Spiced Balsamic Pickled Shallots

These deliciously tangy balsamic pickled shallots are super easy to make and are the perfect addition to roast meats, turkey, game and so much more. Or just add some to a toasted cheese sandwich to make it extra special.

Don’t you just love pickled onions? That tangy mouth-puckering taste that goes so well with a simple cheese board to all sorts of meats both hot and cold.

But this spiced balsamic pickled shallots recipe takes the humble pickled onion to a whole new level of tastiness. They are very much a posher more grown-up version of pickled onions.

These are so rich and flavourful, they are just deep and dark and delicious!

Ingredients for these pickled shallots

I’ve used shallots, those small slightly pointed onions for this pickle. They have a slightly softer flavour than standard onions and break down beautifully when cooked giving them a totally different structure than the standard pickled onions. Like these simple pickled onions I have made before.

What are shallots?

Shallots or Allium Ascalonicum, their proper fancy name, are part of the allium family that includes onions, garlic and chives.

Shallots aren’t as sharp in taste as onions and are often used in sauces and in vinaigrettes. Shallots make terrific caramelised onion jam as they break down so well and have a terrific flavour.

The only other ingredients you’ll need for this pickle recipe are sugar, salt, balsamic vinegar (of course!) and those all-important spices.

Spices; I’ve used a mixture of ground coriander, cumin, cloves, turmeric and cinnamon to give my pickled shallots a real spicy kick of flavour.

What is balsamic vinegar?

Unlike normal vinegar balsamic vinegar is a rich and dark vinegar with a distinctive taste. It originates in Italy where it is made from grape must which is the freshly crushed grape juice with all the skins, seeds and stems. This is what gives balsamic vinegar its unique flavour.

The complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making this recipe can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to make these balsamic pickled shallots

Now when I say this is a simple recipe I really mean it. The most difficult part of the entire process is peeling the shallots themselves.

Then it is just a case of tossing all the ingredients together in a pan and heating gently till the sugar has dissolved completely. Raise the heat to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and cook the shallots till they are translucent and softened. For me, this took about 40 minutes.

Ladle the spiced balsamic pickled shallots into a sterilised jar and that’s it really. Here are my tips on how to sterilise jars properly.

Maturing this pickle – leave your spiced balsamic pickled shallots to mature for at least 48 hours to allow them to mellow and the flavours to really develop.

How much pickle does this recipe make?

I got one big 500ml jar of balsamic pickled shallots from this recipe. If you want to make more just double up the recipe. I just made this amount as I only had 500g of shallots to start with.

How long does this keep?

Your pickled onions should keep for up to a year in a cool dark place.

How to serve balsamic pickled shallots

Use this pickle with a simple ploughman’s lunch, they go so well with sharp cheddar cheese and with ham too.

Add them to your sharing platter for a real punch of flavour and the tang of pickle.

Balsamic pickled shallots are perfect on the side with game, turkey, beef and pork.

Just add some to a toasted cheese sandwich, yum!

This recipe makes a great foodie gift, so why not check out my post on how to make Christmas hampers.

Looking for more delicious pickles to try? Then check these out before you go;

Old Fashioned English Pickled Onions

Red Onion Marmalade/Chutney

Quick And Easy Pickled Cucumbers

Sweet And Sour Pickled Apricots

Or just go to my pickling page for lots more inspiration.

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.