Important Vinegar Substitutions That Will Save Your Recipes (2024)
There's a multitude of options for vinegar at the grocery store, from apple cider vinegar to herbal-infused specialty varieties. This versatile liquid is used in salad dressings, for pickling and fermenting foods, and even to clean your house. But if you've got (among others) white vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and white balsamic vinegar in the pantry, they aren't all interchangeable. Certain vinegar substitutes work better than others, depending on what you're cooking. Use this handy guide for when you're making your next recipe and need a vinegar replacement stat.
Vinegar Substitute Guide
When substituting different kinds of vinegar for one another, you can generally use a 1:1 ratio for the amount of vinegar in the recipe. Use this guide on types of vinegar to choose one most similar to the vinegar called for in your recipe.
Balsamic vinegar is made from white Trebbiano grape juice and barrel-aged for many years (as few as three years and some at least 25 years!). It has a distinctive brown color, syrupy body, and slight sweetness. It's often used sparingly to add mellow sweetness to Italian and Mediterranean foods. However, it's also growing in popularity for use in salads and even desserts. This specialty vinegar is best used in dishes that call for it specifically (like this fan-favorite balsamic chicken recipe).
Balsamic vinegar substitute: For 1 tablespoon, substitute 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or red wine vinegar plus ½ teaspoon sugar.
Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple cider. It's mild with a subtle hint of apple flavor. It's the most versatile vinegar and makes a good substitute for almost any other.
Apple cider vinegar substitute: Your best apple cider vinegar 1:1 substitutes are rice wine vinegar, distilled white vinegar, or white wine vinegar. If you only have red wine vinegar, use about 1 tsp. extra per tablespoon used since it's a bit lighter.
Fruit vinegars are usually mild in flavor and slightly sweet. They pair well as dressings for salad and in chicken recipes.
Fruit vinegar substitute: If you don't have a specific fruit vinegar for a recipe, apple cider vinegar or a wine vinegar should make a good replacement.
Herb vinegars, infused with fresh herbs while the vinegar is still warm, are savory but subtle. Before making a substitution, consider the herb that flavors the vinegar. If you would use that particular herb in your recipe, herb vinegar is a great replacement.
Herb vinegar substitute: Herb vinegars aren't common ingredients in your everyday recipes, so you could substitute herb vinegar with cider, white, malt, or wine vinegar.
Malt vinegar is made from malted barley and is mild and sweet, making it a good substitute. However, if you substitute malt vinegar for a more robust variety, such as white vinegar, you may wish to add a bit more than called for in the recipe (just a tablespoon or so should do the trick). The most common use of malt vinegar is served with fish and chips.
Malt vinegar substitute: Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice are your best options for malt vinegar substitutes.
Rice vinegar is the sweetest, most subdued vinegar, made from rice wine or sake. It's best for only the most delicate dishes.
Rice vinegar substitute: There isn't a great substitute for rice vinegar. Try replacing rice vinegar with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar if you're in a pinch. Add ¼ tsp. sugar per tablespoon you're swapping out.
White balsamic vinegar is made differently than balsamic vinegar. The grapes are pressure-cooked to prevent the caramelized color of balsamic vinegar and aged for a much shorter time (only 1 year) in uncharred barrels to keep the color light.
White balsamic vinegar substitute: Substitute white balsamic vinegar with white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar to prevent color changes in your recipe.
White vinegar is made from distilled grain alcohol and has a sour, harsh flavor. As a result, it may overpower more delicate flavors in your cooking.
White vinegar substitute: If you need a different vinegar to substitute for white vinegar, use apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar. You could also swap in lemon or lime juice, depending on your recipe. When you're canning or pickling, there are no comparable substitutes.
Wine vinegar (available in both white and red) tastes rich and fruity. Either red or white makes a flavorful substitution in most dishes. However, don't use red wine vinegar in dishes that contain pale, light ingredients because it may discolor them. Wine vinegars are the most common choice for salad vinaigrettes.
Wine vinegar substitute: The best substitutes for wine vinegars are apple cider vinegar, white balsamic, or white vinegar.
Use your newfound vinegar replacement knowledge to make a new recipe. Combine balsamic vinegar with wine for a unique twist on jelly. Make your own gut-healthy fermented foods such as spicy kimchi or sauerkraut. You could also find a new vegetable or fruit to pickle beyond cucumbers.
White vinegar substitute: If you need a different vinegar to substitute for white vinegar, use apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar. You could also swap in lemon or lime juice, depending on your recipe. When you're canning or pickling, there are no comparable substitutes.
You don't want to inadvertently lower the acidity of a recipe that you'll be storing long term. For 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, swap in 1 tablespoon of either lemon juice, lime juice, cider vinegar, or malt vinegar.
How to Use It: That neutral flavor profile makes it the most versatile vinegar of the bunch — that's why its uses literally run the gamut from cooking to cleaning.
While you can use red or white wine vinegar in nearly any recipe that calls for a wine vinegar, white wine vinegar is slightly more versatile since it's colorless. That means it's ideal for pickled vegetables and pan sauces that you want to stay the same hue.
You can use lemon juice in place of vinegar, using double the amount of vinegar required. If you need a non-acidic alternative, you can use 3/4 tsp of cream of tartar and 2 Tbsp of water. Combine the cream of tartar with the dry mix and blend well.
Lime or orange juice: use equal amounts to replace lemon juice in almost any recipe with no changes needed. Vinegar: use half the amount of vinegar to replace lemon juice and replace the remaining liquid with water if needed. White wine: only for cooking, use an equal amount of dry white wine to replace lemon juice.
I consider cider vinegar a good, all-purpose vinegar. It's inexpensive, versatile and not quite as aggressive as white vinegar because of its subtle, but not overpowering, fruitiness. It works just as well uncooked, such as in vinaigrettes or pickles, as it does cooked. Try it in barbecue sauces or glazes.
Distilled white vinegar is the vodka of vinegars, with its grain alcohol base giving it a clean, neutral taste. While this can initially make it seem like the blandest of the bunch, distilled white vinegar is useful for adding simple acidity to your dish without the flavour delivered by other types of vinegar.
Vinegar does not expire. Consuming "old" vinegar will not harm you, the way other old food items might, but the flavor and quality will certainly change over extended periods of time. Though there's no expiration, there is a sort of "sweet spot" for vinegar storage, and it varies by the type.
Dijon Mustard - Yellow mustard can be used as a substitute. Salt - Be sure to taste the yolk mixture to see if you need any additional salt before filling the eggs. Sweet Pickle Relish Juice- Relish juice is a good substitute for vinegar that many people use when making deviled eggs.
Balsamic vinegar is the next best substitute for apple cider vinegar, especially in making vinaigrettes and dressings. However, balsamic vinegar can also replace apple cider vinegar in entrees to balance the savoriness of meat, poultry, fish, slaws, and roasted veggies.
Rice vinegar, or rice wine vinegar, is made from fermented rice wine. It has a sweet, delicate flavor and is less acidic compared to most types of vinegar. The color of rice vinegar can vary depending on the bottle's country of origin, ranging from clear to brown to red and even black shades.
Vinegar has been used for centuries in cooking and baking. Its magical properties lie in the acetic acid it contains and when added to baking, vinegar is a game-changer, enhancing flavors, textures, and even contributing to the rise of our baked goods.
Most people agree that the basic difference would be the level of purity. Simply put, distilled vinegar has been purified more than white vinegar. More than that, there are also dissimilarities when it comes to chemical structure, production and usage. White vinegar is sometimes also called spirit vinegar.
Lemon juice is the best substitute for white vinegar in baking. It is also free of chemicals. Instead of using vinegar use the same measurement of lemon juice.
Lemon or lime juice are the two most common substitutes for white vinegar. You can also use rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar or malt vinegar but the taste of your sauce might be a tad different. Soy Sauce – I used low sodium.
If the recipe calls for baking soda (only, instead of baking powder), an acid is required in the mix to release the carbon dioxide (CO2). If one doesn't have vinegar, citric or tartaric acid has the right effect. Water in the mix dissolves the crystal / powder, and baking soda reacts with it.
Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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