Running out of vinegar or finding yourself running out of juice while cooking? Here is the best substitute for white wine vinegar.
Preparing a recipe that calls for white wine vinegar and you don’t have one? White wine vinegar is made from fermented white wine, then filtered and bottled. It tastes sparkling and hot, a little milder than its cousin red wine vinegar. 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 white wine vinegar
1. Red Wine Vinegar
The best substitute for white wine vinegar? red wine vinegar! This vinegar is easy to find and you may already have it in your cupboard. It’s a bit stronger in flavor than white wine vinegar, but the flavors are very similar. Use it as a 1:1 replacement.
2. Rice vinegar (unseasoned)
If you have it, rice vinegar works as a substitute too! This type of vinegar is made from fermented rice and is used in Asian cooking. It tastes similar to white wine vinegar. Just be careful not to use seasoned rice vinegar: it’s flavored with sugar and salt and used to flavor sushi rice and Asian salads.
3. Sherry Vinegar
Sherry vinegar is another substitute for white wine vinegar; it is medium-bodied and slightly sweet. But it has a very distinct flavor that is more pronounced than white wine vinegar. It is often used in Spanish cuisine.
4. Apple cider vinegar
Don’t you have these vinegars? No problem. The second best substitute for white wine vinegar is apple cider vinegar. It has a stronger flavor than white vinegar, but it works if that’s all you have.
5. Champagne vinegar
If you have it, champagne vinegar might work as a substitute too! It comes from the fermentation of champagne. Note that it has a very mild taste, so it doesn’t come close to the intensity of white wine vinegar.
6. Lemon Juice (in a pinch)
Don’t have vinegar on hand? In a pinch, you can use lemon juice as a substitute. Lemon juice is as acidic and tart as white wine vinegar. But of course it tastes like lemon and not vinegar! Lemon juice can work for salad dressings, but you may need to add a little more lemon juice to match the white wine vinegar’s tartness (make 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 white wine vinegar substitute:
