SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (2024)

If you love a good balsamic glaze, you are going to go gaga over this cherry balsamic sauce!

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (1)

What's In This Article

Cherries in my Sauce?

Yep, cherries in your sauce. We were visiting the beach this summer and sought out some dry packed scallops at a local seafood joint. They also has local sauces. It reminded me of my blueberry balsamic, just with cherries.

I picked up a jar of onion jam and cherry balsamic sauce to pair with the scallops and headed on my merry way.

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (2)

But long after the bottle was emptied I kept obsessing. I love balsamic glaze and I love cherries. The chunky sauce was a match made in my own personal flavor heaven.

I needed more.

Simple Sauce

My initial inclination was to just add cherries to my already awesome balsamic sauce, but I did a quick rudimentary search on Google first to see what others were up to.

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (3)

I was actually kind of shocked to see what was being added. Bold flavors like Dijon mustard and oregano. Didn’t sweet cherries and tart vinegar have enough of a flavor profile to give your tongue a nice zing? One would think…

So I went back to the original plan. Cherries + basic sauce recipe.

Cherries

This happened to fall during fresh cherry season. A time of the year when I need a line item budget just to cover the cost of my pound-per-day cherry addiction.

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (4)

I like bing cherries, but you can also use tart cherries if you prefer.

I do highly suggest using a pitter to save time. This is one of those gadgets I thought was a waste until I actually had one and now can’t think of doing without.

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (5)

Fresh Cherries vs Frozen Cherries

If your cherry balsamic sauce making doesn’t happen to fall in the short window of cherry season, feel free to use frozen cherries.

Thaw first and then drain well. Any excess water could result in extra time simmering in order to get the signature syrupy sauce.

To Blend, Or Not To Blend

Some people are really opposed to a chunky sauce. Doesn’t bother me- in fact, I like it when it has a little volume and substance.

Because of this, I chop my cherries well and then the simmering does its thing and I am all good.

But if you need a smoother sauce, feel free to give it a few quick blitzes with an immersion blender or run it through a fine mesh sieve.

How to Make Cherry Balsamic Sauce

First, you’ll need your basic ingredients.

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (6)
  • Balsamic Vinegar– Don’t waste your money on the good, aged stuff for this recipe. Stick with the cheapest you can find.
  • Sugar– While you could wait a long time for the whole sauce to caramelize and get sweet on its own, adding sugar speeds the process along.
  • Water– Adding water gives the vinegar and the cherries time to cook and break down without burning.
  • Cherries– As discussed above, use tart or sweet, fresh or frozen. Your call!
  • Salt– I like a coarse salt because it is less salty. You’ll need just enough to bring the sweet and savory into balance. If you plan to further salt the dish you are topping, then this can be omitted.

All you need to do is combine ingredients and simmer!

Ways to Use Cherry Balsamic Sauce

Now that I’ve sold you on the sauce, you are probably wondering what to use it on. Good questions!

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (7)

What can’t you use it on is really the question. So far I’ve used this on:

  • Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts
  • Grilled Chicken
  • Seared Scallops
  • Vanilla Ice Cream

And I plan to use it on a lot more! Anything I can think of, really.

Variations

While I like the basic cherry balsamic sauce, you can customize it for specific dishes or just to give it your own twist.

Here are a few ideas:

  • Fresh herbs– chopped rosemary, thyme or sage
  • Dijon Mustard– just a dab will do the trick
  • Freshly ground pepper– Just a few twists
  • Brown Sugar– to add molasses notes
SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (8)

More homemade sauce recipes:

  • Balsamic Thyme Blueberry Sauce
  • EASY Yum Yum Sauce
  • Tartar Sauce Recipe
  • Balsamic Cherry Ham Glaze
  • Wojapi Sauce

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette

5 from 33 votes

Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette is a simple and tasty salad dressing perfect for any occasion and all salads! Make ahead and keep in the refrigerator.

See The Recipe!

Balsamic co*cktail Sauce

4.34 from 6 votes

A sweet and spicy twist on classic co*cktail sauce. Perfect for shrimp and anything else you'd need a zesty dipping sauce for.

See The Recipe!

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (11)

Cherry Balsamic Sauce

4.50 from 36 votes

With only 4 simple ingredients, this EASY Cherry Balsamic Sauce is perfect for topping chicken, veggies and even vanilla ice cream!

Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 40 minutes mins

Servings: 1 cups

Print RecipePin Recipe SaveRate this Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1 cup cherries , pitted and coarsely chopped
  • pinch coarse Kosher salt

Instructions

  • In a small saucepan, combine balsamic vinegar, sugar, cherries and water. Bring to a low simmer.

  • Simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.

  • When sauce has reduced, remove from heat and stir in a pinch of coarse Kosher salt. Sauce won’t be the texture of syrup yet- it will still be a little runny, that is normal.

  • Set aside to cool and thicken.

  • When cooled, feel free to use!

  • If you’ve tried this recipe, come back and let us know how it was in the comments or ratings!

Notes

For a smooth sauce, use an immersion blender, food processor or drain through a fine mesh sieve.

Nutrition

Calories: 358 kcal, Carbohydrates: 78 g, Protein: 3 g, Fat: 1 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Sodium: 62 mg, Potassium: 592 mg, Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 68 g, Vitamin A: 88 IU, Vitamin C: 10 mg, Calcium: 87 mg, Iron: 2 mg

Author: Jessica Formicola

Calories: 358

Course: Condiment

Cuisine: American

Keyword: balsamic cherry sauce, balsamic galze, balsamic sauce

Did you make this recipe?I’d love to see your recipes – snap a picture and mention @savoryexperiments or tag #savoryexperiments!

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients! (2024)

FAQs

SIMPLE Cherry Balsamic Sauce Recipe - With Only 4 Ingredients!? ›

Traditional balsamic vinegar is made only with one ingredient — "grape must" (in Italian, "mosto"), the sweet juice of freshly pressed grapes — that is boiled to a concentrate, fermented and acidified, and aged for 12 to 25 years or longer in wood barrels.

How to make balsamic vinegar? ›

Traditional balsamic vinegar is made only with one ingredient — "grape must" (in Italian, "mosto"), the sweet juice of freshly pressed grapes — that is boiled to a concentrate, fermented and acidified, and aged for 12 to 25 years or longer in wood barrels.

Can I sub Worcestershire for balsamic vinegar? ›

Hard to spell, easy to use, Worcestershire sauce is another common ingredient you can use as a one-to-one replacement for balsamic vinegar in small amounts.

What is balsamic reduction made of? ›

It's a simple process of cooking down lower-quality balsamic vinegar to concentrate its flavor and texture. The result is sweeter (without being cloying, like most glazes) and the right kind of syrupy.

What should be the first ingredient in balsamic vinegar? ›

Tip #1: Read Your Labels. If the first ingredient in your bottle of balsamic vinegar is red wine vinegar, the product will actually be much more acidic and thinner than the sweeter vinegar we think of as balsamic. Instead, the first ingredient in a bottle of good balsamic vinegar should be cooked grape must.

What ingredients are in the best balsamic vinegar? ›

Good quality balsamic vinegar will have its ingredients listed as “Grape must, tradizionale'. This means that it has been aged for at least 12 years, and the vinegar will thick and sweet. Cheaper vinegar will be combined with a wine vinegar, caramel, flavourings and other ingredients.

Can I make my own balsamic vinegar? ›

You can use the following materials to make your own balsamic vinegar:
  1. Trebbiano grape, for the real balsamico.
  2. other grapes.
  3. Fruit wine from other fruits.
  4. Fruit juice.

How much balsamic vinegar should I use? ›

Determining How Much Balsamic Vinegar a Day is Right For You

When trying to figure out how much balsamic vinegar a day is the best amount for your personal use, you can begin by picking one recipe per day that utilizes balsamic vinegar. Start small, then slowly work your way up to a tablespoon or two per day.

What can I substitute for balsamic sauce? ›

For every 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, substitute 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus ½ tsp. sugar.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of balsamic? ›

Using apple cider or red wine in your substitute will help to give it some of the fruitiness and tanginess that balsamic vinegar is known for. Use your substitute in place of one tablespoon of balsamic vinegar. Double or triple the amount, if your recipe calls for more. This sub is easy to scale to your needs.

Can I substitute lemon juice for balsamic vinegar? ›

To create a condiment akin to balsamic vinegar, mix equal parts lemon juice, soy sauce, and molasses. Whisk vigorously so the molasses is fully incorporated, and voilà! You've got a bright, tangy swap for balsamic vinegar.

Do you have to refrigerate balsamic vinegar? ›

While refrigeration after opening is required for many pantry staples, it is not necessary for balsamic vinegar. Putting the balsamic vinegar in the fridge can potentially cause condensation to form on the inside of the bottle, diluting the flavor.

Why is balsamic so expensive? ›

It takes 12 years to make the best, aceto balsamico tradizionale (traditional balsamic vinegar), and at least 25 to make the finest, extra Vecchio. Because of traditional balsamic vinegar's painstaking artisanal production process, supplies are limited, and it tends to be rather pricey.

Can balsamic vinegar go bad? ›

We can say that aged balsamic vinegar has an indefinite shelf life. However, it would be convenient to use the product once opened, within two to three years, and the one that has yet to be opened, within five years. After that time, its color may change, and the flavor will no longer be as bright and fresh as before.

Can I make balsamic vinegar at home? ›

Red wine vinegar is pretty easy to make from red wine. But balsamic vinegar is made from a syrup that's fermented and aged very slowly. If you want to make balsamic at home, you'll need to get some Italian grapes like Trebbiano, Ancellotta or Lambrusco—which, interestingly, are all white wine grapes.

What is a substitute for balsamic vinegar? ›

For every 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar, substitute 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus ½ tsp. sugar.

What makes balsamic vinegar different from regular vinegar? ›

Balsamic vinegar is made from unfermented grape juice, while red wine vinegar is made from fermented red wine. This difference in production process results in two very different flavors. Balsamic vinegar has a sweet, fruity flavor, while red wine vinegar has a sour, acidic taste.

What is the mother of the balsamic vinegar? ›

Mother of vinegar is a biofilm composed of a form of cellulose, yeast, and bacteria that sometimes develops on fermenting alcoholic liquids during the process that turns alcohol into acetic acid with the help of oxygen from the air and acetic acid bacteria (AAB).

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Last Updated:

Views: 6148

Rating: 5 / 5 (70 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: The Hon. Margery Christiansen

Birthday: 2000-07-07

Address: 5050 Breitenberg Knoll, New Robert, MI 45409

Phone: +2556892639372

Job: Investor Mining Engineer

Hobby: Sketching, Cosplaying, Glassblowing, Genealogy, Crocheting, Archery, Skateboarding

Introduction: My name is The Hon. Margery Christiansen, I am a bright, adorable, precious, inexpensive, gorgeous, comfortable, happy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.