Keto Balsamic Glaze is a quick and easy condiment that adds flavor to your favorite dishes without extra sugar or carbs. With just two ingredients and 15 minutes, you can have a delicious glaze that’s perfect for salads, meats, vegetables, and more. Double the recipe to have plenty to use throughout the week for your favorite dishes.
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Is Balsamic Glaze Keto?
Make balsamic glaze by gently simmering balsamic vinegar with a sweetener and reducing it into a thick, syrupy sauce. Most often, balsamic reduction is served as a topping or condiment for dishes like salads, meats, vegetables, and fruits.
Traditional balsamic glaze is made with sugar, which produces a glaze high in carbohydrates and is, therefore, unsuitable for those following a ketogenic diet.
This low-carb balsamic glaze recipe uses a sugar substitute to reduce the carb count, making it a popular option for those who adhere to the keto diet. The great thing is that this easy condiment still provides that tangy and sweet flavor that traditional balsamic glaze does but without the added sugar and carbs.
So if you’re looking for something to dress up your low-carb meals, try this sugar-free balsamic glaze. I promise you won’t miss the extra carbs.
Besides, store-bought balsamic glazes can often be expensive, especially those that are tailored to a specific diet. This recipe allows you to make a batch at home with just a few simple ingredients, saving you time and money while providing a healthier and more customizable option.
How to Make a Keto Balsamic Glaze
Gather two basic ingredients, and you’re halfway to making a delightful keto balsamic glaze in just 15 minutes.
This glaze comes together quickly in a pot over medium heat. Watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. The 15 minutes spent on this condiment will be worth it when you can easily add flavor and texture to your meals with a simple drizzle of this glaze.
Ingredients
- Balsamic vinegar – provides the base flavor for the glaze; check the ingredient list to avoid added sugars and concentrated grape juice.
- Granular keto sweetener – this sugar substitute is used to reduce the carbohydrate content making this an excellent keto condiment.
Substitutions and Variations
Customizing condiments to fit your taste exactly is the greatest benefit of making recipes at home. This glaze is no different. You can easily adjust the sweetness of the glaze to your taste by adding more or less sweetener.
Furthermore, you can change the flavors by switching up the vinegar and sweetener. Check out these options:
- Balsamic vinegar: You can use other types of vinegar, such as apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, if you prefer a different flavor profile or if balsamic vinegar is not available.
- Granular keto sweetener: Other sugar substitutes, such as monk fruit sweetener and stevia can be used instead. Additionally, you can use powdered sweetener but use only half of the amount called for in the recipe.
This healthy balsamic glaze is already naturally keto, dairy-free, gluten-free, low-oxalate, and paleo. Most diets focusing on whole unprocessed foods will find this glaze compliant with the exception of GAPS and Whole30.
- GAPS: Swap out the low-carb sweetener for honey and ensure that the balsamic vinegar doesn’t have added sugars. Keep in mind using honey increases the carbs and won’t be keto.
- Whole30: Substitute sugar-free sweetener with a compliant sweetener like date paste. Please note, the recipe is no longer keto if you use date paste.
Step-By-Step Directions
Follow these simple directions, and you can’t go wrong! Add the ingredients into a small saucepan and let it gently simmer away to a beautiful and rich glaze.
This recipe takes just 15 minutes and makes about one-half cup of glaze, so you’ll have plenty to use as a topping throughout the week. You’ll have to give it a few minutes to cool before using it so it thickens and firms up even more.
Step one: Whisk
In a small saucepan, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and sweetener. Adjust the sweetness of the glaze to your liking by adding more or less sweetener.
Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the glaze from burning.
Step two: Simmer
Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer the glaze, stirring occasionally, until it has thickened and reduced by about half. This should take about 15 minutes.
Be very careful not to simmer the glaze on too high of heat as it can burn. Unfortunately, you can’t restore burnt vinegar, and you’ll have to start all over. Stirring constantly over low heat will help prevent the glaze from burning and boiling over.
Step Three: Cool
Remove the glaze from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before using. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so you won’t see the final texture yet.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Reheat the glaze in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave before using it again if it is too thick for your liking.
Nutritional Info
There are 16 (one-half tablespoon) servings of this keto balsamic glaze with a total yield of one-half cup.
The number of carbs in balsamic glaze can vary depending on the ingredients used. Traditional balsamic glaze can have up to nine grams of carbs per serving but this low-carb version clocks in at only three net carbs.
Each serving contains:
- 14 calories
- 3 g total carbs
- 3 g net carbs
Please note that the nutritional value will change if you substitute ingredients. Use a nutrition app of your choice to recalculate and reflect any changes.
Balsamic Reduction FAQ
Like most vinegar, balsamic vinegar on keto diet is allowed as long as there are no added sugars or concentrated grape juice. It’s important to check the ingredient label to make sure keto compliant ingredients are included.
Balsamic glaze is a reduction of balsamic vinegar and sweetener. The consistency is that of a thick syrup. Balsamic vinegar is thinner and runnier and doesn’t tend to stick to your foods as glaze does. If desired, you can use them interchangeably as toppings, but in recipes, they will work differently.
The homemade balsamic glaze will last for up to two weeks in the refrigerator when stored properly.
Store balsamic glaze in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before serving. Alternatively, you can reheat the glaze in a small saucepan over low heat or in the microwave before using it if it is too thick to serve from the container.
You can freeze balsamic glaze in an airtight container or a freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to three months. Before freezing, allow the glaze to completely cool down to room temperature. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently to restore its texture and consistency. It’s important to note that freezing may cause the glaze to separate and may lose the original texture, but it’s still safe to consume and use in recipes.
What to Serve with Balsamic Glaze
Balsamic glaze is a versatile condiment that can be served with a variety of dishes. Here are some ideas for what to serve with balsamic glaze:
- Grilled meats like steak, pork, or grilled chicken. Drizzle it over the meat before serving for added flavor.
- Vegetables like roasted asparagus or Brussels sprouts, and grilled zucchini are delicious options. Cook the vegetables ahead of time and drizzle the glaze over them before serving.
- Salads can be dressed with balsamic glaze. Mix it with olive oil and a little Dijon mustard for a tangy vinaigrette.
- Caprese salad is a classic choice for balsamic glaze. This salad features sliced tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil. Drizzle the glaze over the top just before serving.
- Fruit like strawberries and diced cantaloupe can be topped with balsamic glaze to add a sweet and tangy flavor. Drizzle it over the fruit and serve as a dessert or a snack.
These are just a few ideas for what to serve with balsamic glaze, but the possibilities are endless. Be creative and experiment with different combinations!
More Easy Keto Condiment Recipes
Looking for something light and refreshing? You will love this tomatillo avocado salsa to complement your Mexican-inspired dishes.
If you’re a fan of summer-fresh zucchini, you must try zucchini and herb butter with your low-carb bread, cooked vegetables, or meats.
And if you’re itching for a tasty keto condiment to top your hot dogs, hamburgers, or sandwiches, give this homemade pickle relish a whirl.
Healthy Balsamic Glaze Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Keto sugar substitute (granulated)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, whisk together the balsamic vinegar and sweetener.1 cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoon Keto sugar substitute
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent the glaze from burning.
- Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer the glaze, occasionally stirring, until it has thickened and reduced by about half. This should take about 15 minutes. It will continue to thicken as it cools, so you won’t see the final texture yet.
- Remove the glaze from the heat and let it cool for a few minutes before using it.
- Serve the glaze as a topping or condiment for dishes like salads, meats, vegetables, and fruits.
Notes
Nutrition & Macros
To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, please calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients and amounts used, using your preferred nutrition calculator. Under no circumstances shall the this website and the author be responsible for any loss or damage resulting for your reliance on the given nutritional information.
My stars, FIVE STARS! This is sooooo tasty! I’ve done the red wine, balsmic reduction with sugar and honestly, I like this even better. Where has this been all my life? Thank you!!
I’m glad you like it, Doris. Thank you for your glowing 5-star review!
I made this and I used powdered Stevia. Cut it 1 tbsp and it came out absolutely perfect!
I’m thrilled! Thanks for sharing your experience, Sandy!
Great taste but I’ll use powdered sweetener next time. Using granulated sweetener results in a “gritty” texture.
I’m so surprised! The simmer time should be enough to dissolve the sweetener and melt away any grittiness. But yes, you’re on the right track. Using a powdered sweetener will ensure a nice, smooth texture. You might want to consider using only 1 tbsp of powdered sweeter because it tends to be twice as sweet as granular. Thanks for the review, Joanna.
So glad to find this! I’ll be using this to adapt so many of my former favorite recipes.
Happy to help! It’s a huge win once you find low-carb alternatives to all your old-time favorites. Nice work!