These balsamic marinated shallots are some of my favorite things in the whole world. They’re total flavor bombs for any dish, are super easy to whip up, and are pretty healthy too!

I first got the idea of Balsamic Marinated Shallots a couple years ago when I was doing a Whole 30 diet. If you haven’t heard of this or done one for yourself, the basic gist of it is to eat nothing but whole food for 30 days (get it?). So, minimally processed proteins, fruits & veggies, that type of thing. The process itself was fine once I got used to it, but what I was missing the most was FLAVOR!
Then I found Teri from No Crumbs Left and her marinated onion recipe. Truth be told, I’m not the biggest fan of red onions, so I subbed out shallots, added a little of this, tweaked a little of that and voila! My Balsamic Marinated Shallots were born.
To see a quick demo of this recipe, click below:
Tips for making balsamic marinated shallots:
- Keep the batch small. Once you taste these, you might be tempted to make a whole bit bunch of them. If you’re planning on sharing, please do! But if it’s just for you and your family, maybe stick to making just a couple cloves at a time. Since they don’t keep much past 4-5 days, you’ll want to use them up quickly.
- Spring for the good oil. With this recipe, I always suggest getting the highest quality “finishing” olive oil you can afford. Since you’re not cooking with it and it is one of the main flavor components, you want it to taste great.
- Use up the oil! Please do yourself a flavor, I mean, favor and use the olive oil for something super tasty….a salad dressing, to dip fresh sourdough bread. This stuff is gold! Sometimes I even start my soup out using this to sauté the veggies.
- Submerge the shallots. The amount of olive oil you will need may vary depending on the size and shape of your jar. The important thing is to make sure all the shallots are submerged in the oil. This will keep it “air tight” so it won’t spoil.
- Say no to the cold. Keep these on the counter, not the fridge. When oil goes in the fridge, it solidifies and they’re just not the same.

Tools you’ll need:
Here’s an awesome list…. a mason or ball jar with a lid. Oh, and patience! You’ll want to let these bad boys sit for about 24 hours before diving in.
Steps to making balsamic marinated shallots:
- Peel and slice shallots fairly thin and place into a mason or ball jar. You technically could cut the shallots any way you please, but I like the look of the tiny rings when they top my salad or sandwich, so I stick with the rings.
- Add vinegars, oregano, salt, and pepper and press down as best you can. I typically use a spoon.
- Add enough olive oil to cover the top of the shallots. If air can’t get to them, they won’t spoil, so sink those puppies down low.
- Cover with lid and let sit on countertop for 24 hours…if you can wait that long.

Are shallots the same as onions?
While I love cooking with shallots and having them on hand, they are not the same as a more commonly used red or white onion. Obviously, they’re part of the onion family, so really anytime you use onions in your cooking, you could substitute shallots instead. They have a bit more mild and almost a little sweeter flavor than red onions and not quite as much bite as white onions. Plus they’re smaller, so sometimes they just looks cuter.
What can you do with shallots?
Probably my favorite way to eat these is to make a savory stack of crispy plantain tostone on the bottom, juicy pork carnitas come next, then a squirt of my 10-Second Chipotle Mayo, and a generous pile of balsamic marinated shallots to top it off. Oh man, it’s SO good!
One other way I love to use shallots (besides making these balsamic marinated shallots) is to lightly dust them with flour and fry them until they’re crispy. These are so tasty on top of sandwiches or salads, or even in place of (dare I say it?!) the French’s dried onions on the green bean casserole at turkey time. Yum!
FAQ
Are marinated shallots the same as pickled shallots?
– Nope, not at all! When something is pickled, it hangs out in a vinegar, salt, and sugar brine. These shallots are marinated in mostly olive oil, with just a touch of vinegar for flavor.
Can I substitute onions for shallots?
– You for sure can! Go ahead, play around with it and see what you like best! For me, I really like the mellow, almost sweet flavor of the shallots, but I do appreciate a good red onion to top a burger, so maybe I’ll try that next. If you try another member of the onion family, leave me a comment below and let me know how it turned out!
If you make this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Tag me on Instagram
@leedsstreetcollective with your delicious creation.
Thanks so much for checking out the Collective!
– Sarah


Balsamic Marinated Shallots
These marinated shallots are total flavor bombs for any dish, are super easy to whip up, and are pretty healthy too!
Ingredients
- 2 medium sized shallots
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup good quality olive oil
Instructions
- Peel and slice shallots fairly thin and place into a mason or ball jar.
- Add vinegars, oregano, salt, and pepper and press down as best you can.
- Add enough olive oil to cover the top of the shallots.
- Cover with lid and let sit on countertop for 24 hours.
Notes
The amount of olive oil you will need may vary depending on the size and shape of your jar. The important thing is to make sure all the shallots are submerged in the oil. This will keep it "air tight" so it won't spoil.
Keep these on the counter, not the fridge. When oil goes in the fridge, it solidifies and they're just not the same.
Only make enough to eat for about 3 or 4 days. If you still have shallots left after then, use them up in the next dish you make.
A bonus to this recipe is the infused olive oil that you get after a day or so of marinating. Use this to top homemade pizza, or as a base in salad dressing.
This looks absolutely devine. I need to try this. I love shallots. Thank you for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much Dusty! I love how easy they are and that they pack so much flavor! Let me know if you try them =]
I love the onion family. Always looking for new ways to incorporate them more in my cooking. Thanks for this recipe.
We must be kindred spirits; I love them too! Leeks, chives, shallots, scallions…yum!!
Yum! These look delish!
Thanks Lauren! I love them!
These look so good! I can imagine they would taste really good on a burger. I like that the recipe uses shallots instead of traditional onions.
Thanks so much, Julie! Mmmmm, on a burger sounds great! I just had some on a salami sourdough sandwich today and it was awesome.
I love shallots and this recipe could not be more perfect!
Thank you Kathy! I really like shallots too and these seem to go well with just about everything. =]