamic vinegar is a dark, sweet Italian vinegar made from grape must. Learn which kind to buy, how to use it and what to swap in. Also called Balsamic, Aceto balsamico, Balsamic glaze. Balsamic vinegar is a dark, sweet and tangy vinegar from the Modena and Reggio Emilia area of northern Italy. It is made from grape must, which is crushed grape juice with the skins and seeds, cooked down and aged in wooden barrels. The result is less sharp than wine vinegar and has a fruity, slightly caramel taste. ## How to use it * In a [vinaigrette](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/vinaigrette), use 1 part balsamic to 3 parts olive oil with salt and a little mustard. * Drizzle aged balsamic over strawberries, ripe tomatoes, grilled vegetables or shavings of Parmesan. * Add a splash at the end of a tomato sauce or stew to brighten it. * [Reduce](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/reduce) it in a small pan over low heat until it coats a spoon to make a glaze. 250 ml (1 cup) cooks down to about 80 ml (⅓ cup) in 10 to 15 minutes. It thickens more as it cools. ## Substitutes * Red wine vinegar with a pinch of sugar or a few drops of honey per tablespoon. * [Sherry vinegar](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sherry-vinegar), which has the same rounded, aged taste but less sweetness. * For a glaze, [pomegranate molasses](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pomegranate-molasses) gives a similar sweet-sour syrup. ## How to store it Keep it closed in a cool, dark cupboard. Vinegar is acidic enough to keep for years. A little sediment at the bottom is normal. ## Common mistakes * Cooking expensive aged balsamic. Heat drives off what you paid for. Use the cheaper kind for cooking and save the aged one for finishing. * Reducing it over high heat. It can scorch quickly and turn bitter. * Using balsamic where a recipe wants clean [acid](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/acid). Its sweetness and dark color can muddy a light sauce or pickle. ## In recipes There are three main kinds on the shelf. _Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale_ is made only from cooked grape must and aged for at least 12 years. It is thick, sweet and expensive, and used by the drop. _Aceto Balsamico di Modena_ is wine vinegar mixed with grape must and is the everyday kind for dressings and cooking. Balsamic glaze or cream is a thickened, sweetened version sold ready to drizzle. When a recipe just says "balsamic vinegar", it means the everyday Modena kind. ## Recipes that use it 72 recipes from the sites we collect. * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Insalata-Caprese-6.jpg)Caprese Saladwww.skinnytaste.com · 5 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/caprese-salad/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Summer-Pasta-Salad-with-Baby-Greens.jpg)Summer Pasta Salad with Baby Greenswww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/summer-pasta-salad-with-baby-greens/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/grilled-salmon-with-avocado-bruschetta-1-4.jpg)Grilled Salmon Bruschetta with Avocadowww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/grilled-salmon-with-avocado-bruschetta/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Easy-Slow-Cooker-Pork-Roast-with-Mushrooms-and-Polenta-7.jpg)Crock Pot Pork Roast with Mushrooms and Polentawww.skinnytaste.com · 500 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-pork-roast/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Harvest-Salad.jpg)Harvest Kale Salad with Roasted Winter Squashwww.skinnytaste.com · 50 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/harvest-kale-salad-with-roasted-winter-squash/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Grilled-Chicken-Salad-with-Strawberries-and-Spinach-1.jpg)Strawberry Chicken Saladwww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/grilled-chicken-salad-with-strawberries-and-spinach/) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/balsamicchickenandvegetables.jpg)Balsamic Chicken with Roasted Vegetableswww.skinnytaste.com · 30 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/balsamic-chicken-with-roasted/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2020/01/Coq_au_vin-scaled.jpg)Coq au Vinwww.onceuponachef.com · 130 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/coq-au-vin.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/crock-pot-maple-dijon-drumsticks.jpg)Crock Pot Maple Dijon Chicken Drumstickswww.skinnytaste.com · 240 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/crock-pot-maple-dijon-chicken-drumsticks/) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2013/02/balsamic-glazed-roasted-beets-1-1.jpg)Balsamic-Glazed Roasted Beetswww.onceuponachef.com · 45 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/balsamic-glazed-roasted-beets.html) * [![](https://www.onceuponachef.com/images/2011/02/beef-stew-with-carrots-potatoes.jpg)Beef Stewwww.onceuponachef.com · 240 min](https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/beef-stew-with-carrots-potatoes.html) * [![](https://www.skinnytaste.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/Sesame-Tuna-1-7.jpg)Sesame Crusted Tuna Steak on Arugulawww.skinnytaste.com · 20 min](https://www.skinnytaste.com/sesame-crusted-tuna-steak-on-arugula-5/) ## Related terms * [VinaigretteVinaigrette is a dressing of oil and vinegar, usually three parts oil to one part acid, with salt and mustard. It dresses salads, vegetables and grains.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/vinaigrette) * [Sherry vinegarSherry vinegar is a nutty, aged Spanish vinegar made from sherry. It brightens gazpacho, romesco, dressings and pan sauces with a rounded tang.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sherry-vinegar) * [ReduceTo reduce is to simmer or boil a liquid uncovered so water evaporates, leaving a smaller amount that is thicker and more intense in flavor.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/reduce) * [Pomegranate molassesPomegranate molasses is pomegranate juice boiled down to a thick, sweet-sour syrup. It adds tang to dressings, stews, glazes and Middle Eastern dips.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pomegranate-molasses) * [AcidAcid is the sour taste from lemon, vinegar, wine, tomatoes and yogurt. A splash at the end brightens a flat dish and balances salt, fat and sweetness.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/acid) [More in pantry ingredients](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/pantry-ingredients)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)