Add Bold Yet Balanced Flavor to Chicken, Salmon, Pork, & More!
We love to play with the beautiful balance of tangy and sweet here at PWWB. Recipes like Bruschetta Chicken and honey mustard shrimp tickle your taste buds with a blend of tart and sweet sensations in every bite.
This Maple Balsamic Marinade uses equal parts sweet and tangy-tart for maximum flavor!
The combination of rich and dark balsamic vinegar and gorgeous golden-brown maple syrup gives this marinade a distinctive caramelly flavor and beautiful char on the grill. Aromatic garlic and fresh hardy herbs take the rest of the flavors over the top.
Not only is this maple balsamic marinade full of flavor it’s so simple to whip up. Made in just 10 minutes with a total of 6 ingredients, it’s extremely versatile and will pair beautifully with almost any protein!
Use with chicken, steak, pork, veggies – adding sweet tangy goodness to anything it touches. An easy summertime win!
Want more marinades for grilling season? Got you covered! Check out PWWB’s 15 Go-To Grilling Marinades.
Key Ingredients
The key to a really good maple and balsamic marinade is using high-quality ingredients.
You don’t need many of them (6 total!) but always aim for the best you can find for the biggest impact on flavor.
Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar plays a double-duty role in this recipe. It will help tenderize any animal protein while also adding tangy-sweet flavor. Choose a nicely aged balsamic vinegar for ultimate flavor.
A good quality balsamic should be fruity, tangy, complex, and very lightly sweet. Stores like Trader Joe’s carry nicely aged balsamic vinegar. We also love this Colavita Balsamic Vinegar and the balsamic vinegar from DeLallo. You don’t have to break the bank for this maple balsamic marinade but do try and resist the temptation to grab the cheapest one on the shelf. Quality matters!
You will also need…
- Pure maple syrup – Always use pure maple syrup! Its natural sugars are simply unbeatable. Maple syrup’s flavor won’t compete with the balsamic yet its sweetness is just enough maple to balance out the tang. You can use whichever grade of maple syrup you love most, but a lighter golden grade will have a more balanced, subtle flavor for this recipe.
- Olive oil – A good quality olive oil sets the foundation for this maple balsamic marinade. No need to bust out an expensive finishing oil here, but do youse a good quality extra virgin olive oil. Check out my go-to EVOO here.
- Garlic – There’s plenty of garlicky goodness in this marinade. 3 whole cloves!
- Fresh herbs – Adding hardy herbs like rosemary or thyme easily amps up this maple balsamic marinade. Fresh herbs make everything feel more special!
- Seasoning – Namely, kosher salt and ground black pepper but you can also add crushed red chili flakes for a slight kick of heat.
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DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil
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Buy Now → How to Make Maple Balsamic Marinade
Making this homemade maple balsamic marinade could not be easier!
Once you’ve gathered up your ingredients you are just 10 minutes away from your new favorite summer grilling go-to.
To make this homemade marinade, simply combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, whisk to combine, and add your protein or veggies of choice. That’s it!
Suggested Marinating Time: Marinating time varies based on the type of protein you use. Having tested this maple balsamic grilling marinade on a variety of different proteins and marinating times, here’s what we suggest:
- Seafood – at least 20 minutes and no more than 45 minutes.
- Chicken and pork – at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours for maximum flavor.
- Beef – at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
- Veggies – at least 20 minutes and up to 24 hours.
Meal Prep
Despite the suggested marinating periods for this homemade maple balsamic marinade, you can still prep the marinade itself well in advance. Prep the marinade and store it in a jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. When you’re ready to start marinating, simply pour the marinade over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy peasy!
Serving Suggestions
One of the best things about this maple balsamic marinade is that it is extremely versatile. You can easily use it to grill up any of your favorite grilled proteins or veggies.
We especially love using it on the grill because its natural sugars caramelize beautifully over high heat. No matter what you marinate in this balsamic maple marinade, be sure to serve with our favorite mixed green salad, alongside a scoop of bruschetta or toss it into a grain bowl!
A few favorite pairings to try…
- Balsamic chicken marinade. Chicken breasts, drumsticks, thighs, and wings take on this balsamic chicken marinade very well! It creates the perfect tangy, sweet & caramelly grilled chicken that goes great with anything.
- Whole Chicken. Just as you can use this balsamic marinade on your favorite cuts of chicken, you can also use it to marinate a whole chicken. We LOVE grilled spatchock chicken in the summer. It creates the best juicy meat with smoky and sweet, crispy-charred skin.
- Salmon and seafood. Try this maple balsamic marinade the next time you make a grilled cedar plank salmon!
- Pork. There’s something about maple balsamic and pork that just fits. You could even stuff your pork chops with cheese after marinating for an easy but impressive dinner.
- Balsamic steak marinade. Take your grilled steak to the next level by marinating it in this balsamic vinegar marinade. Tender steak with a tangy-sweet charred outside? Yes, please!
- Summer veggies. Grilled asparagus and mushrooms are particularly delicious with this maple balsamic marinade. Learn More ⇢ A – Z Guide to Grilling Vegetables
No Grill? Use Your Stovetop or Oven!
If you don’t have access to a grill, this maple balsamic marinade also works well with many other cooking methods – stovetop, skillet meals, sheet pan meals, etc. Tip! ⇢ To create a similar caramelized grill effect, use a grill pan on the stovetop or finish baked meat under the broiler for a little char.
I cannot wait for you to try this Maple Balsamic Marinade! It’s equal parts sweet and tangy and 100% delicious – the perfect addition to grilling season!
If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo and tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. We LOVE seeing your PWWB creations!
Print Sweet & Tangy Maple Balsamic Marinade (for Chicken, Salmon, and More!)
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 Minutes
- Yield: 3/4 cup marinade 1x
- Category: Sauces & Condiments
- Method: No-Cook, Grilling & Smoking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This sweet and tangy Maple Balsamic Marinade adds a touch of caramelly richness to anything you grill! Made with 4 pantry ingredients and ready in 10 minutes or less, this easy balsamic vinegar marinade is perfectly balanced and loaded with fresh aromatics and herbs.
Perfect for grilled maple balsamic chicken or balsamic steak, stuffed pork chops, summer veggies, and so much more!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds meat or veggies of choice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup aged balsamic vinegar
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- ¼ cup finely chopped hardy fresh herbs, such as rosemary or thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ground black pepper or crushed red chili flakes, to season
Instructions
- Mix the balsamic marinade: Add the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and maple syrup to a bowl or jar. Whisk or shake to combine. Add the garlic, chopped fresh herbs, kosher salt, ground black pepper and crushed red chili flakes, if using, and stir to combine.
- Marinate: Pour the balsamic marinade over your meat or veggies of choice. Marinate for at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
- Grill as desired. Enjoy
Notes
- Suggested marinade time: Marinating time will vary based on the type of protein you’d like to use. Having tested this maple balsamic marinade on a variety of different proteins with a variety of different marinating times, here’s what we suggest:
- Seafood – at least 20 minutes and no more than 45 minutes.
- Chicken and pork – at least 4 hours and up to 6 hours for maximum flavor.
- Beef and lamb – at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours for maximum flavor.
- Veggies – at least 20 minutes and up to 24 hours.
- 10-Minute Meal Prep: If you’d like to marinate something later in the week, I suggest making the marinade in advance, whenever you’re meal prepping for the week. Store it in a jar or an airtight container for up to 5 days – the flavors meld together even more as the marinade sits. At least 4 hours before you’re ready to hit the grill, simply pour the marinade over whatever meat or veggies you’re using it on – easy peasy!
Recipe by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Eat Love Eat
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