Don’t have red wine vinegar or realize you ran out of vinegar while cooking? Here are the best red wine vinegar substitutes to use in recipes.
Preparing a recipe that calls for red wine vinegar and you don’t have one? We have them. Red wine vinegar is made from the fermentation of red wine, which is then filtered and bottled. The taste is tart, powerful, fruity and robust. You should be able to find it along with the other vinegars at your local grocery store. But don’t have time to buy it? Here are some replacement ideas.
Best substitute for red wine vinegar
1. White Vinegar
The Best Substitute for Red Wine Vinegar? white wine vinegar! This vinegar is easy to find and you may already have it in your cupboard. It’s not as bold as red wine vinegar, but the flavors are very similar. Use it as a 1:1 replacement.
2. Apple cider vinegar
Don’t have white wine vinegar? No problem. The second best substitute for red wine vinegar is apple cider vinegar. Its boldness matches that of red wine vinegar, making it a particularly effective substitute.
3. Sherry Vinegar
Sherry vinegar is another good substitute for red wine vinegar: the taste is a little sweeter and a little less pungent. It is medium-bodied and slightly sweet. It is often used in Spanish cuisine.
4. Champagne vinegar
If you have it, champagne vinegar works as a substitute too! It comes from the fermentation of champagne. Note that it is very mild in taste, so it doesn’t come close to the intensity of red wine.
5. Lemon Juice (in a pinch)
Don’t have any vinegar in the pantry? In a pinch, you can use lemon juice as a substitute. Lemon juice is as acidic and pungent as red wine vinegar. But note that it tastes like lemon, of course, not red wine. Lemon juice can work when whipped into a salad dressing, but you may need to add a little more lemon than the amount of vinegar in the recipe (do it to taste).
What not to use as a substitute? We don’t recommend using balsamic vinegar or distilled white vinegar: they’re way too strong.
Here are some recipes where you could use this red wine vinegar substitute:
