What is a Substitute for Vinegar?

What can you substitute for Vinegar? That depends on the the type of vinegar that you are trying to replace – apple cider vinegar substitute, rice vinegar substitute, white wine vinegar substitute, red wine vinegar substitute, balsamic vinegar substitute, herb vinegar substitute, and just a plain old white vinegar substitute. Since each vinegar has such a unique flavor, a substitute for vinegar you use can change the flavor of your dish. If you are substituting a citrus juice for your vinegar it will take care of the acidic quality that the recipe needs, but you must make sure that your recipe can handle the new citrus flavor.
So, try our vinegar substitution table to get the just the right vinegar substitute for your recipe.

Table of Vinegar Substitutes:

Vinegar	Amount	Substitute
Apple Cider Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
		*OR* 1 Tablespoon of lime juice
		*OR* 2 Tablespoons of white wine
Balsamic Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of either Brown Rice Vinegar *OR* Chinese Black Vinegar
		*OR* 1 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar +plus 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
Champagne Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of either White Wine Vinegar *OR* Rice Wine Vinegar. Champagne vinegar is very mild, so do not substitute stronger vinegars.
Red Wine Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1&1/2 teaspoons White Vinegar plus 1&1/2 teaspoons of Red Wine (equal parts vinegar & wine)
Rice Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon White Wine Vinegar +plus 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
		*OR* 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar +plus 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
White Wine Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
White Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of either Lemon Juice *OR* Lime Juice
		*OR* 1 Tablespoon of either Cider Vinegar *OR* Malt Vinegar
Malt Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of either Lemon Juice *OR* Cider Vinegar
Sherry Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of either Red or White Wine (*if you don’t need the acidic property of vinegar in your recipe)
Herb Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon of either Wine Vinegar *OR* Rice Vinegar *OR* Cider Vinegar +plus fresh washed herbs
Raspberry Vinegar substitute	1 Tablespoon	1 Tablespoon Sherry Vinegar

But remember, when making substitutions be sure to measure accurately for best results. Since vinegar is such a strong flavor in its own right, substitutions for vinegar will alter the taste and possibly the texture, weight, or moisture content of the finished recipe – whether it’s better or worse depends upon your palate. Don’t be afraid to experiment though, you might like the new flavor better than the original.

Another great substitute for vinegar is herbed vinegar. To make herb vinegar, start with either wine vinegar or rice vinegar and gently warm it before pouring into a sterile bottle. Add a few washed springs of your favorite herb, like Rosemary, and cover the bottle to set for a few days for the herb to flavor the vinegar. Different herbs can make for a unique vinegar substitute.

Hopefully you were able to find a suitable substitute red wine vinegar or whatever type of substitute you needed from our table. For much more information on vinegars visit our how long does vinegar last page.