Ready to use

Traditional balsamic vinegar poured into a white ceramic bowl, showing its deep mahogany color and slow-dripping, syrupy consistency.

Demonstrates the definitive visual characteristics of balsamic vinegar — its dark color, syrupy body, and slow-flowing viscosity — that distinguish it from other vinegars.

Vinegars

Balsamic Vinegar

Dark, syrupy vinegar with sweet-tart depth for glazing

Mellow, sweet, and complex, balsamic reduces to a glossy glaze and lifts roasted vegetables, strawberries, and a sharp salad. A little brings a lot; store it at room temperature.

Balsamic vinegar is the sweet-and-sour jewel of Modena, made from cooked-down grape must rather than wine. Traditional balsamic (Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale) is aged for years to decades in a series of wooden casks, growing thick, glossy, and complex — syrupy with notes of fig, cherry, and molasses. Most supermarket bottles are 'balsamic vinegar of Modena,' a younger, more affordable blend of wine vinegar and grape must, still wonderful for everyday drizzling, glazing, and dressing.

Measured in: ml
Storage: Room Temperature

Allergens

Sulfites

Find it in

Oils Vinegars

Types & varieties

Tradizionale (DOP), aged 12–25+ years

Thick, precious, costly; finish dishes by the drop.

Balsamic Vinegar of Modena (IGP)

The common, affordable everyday bottle.

Balsamic glaze / reduction

Thickened and sweetened, ready to drizzle.

White balsamic

Pale and milder; keeps light dishes from browning.

Traditional Balsamic (DOP)

Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale aged in wood casks for 12 to 25 years, thick, syrupy, and intensely sweet-tart. A finishing drizzle for cheese, strawberries, or grilled meats, never for cooking down.

How to choose

For salads and cooking, a mid-range 'Balsamic Vinegar of Modena IGP' is ideal. Save expensive aged Tradizionale for finishing — over strawberries, Parmesan, or grilled meat — where its syrupy depth isn't lost to heat.

How to use

Whisk it into vinaigrettes, reduce it to a glaze, or drizzle it straight. Reducing cheap balsamic over low heat concentrates its sweetness into a glossy syrup.

Vinaigrette with olive oil and mustard
Reduced into a glaze for vegetables and meat
Drizzled over strawberries or Parmesan
Deglazing a pan for sauce

Common uses

Vinaigrettes and salad dressingsGlazes for roasted vegetables and meatsDrizzling over strawberries and stone fruitCaprese salad with tomato and mozzarellaDeglazing pans for quick saucesMarinades for chicken and porkFinishing grilled vegetables and aged cheese

Tips & pitfalls

Reduce inexpensive balsamic over low heat to make a luxe-tasting glaze.
A few drops of aged balsamic on strawberries or vanilla ice cream is transformative.
Don't waste pricey Tradizionale in a cooked sauce — finish with it instead.
Pair it with sweet, fatty, or salty foods to show off its balance.

Nutrition

88kcal

Energy

368 kJ · per 100 g

Where the calories come from

Protein 3%Carbs 97%Fat 0%

Protein

0.5g

1% DV

Carbs

17g

6% DV

Fat

0% DV

Sugars

15g

of which

Sodium

23mg

1% DV

Notable micronutrients

Iron4% DV

Magnesium3% DV

Calcium2% DV

Phosphorus2% DV

Potassium2% DV

Zinc1% DV

Source · USDA FoodData Central · Vinegar, balsamic

View on FDC →

In the shops

Matched grocery products

Apple Balsamic Vinegar
BORGES · l · Bonpreu
€2.39
Modena Balsamic Vinegar
BONPREU · l · Bonpreu
€1.29
Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar
BORGES · kg · Bonpreu
€3.30
BORGES Basil Balsamic Vinegar
BORGES · l · Bonpreu
€2.39
Borges White Balsamic Vinegar
BORGES · l · Bonpreu
€2.39
Borges Modena Balsamic Vinegar
BORGES · l · Bonpreu
€2.39

Good to know

Flavor: Sweet-tart, mellow, notes of fig, cherry, caramel
Acidity: ~6% (commercial); traditional is rounder
Made from: Cooked grape must, barrel-aged
Best for: Dressings, glazes, drizzling, reductions
How to store: Room temperature, away from light
Shelf life: Years; quality holds well sealed

Substitutes

Red wine vinegar + honey — Mimic the sweet-tart balance in dressings.
Sherry vinegar + a pinch sugar — Nutty depth with added sweetness.
Balsamic glaze — For drizzling and finishing only.

Pairs with

Olive oilStrawberriesTomatoes Parmesan Basil Mozzarella Honey Arugula

Also called

vinagre balsámico

White Vinegar

Sharp, clean acidity for pickling, brightening, and cleaning

Apple Cider Vinegar

Fruity, mellow vinegar for dressings, brines, and slaws

Red Wine Vinegar

Bold, tangy vinegar for vinaigrettes and marinades

Rice Vinegar

Mild, slightly sweet vinegar for sushi rice and dressings

Chinkiang Black Vinegar

Malty, smoky aged Chinese rice vinegar with low sharpness; the tang behind dumpling dips and red-braises—stir in at the end so its mellow aroma is not boiled away.

Sherry Vinegar

Barrel-aged Spanish vinegar, nutty and rounded with raisin notes; brightens gazpacho, pan sauces, and vinaigrettes without the harsh bite of plain wine vinegar.

White Wine Vinegar

Bright, mild wine vinegar for vinaigrettes, beurre blanc, hollandaise, and quick pickles where you want acidity without the harsh bite of distilled white vinegar.

Malt Vinegar

Dark, malty barley vinegar with a robust toasty tang — the classic splash for fish and chips, chip-shop chips, and British pickled onions and chutneys.