Complete Vinegar Substitution Guide

Master vinegar substitutions with our comprehensive guide. Find perfect alternatives for every type of cooking vinegar.

Vinegar Types & Characteristics

Balsamic Vinegar

Rich, sweet, and complex vinegar from Italy

Acidity:6-7%

Best for:

Salad dressings, glazes, reductions, desserts

Substitutes:

Red wine vinegar + sugar, Apple cider vinegar, Sherry vinegar

Rice Wine Vinegar

Mild, slightly sweet vinegar from rice

Acidity:4-5%

Best for:

Asian cooking, sushi rice, pickling, stir-fries

Substitutes:

White wine vinegar, Apple cider vinegar, Lemon juice

Apple Cider Vinegar

Fruity, tangy vinegar from apples

Acidity:5-6%

Best for:

Salad dressings, marinades, baking, cleaning

Substitutes:

White wine vinegar, Lemon juice, Rice vinegar

Sherry Vinegar

Nutty, complex vinegar from sherry wine

Acidity:7-8%

Best for:

Spanish cooking, gazpacho, sauces, marinades

Substitutes:

Red wine vinegar, Balsamic vinegar, White wine vinegar + sugar

Red Wine Vinegar

Tangy, fruity vinegar from red wine

Acidity:6-7%

Best for:

Mediterranean cooking, vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces

Substitutes:

Balsamic vinegar, Apple cider vinegar, White wine vinegar

White Wine Vinegar

Clean, crisp vinegar from white wine

Acidity:6-7%

Best for:

French cooking, mayonnaise, hollandaise, pickling

Substitutes:

Apple cider vinegar, Rice vinegar, Lemon juice

Detailed Substitution Guide

Aged Balsamic Vinegar (Tradizionale)

Aged balsamic vinegar - properly Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena or di Reggio Emilia DOP, sold as 12-year, 25-year or extravecchio in small 100ml bottles - is cooked grape must fermented and then aged for years in a descending series of wooden casks until it is thick, almost black, and simultaneously sweet, sour and intensely aromatic.

6 substitutes

Reduced supermarket balsamic vinegar

Ratio:1 cup vinegar yields about 1/4 cup, then use 1:1

Best for:

drizzling on Parmigiano, pecorino and aged cheese, strawberries, figs and vanilla gelato, finishing steak, pork and grilled vegetables, risotto and polenta

Notes:Reduce it low and slow in a small stainless pan, and stop while it still looks slightly thin - it thickens as it cools. Adding a teaspoon of honey or brown sugar per cup mimics the sweetness of a longer-aged bottle.

Condimento balsamico or wood-aged IGP balsamic

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

any use of aged balsamic where you want to buy rather than make, cheese boards, salads dressed with nothing but oil and vinegar, finishing meat and vegetables

Notes:The words to look for are condimento, condimento balsamico or invecchiato, plus a stated ageing period. Bottles labelled only Aceto Balsamico di Modena IGP vary hugely in quality.

Saba or vincotto with a splash of vinegar

Ratio:1 tbsp saba plus 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar per 1 tbsp aged balsamic

Best for:

cheese and charcuterie boards, fruit and desserts, roasted squash, carrots and onions, duck and pork

Notes:Also sold as mosto cotto or, in Middle Eastern shops, as grape molasses. Add the vinegar a few drops at a time and taste, because saba varies in sweetness.

Bottled balsamic glaze

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

caprese, bruschetta and tomatoes, roasted vegetables, sandwiches and burgers, situations where speed matters most

Notes:The shorter the ingredient list, the better it stands in. If yours tastes cloying, sharpen it with a few drops of red wine vinegar.

Pomegranate molasses with honey

Ratio:3 parts pomegranate molasses to 1 part honey

Best for:

grilled and roasted meat, especially lamb, roasted vegetables, feta, halloumi and labneh, grain salads

Notes:Taste yours first - some brands are sharply sour and need the full amount of honey, others are already syrupy-sweet.

Plain supermarket balsamic, unreduced

Ratio:use about a third as much

Best for:

vinaigrettes and marinades, deglazing a pan, salads, anything where the balsamic is mixed rather than drizzled

Notes:Two minutes in a pan turns this option into the first option on this list, which is a much better page-one answer. Reduce it if you possibly can.

Amaretto

Sweet Italian liqueur with almond flavor, commonly used in cocktails and desserts.

6 substitutes

Almond Extract + Simple Syrup

Ratio:1 oz amaretto = 1/4 tsp almond extract + 1 oz simple syrup

Best for:

baking, desserts, cocktails, coffee drinks

Notes:Mix equal parts sugar and water for simple syrup. Use pure almond extract, not imitation.

Orgeat Syrup

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, coffee drinks, desserts, baking

Notes:Slightly thicker than amaretto but similar flavor profile. May need to thin with water.

Frangelico

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, desserts, coffee drinks, baking

Notes:Hazelnut instead of almond flavor, but similar sweetness and alcohol content.

Disaronno

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, desserts, coffee drinks, baking

Notes:Essentially the same as amaretto, just a different brand. Perfect substitute.

Almond Syrup

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

non-alcoholic drinks, coffee, desserts, baking

Notes:No alcohol content, so adjust other ingredients accordingly. May be sweeter than amaretto.

Amaretto Liqueur (Homemade)

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, desserts, coffee drinks, baking

Notes:Requires 2-4 weeks to develop full flavor. Use blanched almonds and good quality vodka.

Amaro Nonino

Italian herbal liqueur with complex bittersweet flavor, made from herbs, roots, and spices.

6 substitutes

Averna

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking, desserts

Notes:Similar flavor profile, slightly more bitter

Montenegro

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking, desserts

Notes:Slightly sweeter, orange-forward flavor

Cynar

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking, desserts

Notes:More vegetal, artichoke-forward flavor

Campari

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking

Notes:More bitter, less sweet than Amaro Nonino

Fernet-Branca

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking

Notes:More bitter and minty, less sweet

Aperol

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs, cooking

Notes:Lighter and sweeter, good for aperitifs

Amaro

Italian herbal liqueur with complex bittersweet flavor, made from herbs, roots, and spices.

8 substitutes

Averna

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking, desserts

Notes:Most versatile amaro substitute, similar flavor profile

Montenegro

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs, cooking, desserts

Notes:Slightly sweeter, orange-forward flavor

Cynar

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking

Notes:More vegetal, artichoke-forward flavor

Campari

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs, cooking

Notes:More bitter, less sweet than most amari

Fernet-Branca

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking

Notes:More bitter and minty, less sweet

Aperol

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

aperitifs, light cocktails, cooking

Notes:Lighter and sweeter, good for aperitifs

Jägermeister

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, after-dinner drinks, cooking

Notes:Similar herbal complexity, different flavor profile

Benedictine

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, desserts, cooking

Notes:Sweeter, honey-forward flavor

Amarone

Amarone, properly Amarone della Valpolicella, is a powerful dry red wine from the Veneto made from grapes dried on mats for months before pressing, which gives it 15 to 16 percent alcohol and a dense flavour of dried cherry, raisin and bitter chocolate despite having almost no sugar left in it.

6 substitutes

Valpolicella Ripasso

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

risotto all'Amarone, beef and horse-meat braises, short ribs, reduction sauces, mushroom dishes

Notes:It is lighter in alcohol and slightly less raisiny, so a risotto made with Ripasso is a shade brighter and less brooding, but the family resemblance is unmistakable. If you want it closer, reduce the wine a little further before adding stock.

Valpolicella Classico or another Corvina red

Ratio:1:1, plus 1 tablespoon of ruby port per cup

Best for:

risotto, braises, sausages, pot roast, tomato-based ragu

Notes:On its own, plain Valpolicella is tart and light-bodied, so a sauce made with it tastes noticeably sourer and thinner than the Amarone version. The spoon of port restores the dried-cherry sweetness without making the dish taste sweet.

Primitivo, Zinfandel or Nero d'Avola

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

beef braises, lamb, risotto, rich ragu, venison

Notes:These are jammier and sweeter-tasting than Amarone, which is dry and slightly bitter underneath its dried fruit. Expect a rounder, less austere sauce. Zinfandel in particular can push a reduction toward raisin and pepper, which suits beef well but can overwhelm a risotto.

Dry red wine plus ruby port

Ratio:3 parts dry red wine to 1 part ruby port

Best for:

braises, reduction sauces, risotto, onion and mushroom dishes

Notes:The port supplies the concentrated dried-fruit sweetness and the extra alcohol, and the dry red keeps the mixture from tasting like dessert. Taste the pot before adding salt, because port makes savoury food read sweeter and you may want a little more acid: a teaspoon of red wine vinegar per cup evens it out.

Chianti, Sangiovese or another dry Italian red

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

ragu, braises, risotto, sausages, tomato-based sauces

Notes:This is the biggest character change among the workable options. Sangiovese is high in acid with sour-cherry and dried-herb notes, so a braise made with it tastes brighter, leaner and more savoury, where Amarone gives weight and sweetness of fruit. Add a tablespoon of port or a teaspoon of sugar per cup if the dish feels sharp.

Beef stock with pomegranate or cranberry juice (no alcohol)

Ratio:3 parts beef stock to 1 part unsweetened juice, plus 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar per cup

Best for:

alcohol-free cooking, beef braises, risotto, pot roast, family meals

Notes:Use unsweetened juice, not cranberry cocktail, or the dish turns syrupy. This is honestly a fair way off: you get colour, tartness and body but not the alcohol that carries aroma or the tannin that gives a reduction its grip, so the sauce is softer and less complex. A dealcoholised red wine plus a spoon of balsamic gets closer if you can find one.

Amontillado Sherry

Amontillado is a dry Spanish fortified wine from Jerez that begins as a pale fino under a veil of flor yeast and then ages in contact with air, which gives it an amber colour and a toasted-almond aroma without making it sweet.

6 substitutes

Dry Sherry Plus a Splash of Cream Sherry

Ratio:1:1 total volume (3 tbsp dry sherry + 1 tsp cream sherry per 1/4 cup)

Best for:

Spanish almond soup, mushroom pan sauces, cream sauces, chicken and sherry, lentil and chorizo stews

Notes:In a cooked dish you will not be able to tell the difference. Sipped cold from a glass it is a shade sweeter and less austere than the real thing. Do not add more than that teaspoon or the sauce starts tasting like dessert.

Dry Sherry (Fino or Manzanilla)

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

deglazing pans, soups, risotto and rice dishes, sauteed mushrooms, seafood

Notes:Brighter, sharper and much less nutty. What you lose is the roasted-almond and dried-walnut aroma, which is exactly the note a recipe usually wants amontillado for. Toasting a tablespoon of slivered almonds into the dish, or adding 1/2 teaspoon of brandy per 1/4 cup, gets most of it back.

Dry Madeira (Sercial or Verdelho)

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

mushroom dishes, pan sauces for pork and chicken, onion soup, consomme and clear soups

Notes:Very close in the direction of flavour, with a little more caramel and cooked-apple and less of the sea-salt edge that comes from Jerez. Buy a dry style: Bual and Malmsey are sweet and will make a savoury sauce taste like a glaze.

Dry Marsala

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

chicken and veal pan sauces, mushroom sauces, beef stews, tomato-based braises

Notes:Noticeably sweeter and more raisin-and-brown-sugar than amontillado, so the finished sauce reads rounder and a little candied. If the recipe has any added sugar or honey, leave it out. Choose Marsala labelled secco, not dolce.

Dry White Wine Plus Brandy

Ratio:3 parts dry white wine to 1 part brandy, used 1:1 for the amontillado

Best for:

deglazing, quick pan sauces, braises where the sherry is a background note

Notes:Fresher, more acidic and distinctly grapey. It has none of the oxidised nuttiness, so a dish like Spanish almond soup, where amontillado is the main aroma, will taste plainly of white wine instead. Fine when the sherry is one of ten ingredients, poor when it is the point.

Broth Plus Sherry Vinegar (Non-Alcoholic)

Ratio:1:1 total (1/4 cup broth + 1/2 tsp sherry vinegar)

Best for:

alcohol-free cooking, soups, braises, sauces for children

Notes:The dish will be less aromatic and less complex, because alcohol carries aromas that water does not. Add the vinegar off the heat so it does not cook away, taste before adding salt, and expect a flatter, more broth-forward result. Unsweetened white grape juice with the same amount of vinegar also works but pushes the dish sweeter.

Aperol

Italian bitter orange aperitif with a distinctive orange-red color and bittersweet flavor.

6 substitutes

Campari

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs, spritz drinks

Notes:More bitter than Aperol, so use slightly less or add simple syrup

Aperitivo Select

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs, spritz drinks

Notes:Closest substitute with similar sweetness and bitterness

Cynar

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs

Notes:More herbal and less orange-forward than Aperol

Orange Liqueur + Bitters

Ratio:3:1 orange liqueur to bitters

Best for:

cocktails, aperitifs

Notes:Add a splash of simple syrup to balance the bitterness

Aperol Spritz Mix

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

spritz drinks, cocktails

Notes:Check ingredients for alcohol content and adjust accordingly

Non-Alcoholic Aperitif

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

mocktails, non-alcoholic drinks

Notes:Look for brands like Lyre's or Seedlip for alcohol-free options

Apple Balsamic Vinegar

Apple balsamic vinegar is a thick, sweet-tart vinegar made by concentrating apple juice or cider the way traditional balsamic concentrates grape must, sold as apple cider balsamic or apfelbalsamico and usually paler and fruitier than grape balsamic.

6 substitutes

Apple Cider Vinegar Plus Honey Or Maple Syrup

Ratio:For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar + 1/2 tsp honey or maple syrup

Best for:

salad dressings, pork chops and pork loin, roasted squash and root vegetables, slaws, marinades

Notes:Maple syrup is the better choice with pork and squash, honey with salads and cheese. Whisk the sweetener into the vinegar before adding oil or it will stay in a lump at the bottom.

Half Balsamic, Half Apple Cider Vinegar

Ratio:For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Best for:

glazes for pork and chicken, roasted vegetables, reduction sauces, drizzling

Notes:Use a thicker, sweeter supermarket balsamic. A thin, harsh one gives you sharpness without the body you are after.

Regular Balsamic Vinegar

Ratio:1:1

Best for:

roasted vegetables, vinaigrettes, cheese boards, pan sauces

Notes:Nothing wrong with this swap. If you want to nudge it toward apple, add a teaspoon of apple juice or a small splash of cider vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar Reduced With Apple Juice

Ratio:Simmer 1/4 cup apple juice with 2 tbsp cider vinegar down to about 2 tbsp

Best for:

glazes, drizzles and finishing, pork and duck, roasted squash and Brussels sprouts, cheese boards

Notes:Watch it near the end, it thickens fast and scorches. It will thicken further as it cools, so pull it off while it still coats a spoon loosely. Keep leftovers in the fridge and use within a couple of weeks.

Sherry Vinegar Plus Honey

Ratio:For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 tbsp sherry vinegar + 1/2 tsp honey

Best for:

pork, mushrooms, lentils and warm grain salads, hard cheeses

Notes:Sherry vinegar is sharper than cider vinegar, so taste as you go and be ready to add a little more honey.

White Wine Vinegar Plus Brown Sugar

Ratio:For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 tbsp white wine vinegar + 1/2 tsp brown sugar

Best for:

salad dressings, slaws, quick pan sauces, marinades

Notes:Warm the vinegar slightly to dissolve the sugar, or stir until you cannot feel grit on the spoon.

Apple Cider

Fresh apple juice with sweet, tart flavor, used in beverages and cooking.

6 substitutes