Balsamic vinegar is a traditional Italian dressing made from grape juice. Known for its dark brown color and potent flavor, balsamic vinegar is a go-to for salad dressings. But did you know there’s a whole world of potential for balsamic vinegar?
Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze ups the ante by offering an extra rich and syrupy reduction. Keep reading to learn more.
Tucked into their salad dressing section, Trader Joe’s (or, rather, Trader Giotto’s as they’re known for their Italian-themed foods) sells a balsamic glaze, also called balsamic reduction.
Balsamic reduction is simply balsamic vinegar that has been “reduced” or cooked down to a concentrated form. While normal balsamic vinegar is watery in consistency, balsamic glaze is thick, syrupy, and a little extra sweet.
Contents
How Much is Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze?
An 8.5 fl. oz. bottle of Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze currently sells for just $2.99.
As with all Trader Joe’s products, this decadent dressing can only be purchased in person at a Trader Joe’s location and is not sold online by any official third-party sellers.
Sometimes, Trader Joe’s products can be found for resale on sites like eBay and Amazon.
What Is In Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze?
It’s not exactly easy to tell from the ingredients list how traditional this vinegar recipe is. I mean, what even is “grape must” anyway?
We did some research and learned that this is actually a fairly standard recipe. Grape must is basically just fresh grape juice, which is the primary ingredient of balsamic vinegar. The only standout ingredients here are caramel coloring and starch, which aren’t necessarily traditional.
It’s also worth noting that this vinegar does, like many wines, contain sulfites, which have been linked to allergic reactions for some people. If you know you’re allergic to sulfites, then it’s probably best to avoid this vinegar.
Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze Nutrition
Just 1 tablespoon of this glaze contains 40 calories, which is pretty rich for a vinegar. This makes sense though, as a glaze is a reduction, meaning that this is a highly concentrated form of balsamic vinegar.
It’s also important to note that each serving contains 5 grams of added sugar, making for a total of 8 grams of sugar in each tablespoon. That’s a lot of sugar!
What Can You Do With Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze?
Balsamic glaze is a super versatile topping that can be used on so many different things.
Here are some ideas to try!
- Drizzle it on pizza
- Use it to glaze roasted veggies like artichokes, brussel sprouts, broccoli, or beets
- Lightly drizzle it on strawberry or vanilla ice cream
- Add it to a homemade salad dressing
- Drizzle it over caprese salad or a crostini with goat cheese
- Use it to top half of an avocado with some sea salt and black pepper
- Glaze a chicken breast or wild salmon filet before grilling
- Add to a pan of caramelized onions for a kick of flavor and color
What other ways can you think of to use this balsamic glaze in your kitchen?
Recipes Using Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze
If you’re still looking for some extra inspiration for how to use your Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze, check out these delicious 5-star recipes we scoured from the web!
- Balsamic Glazed Roasted Vegetables from The Hungry Bites.
- Grilled Honey Balsamic Chicken from The Recipe Critic
- Balsamic Glazed Chicken Pizza from Home Made Interest
Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze Reviews
Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze is getting great reviews all over the internet!
Check out these 5-star reviews from Influenster.com:
Plus, Mrs. Trader Joe’s gives this glaze a 10/10, calling it “superior to a normal balsamic vinegar.”
FAQs
Did Trader Joe’s discontinue their balsamic glaze?
Nope! As of June 2022, Trader Joe’s is still carrying their Balsamic Glaze. It can be found in the same section as their salad dressings.
Is Trader Joe’s balsamic glaze keto?
No. Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze contains added sugar and is therefore not keto friendly.
Does Trader Joe’s balsamic glaze need to be refrigerated?
No. Vinegar is shelf stable and does not need to be refrigerated.
Is balsamic drizzle the same as balsamic glaze?
Yes. Balsamic glaze and balsamic drizzle are both alternative names for balsamic reduction. Balsamic glaze can be used as a drizzle.
Conclusion
It might not be the first thing you think to put on your grocery list, but next time you’re wandering the aisles of Trader Joe’s, consider adding this glaze to your cart. Super versatile, delicious, and priced at less than $3, Trader Joe’s Balsamic Glaze is totally worth trying out. Especially if you’re a fan of roasted veggies or glazed meats, this glaze might just become your new best friend. Enjoy!
