I distinctly remember the first time I heard of a balsamic reduction. It was years ago while watching Giada on the Food Network. It sounded so fancy and complicated, but I quickly learned that it was just fancy, not complicated.

Reduced balsamic vinegar or a balsamic glaze is one of my favorite sauces. It is the perfect versatile, tart and sweet topping. From adding a bit of sweetness to flatbreads to adding a hint of tart depth to strawberry ice cream, the possibilities are endless. On the savory side, balsamic reductions are great for topping off salads, tossing vegetables for roasting, glazing grilled tofu, or garnishing soups. On the sweet side, it works great with fruit, yogurt, and even ice cream.

The best part is how easy it is to reduce balsamic vinegar. It only requires only one ingredient and no special equipment, and the entire process takes less than 20 minutes!

Here I used my freshly reduced balsamic vinegar as a finishing touch to Caprese bruschetta made with homemade mozzarella cheese.

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When I made these Marjoram Pea Pesto Crostini with Fresh Ricotta the other day, I thought I was being so creative. The Marjoram Pea Pesto is a healthy spin on traditional pesto with updated flavor combinations. The Homemade Instant Pot Ricotta Cheese is pretty standard, except it takes advantage of my Instant Pot, making preparation and cleanup speedy.

However, when I checked online to decide what to name these crostini, the first link that came up was Giada’s Pea Pesto Crostini! Whoops! So much for being unique. I’ll take it as a confirmation that my creative endeavors seem to resonate with others–some pretty famous others.

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