Out of Rice vinegar, one case

Can you substitute white vinegar for rice vinegar?

4 options, ranked, with the exact amount

Use thisBest of 4 options

Use Distilled white vinegar + sugar

Per 1 tbsp of rice vinegar

2 ½ tsp vinegar + ½ tsp water + 1/8 tsp sugar

Yes, with water and sugar. For each tablespoon of rice vinegar, use 2 ½ teaspoons of distilled white vinegar, ½ teaspoon of water and 1/8 teaspoon of sugar, stirred until the sugar dissolves. White vinegar is sharper and has no flavor of its own, so the sugar is what makes it pass for rice vinegar. It is colorless, which makes it the swap that keeps sushi rice white.

Verdict —: Tweak it
The tweak —: Stir the vinegar, water and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved before adding it to the dish.
Best for —: sushi rice and pickled ginger that should stay white
Pantry —: Likely in your cupboard

One casethe full rice vinegar card

Every option, one card

Ranked

Rice vinegar substitutes compared
#	Substitute	Instead of 1 tbsp rice vinegar	Verdict
1	Distilled white vinegar + sugarsushi rice and pickled ginger that should stay white	2 ½ tsp vinegar + ½ tsp water + 1/8 tsp sugarTweak it	Tweak it
2	White wine vinegarvinaigrettes and dipping sauces	2 tsp vinegar + 1 tsp waterTweak it	Tweak it
3	Apple cider vinegarcooked sauces and glazes	2 ½ tsp vinegar + ½ tsp waterTweak it	Tweak it
4	Lemon juicedressings	2 ½ tsp juice + ½ tsp waterYou'll taste it	You'll taste it
Not a swap	Mirin	not a swapNot for this	Not for this

What changesWhat changes, option by option4 options

Distilled white vinegar + sugar

sharper and plainer; close once the sugar is in

Distilled white vinegar is 5% acid and plain. Rice vinegar is usually 4% to 4.5% and faintly sweet. Water brings the strength down and sugar rounds off the harsh edge.

Best for: sushi rice and pickled ginger that should stay white, quick refrigerator pickles, stir-fry sauces and marinades
Prep: Stir the vinegar, water and sugar together until the sugar has dissolved before adding it to the dish.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Raw dressings and dipping sauces made without the sugar taste harsh. Cleaning vinegar, sold at 6% or more, is not for food.

For ¼ cup of rice vinegar, use 3 tbsp + 1 tsp white vinegar, 2 tsp water and ½ tsp sugar.

White wine vinegar

clean and slightly winey

A different product from distilled white vinegar: made from wine, stronger, and softer in flavor. It is the closer match in a raw dish.

Best for: vinaigrettes and dipping sauces, sushi rice, cucumber salad
Prep: Add a pinch of sugar for a dressing or dipping sauce.
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Used undiluted it is sharper than the recipe intends.

Apple cider vinegar

fruity, with a clear apple note when raw

The same strength as white vinegar with a fruity flavor that stands in for some of the sweetness of rice vinegar.

Best for: cooked sauces and glazes, slaws, marinades
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: It tints white rice and pale vegetables a faint tan.

Lemon juice

clearly lemon

Brightens a dressing or marinade the way vinegar does, with a citrus flavor in place of a vinegar one.

Best for: dressings, marinades for fish and chicken
Suits: vegan, gluten-free
Where it fails: Sushi rice and pickles, which are meant to taste of vinegar.

Mirin

sweet, not sour

Mirin sits beside rice vinegar on the shelf and is often confused with it, but it is a sweet rice wine with almost no acid.

Best for: adding sweetness alongside a vinegar
Where it fails: On its own it adds sugar where the recipe wanted sourness, so the dish comes out sweet and flat.

If mirin and white vinegar are both on hand, 2 tsp vinegar plus 1 tsp mirin per tablespoon of rice vinegar gives the acid and the sweetness together.

Tips for substituting rice vinegar

5 tips

Per tablespoon of rice vinegar: 2 ½ tsp white vinegar, ½ tsp water, 1/8 tsp sugar. Per ¼ cup: 3 tbsp + 1 tsp vinegar, 2 tsp water, ½ tsp sugar.
If the recipe calls for seasoned rice vinegar, it expects sugar and salt in the bottle. Start with 1 tsp sugar and 1/8 tsp salt per tablespoon of the diluted white vinegar, stir until dissolved, and adjust to taste.
Dissolve the sugar in the vinegar before it goes into a cold dressing. Undissolved grains sink to the bottom of the bowl.
In a cooked sauce that already has sugar, honey or mirin, leave the extra sugar out and keep the water.
Do not make this swap in a tested canning recipe. Use the vinegar and the amount the recipe names, undiluted.

Questions

4 questions

Can I use white vinegar in place of rice vinegar for sushi rice?

Yes, and it keeps the rice pure white. Dilute it first, 2 ½ teaspoons vinegar to ½ teaspoon water per tablespoon, then add the sugar and salt your sushi rice recipe calls for. The rice will taste a little sharper and less rounded than with rice vinegar.

Is white vinegar stronger than rice vinegar?

Yes. Distilled white vinegar is 5% acid. Rice vinegar is usually 4% to 4.5% and tastes milder still because it carries a little natural sweetness. That is why a spoon-for-spoon swap makes a dish taste sour and harsh.

How do I substitute white vinegar for seasoned rice vinegar?

Seasoned rice vinegar is rice vinegar with sugar and salt added. For each tablespoon, mix 2 ½ teaspoons white vinegar and ½ teaspoon water, then start with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Taste and adjust, since brands of seasoned vinegar differ in how sweet they are.

Are white vinegar and white wine vinegar the same thing?

No. Distilled white vinegar is made from grain alcohol and tastes of nothing but acid. White wine vinegar is made from wine, is usually a little stronger, and has a softer, fruitier flavor. Both can replace rice vinegar, but the amounts differ: white wine vinegar takes 2 teaspoons plus 1 teaspoon of water per tablespoon.