Out of Marsala wine, one case

Dry vs sweet Marsala: which to use and what to swap

6 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 6 options

Use Dry Madeira

Same amount as the Marsala wine

Use dry Marsala for savory dishes such as chicken or veal Marsala and mushroom sauces, and sweet Marsala for desserts such as zabaglione and tiramisu. When a savory recipe does not say which, it means dry. Out of dry Marsala, use the same amount of dry Madeira or a dry sherry. In place of sweet Marsala, use dry Marsala with about 2 teaspoons of sugar stirred into each ½ cup, then taste.

Verdict —: Works
Best for —: chicken and veal Marsala

One casethe full Marsala wine card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Marsala wine substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of Marsala wine	Verdict
1	Dry Madeirachicken and veal Marsala	Same amountWorks	Works
2	Dry sherrychicken Marsala and other pan sauces	Same amountTweak it	Tweak it
3	Dry white wine + brandypan sauces when there is no fortified wine in the house	1/3 cup dry white wine + 2 tbsp brandy per ½ cupTweak it	Tweak it
4	Sweet Marsala in place of drychicken Marsala when sweet is the only bottle you have	Same amountYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
5	Dry Marsala + sugar in place of sweetzabaglione	½ cup dry Marsala + 2 tsp sugar per ½ cupTweak it	Tweak it
6	Stock + balsamic vinegarchicken Marsala without alcohol	½ cup stock + 1 tsp balsamic vinegar per ½ cupYou'll taste it	You'll taste it

What changesWhat changes, option by option6 options

Dry Madeira

very close, with a little more acidity

The closest stand-in for dry Marsala: a fortified wine with the same cooked, nutty, caramel character. Sercial and Verdelho are the dry styles, and a bottle labeled Rainwater is medium-dry and also works.

Best for: chicken and veal Marsala, mushroom pan sauces, any savory recipe that calls for dry Marsala
Where it fails: Bual and Malmsey Madeira are sweet. They suit a dessert that calls for sweet Marsala and are too sweet for a pan sauce.

Dry sherry

nuttier and drier, with less caramel

Also fortified and nutty, but drier and lighter than dry Marsala. Amontillado and oloroso are the closest; fino is paler and sharper.

Best for: chicken Marsala and other pan sauces, soups and braises, when dry Marsala is the one called for
Prep: Taste the sauce at the end and add a pinch of sugar if it is sharp.
Where it fails: Desserts that call for sweet Marsala, where dry sherry tastes thin and sharp; use cream sherry there. Salted cooking sherry needs the recipe's salt cut back.

Dry white wine + brandy

brighter and fruitier; the nutty, raisin-like note is missing

White wine supplies the acidity and the brandy supplies the strength and some of the warmth of a fortified wine. This replaces dry Marsala. To replace sweet, also stir in sugar, starting with 2 tsp per ½ cup.

Best for: pan sauces when there is no fortified wine in the house, deglazing, braises
Prep: Mix the two before measuring, and let the sauce simmer a minute longer so the brandy loses its raw edge.
Where it fails: The sauce is paler and less deep than one made with Marsala, and in a dessert where Marsala is the main flavor the difference is plain.

Sweet Marsala in place of dry

the same Marsala flavor, clearly sweeter

The other bottle of the same wine. It behaves the same way in the pan; the sauce comes out sweeter.

Best for: chicken Marsala when sweet is the only bottle you have, glazes for pork or carrots
Prep: Leave out any sugar the recipe adds, and finish the sauce with a small squeeze of lemon juice.
Where it fails: A sauce that is reduced hard: the sugar concentrates and the sauce turns sticky and candy-like.

Dry Marsala + sugar in place of sweet

close to sweet Marsala, a little lighter in body

Dry Marsala with sugar dissolved in it stands in for sweet Marsala in a dessert. The 2 teaspoons is a starting amount: taste and add more if the dessert needs it.

Best for: zabaglione, tiramisu, cakes and poached fruit
Prep: Stir until the sugar has dissolved before you measure it into the recipe.
Where it fails: Nowhere serious. In a dessert that already has plenty of sugar you can often use the dry Marsala as it is.

Stock + balsamic vinegar

savory and pleasant, but it does not taste of Marsala

The swap with no wine in it, for savory dishes that call for dry Marsala. Stock gives the sauce its volume and savor, and the vinegar gives a little of the sweet-sharp edge. The teaspoon is a starting amount.

Best for: chicken Marsala without alcohol, mushroom sauces, gravies
Prep: Add the vinegar at the end and taste before adding more.
Where it fails: Desserts, and any dish where Marsala is the named flavor. Use unsalted or low-sodium stock, because the sauce is reduced.

How it behaves in this recipe

In this recipeMarsala wine

Marsala is a fortified wine from Sicily sold at three sweetness levels. Dry (secco) is the cooking default for savory food, and sweet (dolce) is the dessert wine. The two taste of the same thing, so each can stand in for the other once you correct the sugar: add it to dry, or balance sweet with acid.

Tips for substituting Marsala wine

5 tips

Savory recipes: dry Marsala. Let it simmer until it has reduced by about half before the stock goes in, which is what gives chicken Marsala its sauce.
Desserts: sweet Marsala. With only dry in the house, stir 2 tsp sugar into each ½ cup and taste.
Read the label: secco is dry, semisecco is medium, dolce is sweet. A bottle marked Fine or Superiore is the everyday grade and is the one to cook with.
Cooking Marsala from the vinegar aisle has salt added. If you use it, leave the recipe's salt out until the end and season to taste.
Marsala is fortified, so an opened bottle keeps for at least a month, recorked, in a cool dark cupboard.

Questions

5 questions

Is the Marsala in chicken Marsala dry or sweet?

Dry. Dry Marsala gives the sauce a nutty, savory depth without making it sweet. Sweet Marsala works if it is the bottle you have: use the same amount, leave out any sugar and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

Can I use sweet Marsala instead of dry?

Yes, in the same amount. The sauce will be noticeably sweeter, more so the further you reduce it. A small squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of vinegar at the end pulls it back toward savory.

Can I use dry Marsala instead of sweet in tiramisu or zabaglione?

Yes. Stir about 2 teaspoons of sugar into each ½ cup of dry Marsala, or use it as it is and taste the dessert, since both recipes already contain sugar. The flavor is the same wine; only the sweetness differs.

What do secco, semisecco and dolce mean on a Marsala label?

They are the sweetness levels. Secco is dry, with up to 40 grams of sugar per liter. Semisecco is medium, at 40 to 100 grams, and dolce is sweet, at more than 100 grams. Fine and Superiore describe aging: at least 1 year and at least 2 years.

What is the closest substitute for dry Marsala?

Dry Madeira, in the same amount. A dry sherry such as amontillado is next, also in the same amount, and comes out a little drier and lighter. Without either, mix 1/3 cup dry white wine with 2 tablespoons of brandy for each ½ cup of Marsala.