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Vinegar substitution guide
Which vinegar stands in for another, with acidity, best uses, swap ratios, the ranked substitutes from the vinegar cards on file, and notes on storing and cooking with them.
Vinegar types at a glance
6 vinegarsSix common vinegars and what replaces each
| Vinegar | Use | Acidity | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balsamic vinegarRich, sweet, and complex vinegar from Italy | Red wine vinegar + sugar, apple cider vinegar, sherry vinegar | 6–7% | Salad dressings, glazes, reductions, desserts |
| Rice wine vinegarMild, slightly sweet vinegar from rice | White wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice | 4–5% | Asian cooking, sushi rice, pickling, stir-fries |
| Apple cider vinegarFruity, tangy vinegar from apples | White wine vinegar, lemon juice, rice vinegar | 5–6% | Salad dressings, marinades, baking, cleaning |
| Sherry vinegarNutty, complex vinegar from sherry wine | Red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, white wine vinegar + sugar | 7–8% | Spanish cooking, gazpacho, sauces, marinades |
| Red wine vinegarTangy, fruity vinegar from red wine | Balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar | 6–7% | Mediterranean cooking, vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces |
| White wine vinegarClean, crisp vinegar from white wine | Apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, lemon juice | 6–7% | French cooking, mayonnaise, hollandaise, pickling |
Substitutes by ingredient
9 of 41 cardsOpen the alcohol & vinegars drawerThe six vinegars above first, then the start of the vinegar cards on file, each name linking to its card
Alcohol & vinegars6 options
Out of Balsamic vinegar
A dark, syrupy vinegar made from cooked grape must and aged in wood; supermarket bottles are labelled at around 6% acidity but carry enough grape sugar to taste sweet rather than sharp.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red wine vinegar + sugar | 1 tbsp + ½ tsp brown sugarper 1 tbsp balsamic vinegarTweak it | Vinaigrettes and marinades, pan sauces for chicken, pork and mushrooms | White wine vinegar works the same way at the same amount if red is what you lack; the dressing simply comes out pale. |
| Apple cider vinegar + sugar | 1 tbsp + ½ tsp apple cider vinegar + ½ tsp brown sugarper 1 tbsp balsamic vinegarTweak it | Slaws, bean salads and roast root vegetables, barbecue-leaning marinades | This is the swap worked through in detail at apple cider. |
| Pomegranate molasses | 2 tsp + 1 tsp waterper 1 tbsp balsamic vinegarTweak it | Glazes that must cling to chicken, salmon or sprouts, dressings for grain salads, feta and pomegranate seeds | Sits below the household options only because most kitchens do not have it. For a glaze it is the best answer here. |
| Rice vinegar + sugar | 1 ½ tbsp + ½ tsp brown sugarper 1 tbsp balsamic vinegarYou'll taste it | A lighter dressing for delicate leaves, when the dish should not turn dark | The weakest option here for a reason: it is the furthest from balsamic on every axis except sourness. |
| Sherry vinegar | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp balsamic vinegarYou'll taste it | Dressings for bitter leaves, lentils and roast peppers, when you want depth without sweetness | The closest match on complexity of anything here, and the furthest on sweetness. |
| Worcestershire sauce | 1 ½ tsp + 1 ½ tsp waterper 1 tbsp balsamic vinegarYou'll taste it | A cooked marinade for beef or mushrooms, adding depth to an already-savoury pan sauce | Standard Worcestershire contains anchovies and barley malt, so it is neither vegetarian nor gluten-free unless the label says so. |
| Soy sauce | not an acid swap — 2 tsp any vinegar + 1 tsp soy sauceNot for this | Adding dark colour alongside a real vinegar, a stir-fry glaze that was never going to taste of balsamic | The combination approach is worked through at soy sauce. Most soy sauce also contains wheat. |
Alcohol & vinegars5 options
Out of Rice wine vinegar
Mild, slightly sweet vinegar made from rice wine.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| White wine vinegar | Same amountWorks | Salad dressings, marinades | Slightly more acidic, adjust amount if needed |
| Apple cider vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Salad dressings, marinades | Slightly more acidic, add pinch of sugar if needed |
| Lemon juice | Same amountYou'll taste it | Salad dressings, marinades | Add pinch of sugar to balance acidity |
| Champagne vinegar | Same amountWorks | Salad dressings, marinades | Similar mildness to rice wine vinegar |
| Seasoned rice vinegar | Same amountWorks | Sushi rice, Asian cooking | Already seasoned, adjust other seasonings accordingly |
Alcohol & vinegars6 options
Out of Apple cider vinegar
A fruity vinegar fermented from apple cider, standardised at 5% acetic acid, sold either filtered and clear or cloudy and unfiltered with the mother in the bottle.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distilled white vinegar | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegarTweak it | Any recipe where the acid is doing chemistry, quick buttermilk and soda-leavened batters | The closest swap on strength and the cheapest. Its only weakness is the one thing sugar can partly fix. |
| White wine vinegar | 2 ¼ tspper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegarTweak it | Vinaigrettes and pan sauces, dishes where a dry, savoury acid suits better than a fruity one | Red wine vinegar is the same strength and works at the same amount, at the cost of tinting the dish pink. |
| Rice vinegar | 1 tbsp + ½ tsp rice vinegarper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegarTweak it | Dressings you want softer than the recipe intends, slaws with an Asian leaning | Good for anything eaten fresh, wrong for anything sealed in a jar. |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegarYou'll taste it | Souring milk into buttermilk, dressings for fish, chicken or green salads | Interchangeable with cider vinegar for making buttermilk: 1 tbsp of either plus milk to the 1-cup line. |
| Red wine vinegar | 2 ¼ tspper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegarYou'll taste it | Bean salads, lentils and grain bowls, marinades for red meat | Flavour-wise a good swap. Colour-wise, only in dark dishes. |
| Balsamic vinegar | 2 tsp + 1 tsp waterper 1 tbsp apple cider vinegarYou'll taste it | Marinades for red meat and mushrooms, an already-dark barbecue or tomato sauce | Listed because it is often the only bottle on the shelf, not because it is close. |
| Apple juice or apple cider | not an acid swap — 2 tsp distilled white vinegar + 1 tsp apple juiceNot for this | Adding the apple flavour back alongside a real vinegar, basting or glazing, where sweetness is wanted | Listed because the shared word cider sends people to the wrong bottle. |
Alcohol & vinegars6 options
Out of Sherry vinegar
Aged vinegar made from sherry wine with complex, nutty flavor, used in cooking and dressings.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red wine vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Dressings, marinades | Different flavor, similar acidity |
| Balsamic vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Dressings, marinades | Different flavor, similar acidity |
| Apple cider vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Dressings, marinades | Different flavor, similar acidity |
| White wine vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Dressings, marinades | Different flavor, similar acidity |
| Rice wine vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Dressings, marinades | Different flavor, similar acidity |
| Champagne vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Dressings, marinades | Different flavor, similar acidity |
Alcohol & vinegars7 options
Out of Red wine vinegar
A sharp vinegar fermented from red wine, usually 6-7% acetic acid, carrying a dry-wine flavour and enough pigment to tint a pale dish pink.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| White wine vinegar | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarTweak it | Any recipe where the pink tint was incidental, dressings for pale salads and potato salad | The closest swap on the page, and often an improvement in anything that looked better pale. |
| Apple cider vinegar | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp apple cider vinegarper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarTweak it | Slaws, lentils and pork dishes, cooked sauces and braises where the apple note burns off | The everyday answer. The apple note is a feature in a slaw and a distraction in chimichurri. |
| Distilled white vinegar + red wine | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp red wineper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarTweak it | Chimichurri, Greek salad and other dishes named by their wine note, pickled red onions that should look pink | This is the only row here that covers all three of red wine vinegar's jobs at once. |
| Sherry vinegar | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarTweak it | Dressings for bitter leaves, roast vegetables and lentils, Spanish dishes and anything with smoked paprika | Sits below the household options because it is not a better swap than white wine vinegar, only a more expensive one. |
| Balsamic vinegar | 2 tsp + 1 tsp waterper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarYou'll taste it | When you want sweet-tart balance rather than a clean sharpness, marinades for red meat, mushrooms and roast vegetables | Often recommended as a straight swap. It is not: the sugar is the difference, and it needs correcting. |
| Rice vinegar | 1 ½ tbspper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarYou'll taste it | Gentler dressings and cucumber salads, dishes that should stay pale | Fine when you want the dish softer, wrong when the vinegar is meant to cut through garlic and oil. |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp + ½ tsp lemon juiceper 1 tbsp red wine vinegarYou'll taste it | Dressings for fish, chicken and green leaves, finishing a cooked dish off the heat | The best choice when you need an acid with no wine in its history and no vinegar in the cupboard. |
| Red wine | not an acid swap — 1 tbsp distilled white vinegar + 1 tsp red wineNot for this | Adding the wine note back alongside a real vinegar, deglazing a pan, which is what wine is actually for | Vinegar means sour wine. The wine itself has not yet had the acid made in it. |
Alcohol & vinegars7 options
Out of White wine vinegar
A clean, dry vinegar fermented from white wine, usually 6-7% acetic acid, which makes it stronger than cider or rice vinegar and almost colourless.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red wine vinegar | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarTweak it | Vinaigrettes and marinades where colour does not matter, braises, stews and pan sauces | Closest match on the page. The decision is entirely about colour, not flavour. |
| Apple cider vinegar | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp apple cider vinegarper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarTweak it | Slaws, bean salads and anything with pork or apple in it, cooked sauces and braises where the apple note disappears | The everyday answer. Cider vinegar's fruitiness is a feature in a slaw and a distraction in a hollandaise. |
| Distilled white vinegar | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp distilled white vinegarper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarTweak it | Keeping a pale sauce, mayonnaise or pickle colourless, poaching liquid and blanching water | This is not the same product as white wine vinegar, despite the shelf position: 5% and made from grain alcohol, not 6-7% and made from wine. |
| Rice vinegar | 1 ½ tbspper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarTweak it | Dressings you want gentler than the recipe intends, pale dishes that must not pick up colour | The one swap here where using too little is the likely mistake, because a tablespoon looks like enough. |
| Champagne vinegar | 1 tbspper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarTweak it | Delicate dressings for tender leaves or shellfish, a mignonette or a beurre blanc | Placed below the household options deliberately: it is a fine swap and no better than the cheap ones in anything cooked. |
| Lemon juice | 1 tbsp + ½ tsp lemon juiceper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarYou'll taste it | Dressings for fish, chicken and green salads | Never in a hollandaise as an afterthought, though: hollandaise is usually built on lemon already, so read the recipe before doubling the citrus. |
| Balsamic vinegar | 2 tsp + 1 tsp waterper 1 tbsp white wine vinegarYou'll taste it | A robust marinade for red meat or mushrooms, a tomato-based sauce already dark and sweet | Listed because it is often the only bottle on the shelf, not because it is a good match. |
| White wine | not an acid swap — 2 tsp any 5% vinegar + 1 tsp white wineNot for this | Adding a wine note alongside a real vinegar, deglazing a pan, which is what wine is genuinely for | Vinegar means sour wine. The bottle it came from cannot do the same work. |
Alcohol & vinegars6 options
Out of 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.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reduced supermarket balsamic vinegar | Same amount1 cup vinegar yields about ¼ cupTweak it | Drizzling on Parmigiano, pecorino and aged cheese | Reduce it low and slow in a small stainless pan, and stop while it still looks slightly thin - it thickens as it cools. |
| Condimento balsamico or wood-aged IGP balsamic | Same amountWorks | Any use of aged balsamic where you want to buy rather than make | The words to look for are condimento, condimento balsamico or invecchiato, plus a stated ageing period. |
| Saba or vincotto with a splash of vinegar | 1 tbsp saba plus ½ tsp red wine vinegar per 1 tbsp aged balsamicTweak it | Cheese and charcuterie boards | Also sold as mosto cotto or, in Middle Eastern shops, as grape molasses. |
| Bottled balsamic glaze | Same amountTweak it | Caprese, bruschetta and tomatoes, roasted vegetables | 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 | 3 parts pomegranate molasses to 1 part honeyTweak it | Grilled and roasted meat, especially lamb, roasted vegetables | Taste yours first - some brands are sharply sour and need the full amount of honey, others are already syrupy-sweet. |
| Plain supermarket balsamic, unreduced | Use about a third as muchYou'll taste it | Vinaigrettes and marinades | Two minutes in a pan turns this option into the first option on this list, which is a much better page-one answer. |
Alcohol & vinegars6 options
Out of 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.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple cider vinegar plus honey or maple syrup | For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar + ½ tsp honey or maple syrupTweak it | Salad dressings | Maple syrup is the better choice with pork and squash, honey with salads and cheese. |
| Half balsamic, half apple cider vinegar | For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 ½ tsp balsamic vinegar + 1 ½ tsp apple cider vinegarWorks | Glazes for pork and chicken, roasted vegetables | Use a thicker, sweeter supermarket balsamic. A thin, harsh one gives you sharpness without the body you are after. |
| Regular balsamic vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Roasted vegetables, vinaigrettes | 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 | Simmer ¼ cup apple juice with 2 tbsp cider vinegar down to about 2 tbspWorks | Glazes | Watch it near the end, it thickens fast and scorches. |
| Sherry vinegar plus honey | For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 tbsp sherry vinegar + ½ tsp honeyYou'll taste it | Pork, mushrooms | 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 | For every 1 tbsp apple balsamic: 1 tbsp white wine vinegar + ½ tsp brown sugarYou'll taste it | Salad dressings, slaws | Warm the vinegar slightly to dissolve the sugar, or stir until you cannot feel grit on the spoon. |
Alcohol & vinegars6 options
Out of Banyuls vinegar
French vinaigre de Banyuls, made from Banyuls itself, a sweet fortified red wine from the Roussillon coast, then aged in barrel until it turns mellow, nutty and faintly sweet with a walnut-and-caramel note; in a dressing it supplies acidity plus a soft roundness, so it seasons without the hard sour edge of an ordinary red wine vinegar.
| Substitute | Amount | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherry vinegar | Same amountWorks | Vinaigrettes | The right answer, and close enough that most people would not identify the swap. |
| Sherry vinegar plus a little honey | Same amountPlus ¼ tsp honey or maple syrup per tablespoonWorks | Vinaigrettes | This is as close as a substitution gets. |
| Red wine vinegar plus a pinch of sugar | Same amountPlus ¼ tsp sugar or honey per tablespoonTweak it | Vinaigrettes | Usable and probably already in your cupboard. |
| Balsamic vinegar cut with red wine vinegar | Same amount1 part balsamic to 2 parts red wine vinegarYou'll taste it | Vinaigrettes | Balsamic alone is too sweet, too thick and too dominant, but a third of it in red wine vinegar gets you sweetness and a barrel-aged depth that is genuinely in the right direction. |
| Champagne or white wine vinegar plus a splash of port or sweet vermouth | 3 parts vinegar to 1 part fortified wineTweak it | Vinaigrettes | A clever workaround if you have port, madeira or sweet vermouth open. |
| Unseasoned rice vinegar | Same amountTweak it | Emergency use | Included because mildness is the one thing it gets right, so it will not wreck a vinaigrette the way harsh white vinegar would. |
Swap ratios
4 swaps| Out of | Use | Amount | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balsamic vinegar | Red wine vinegar + sugarSame amountPlus 1 tsp sugarDressings, glazes | Same amountPlus 1 tsp sugar | Dressings, glazes |
| Rice wine vinegar | White wine vinegarSame amountAsian cooking | Same amount | Asian cooking |
| Sherry vinegar | Red wine vinegarSame amountSpanish cooking | Same amount | Spanish cooking |
| Apple cider vinegar | White wine vinegarSame amountGeneral cooking | Same amount | General cooking |
By use
| For | Vinegars that suit it |
|---|---|
| Salad dressings | Balsamic, apple cider, red wine |
| Asian cooking | Rice wine, white wine |
| Pickling | White wine, apple cider |
| Marinades | Red wine, balsamic, apple cider |
Storing and cooking
2 listsStorage and shelf life3 tips
- Store vinegars in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove.
- Unopened, most vinegars keep 2–3 years; opened, use within 1–2 years.
- Cloudiness or a "mother" at the bottom is harmless; an off smell means it has turned.
Cooking3 tips
- Add vinegar at the end of cooking: heat drives off the sharpness you added it for.
- Use less of the stronger vinegars (balsamic, sherry) and taste before adding more.
- A pinch of sugar rounds a harsh vinegar; a splash of vinegar brightens a flat, sweet dish.
Common vinegar swaps
Also on file
One ingredient at a time
Every ingredient has its own card: the swap, the amount, and every option stamped.