Red wine vinegar is one of the most versatile ingredients in your kitchen. It can be used in cooking and baking, and it has a lot of other uses, as well.
The problem with red wine vinegar? We don’t always have it on hand. Never fear, though, because vinegars, although extremely specific in taste and production methods, can easily act as a good substitute for red wine.
Just because you don’t have red wine vinegar in your pantry doesn’t mean you need to close your cookbook and order takeout. Just swap it for something else.
There are several alternatives to red wine vinegar!
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What is Red Wine Vinegar?
So, what is red wine vinegar anyway? We hear it talked about, but it’s one of those elusive products we’re only kind of sure we understand.
Red wine vinegar, simply put, is vinegar made from red wine. It’s sour and has notes of the wine it’s made from.
Popular Uses
Red wine vinegar is used in lots of different dishes. It’s found in vinaigrettes, marinades, sauces, and soups, among many, many other recipes. With equal parts olive oil, it makes for a lovely dressing.
Red wine vinegar is also used in recipes for meat and poultry, as well as pickles and condiments. It’s great for a beef or chicken marinade, and often makes for a richer dish.
Check out these braised red cabbage and lamb leg steak recipes to see the vinegar in action!
How is It Made?
Vinegar is acetic acid and water, and red wine vinegar is made by fermenting red wine. Aside from red wine, red wine vinegar contains safe bacteria because it has been fermented.
Non-food Uses
Outside of cooking, red wine vinegar is used in skin care. It’s a great substitute for toner, and can ease the severity of a sunburn.
Can I Make Homemade Red Wine Vinegar?
You can make red wine vinegar at home, but it’s much easier to buy it. Lots of people love homemade red wine vinegar, though!
What is the Best Red Wine Vinegar?
The best red wine vinegar is up for debate, but here are some of my favorite substitutes:
Aspall Organic Red Wine Vinegar
Pompeian Organic Red Wine Vinegar
Banyuls Traditional French Red Wine Vinegar
What Are the Health Benefits of Red Wine?
Red wine vinegar is very healthy. There’s been a lot of research to suggest that it can be beneficial in many areas of your overall health.
Red wine vinegar is loaded with antioxidants, which are important for your body as they can ward off chronic diseases.
It’s also been suggested that it’s great for your heart health, as the acetic acid in it has been shown to lower cholesterol.
Red wine vinegar has also been shown to lower blood sugar levels and assist in weight loss. Some have even cited it as a skin care remedy.
Are There Any Risks to Using Vinegar?
There are some risks when using vinegar. It’s very acidic, so it can affect your digestion. Most issues don’t arise unless you use too much, though.
Can Any Vinegar Be a Red Wine Vinegar Substitute?
In theory, most vinegars can be used as a substitution for red wine vinegar.
The type of vinegar used won’t make a difference in most recipes, but you do need to note the differences between the two before choosing which substitution for red wine vinegar you’re going to use.
10 Red Wine Vinegar Substitutes
Are you looking for a Red Wine Vinegar Substitute? In this comprehensive list you'll learn 10 ideas for an alternative.
Apple cider vinegar is made with fermented apples and yeast. After the fermentation process, this potent kitchen staple is used in a variety of ways.
Apple cider vinegar is often found in BBQ sauces, and is a staple ingredient in many marinades. Apple cider vinegar is also known to help people lose weight, and aids in gut and skin health.
Apple cider vinegar is a good substitute for red wine vinegar, but it depends on the recipe. Apple cider vinegar has a fruitier flavor than red wine vinegar, which should be noted when using it.
It does not have the same color, so be cognizant of that when adding it to certain recipes, like vinaigrettes and dressings.
Consider limiting the amount of apple cider vinegar you use as it could change the overall taste. To make up for it, add a bit of red wine. If you don’t add any, use the two at a ratio of 1:2 red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar.
Rice wine vinegar is a type of vinegar made from rice. Many types of rice can be used to make it - white, brown, or black. It’s often used in Asian recipes and can be used to pickle vegetables or make marinades.
Rice wine vinegar is often called rice vinegar. It is much different, however, from rice wine and should not be used interchangeably with that.
Rice vinegar is very similar to red wine vinegar. It’s sweet and tangy, but it’s a little milder.
To make up for the difference in taste when using it as a substitute for red wine vinegar, you can add a little bit of red wine to rice vinegar, like you would to apple cider vinegar. Without the red wine, though, use a ratio of 2:1 rice wine vinegar to red wine vinegar.
Just as red wine vinegar is vinegar that’s made from fermenting red wine, white wine vinegar is vinegar that’s made from fermenting white wine. The two, of course, differ in color, but they also differ in flavor just a bit.
This also depends on what particular wine is used to make the vinegar. For instance, a pinot is going to taste a little different than a merlot.
White wine vinegar should not be used interchangeably with distilled white vinegar. Do not use distilled white vinegar in place of red wine vinegar either.
White wine vinegar is often used to braise and pickle food, and is used in lots of vinaigrettes. When swapping out white wine vinegar for red wine vinegar, you can use the exact same amount. The two have the same acidity, they just differ in flavor. Switch the two at a 1:1 ratio.
As noted, red wine can be added to nearly any vinegar substitute to make up for the difference in flavor. The same goes for white wine vinegar.
The similarities and differences between the two are covered above. To ensure your recipe doesn’t taste different, just add a bit of red wine. Use a 1:3 ratio of red wine to white vinegar.
Be sure to only add the amount needed to compensate for the taste, though, because adding too much red wine will affect the acidity of the dish.
Did your mind automatically jump to salad dressing when you read balsamic vinegar? Don’t worry, mine did, too. Balsamic vinegar is basically synonymous with salad.
It's very common, is used in loads of dishes aside from salads, and has been adapted to be made with lots of different flavors. You might see chocolate balsamic vinegar, raspberry balsamic vinegar, cherry balsamic vinegar, and balsamic vinegar made with other fruits for sale.
Balsamic vinegar is a great red wine vinegar substitute because it’s also made from grapes. It tastes great because of its sweet and savory flavor.
Balsamic vinegar is also thicker than red wine vinegar, so you may want to thin it a bit by adding red wine or even white vinegar. After that, you can use it at a 1:1 ratio.
A final note on balsamic vinegar, if you have any of the items on this list in your kitchen already, it’s likely balsamic. It might become your go to replacement for red wine vinegar, if you don’t purchase that as a pantry staple, that is.
Sherry vinegar is another good substitute. As the name indicates, it’s made from sherry wine. Like red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar is aged.
Sherry vinegar makes for an excellent red wine vinegar substitute. Compared to red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar has a milder flavor.
Sherry vinegar is often used in heavy dishes like stews and soups, but it can also be used to brighten up a salad.
Like many of the other vinegars, sherry vinegar is a bit sweet. Knowing this, Just pay close attention when you are using sherry vinegar as a red wine vinegar substitute. Still, though, you can swap the two at a 1:1 ratio.
Vinegar and citrus juices, like lemon juice and lime juice, have a lot in common. They’re acidic, and they have a bitter flavor.
This makes citrus juices an easy substitution for red wine vinegar, but only if necessary. Although they’re very similar, their similarities differ greatly.
Both liquids are very acidic, but citric acid is less acidic than vinegar. The only exception might be bottled lemon juice.
Both liquids are bitter, but lemon juice has a much different flavor.
When using lemon juice as a red wine vinegar substitution, only use it in certain recipes where the red wine vinegar is more for acidity and less for flavor.
Only use lemon juice in sparing amounts. If the recipe calls for more than a teaspoon or two of red wine vinegar, lemon juice is not the best substitute. In small amounts, it can be used at a 1:1 ratio.
For those of you with champagne tastes, this might be the best red wine vinegar substitute yet. Champagne vinegar is pretty similar to white wine vinegars. It’s made by fermenting wine, and is used in salad dressings, sauces, and often to deglaze pans.
Champagne vinegar has a fresh and fruity flavor profile. It has a similar acidity to red wine vinegar, but it differs in taste.
When using champagne vinegar instead of red wine vinegar, approach it the same way you would when substituting white wine vinegar. Use a 1:1 ratio, but use it with discretion if you are trying to achieve a certain flavor.
You can easily add a bit of red wine to champagne vinegar to achieve your desired flavor.
Raspberry vinegar is very similar to white wine vinegar, because it’s an ingredient. To turn it into raspberry vinegar, all you have to do is add raspberries. Well, that’s not all you have to do, but you get the jist.
You can buy raspberry vinegar if you’d like, though. And if you have purchased it and are in need of a red wine vinegar substitute, you can use raspberry vinegar instead.
Raspberry vinegar has a slightly sweeter flavor than red wine vinegar, but it’s similar in acidity. If you are using it in a salad dressing, you won’t have to worry about a change in color, because it’s red like red wine vinegar.
Raspberry vinegar isn’t the best substitute for red wine vinegar, but it will work, and can be used at a 1:1 ratio.
Tamarind paste is not the best red wine vinegar substitute, but hear me out. It works. It is one of the trickiest red wine vinegar substitutes, though.
Tamarind paste is made from the fruit of a tamarind tree. It’s very sour in flavor, and, because it’s a paste, it obviously has a much different texture than red wine vinegar.
Be just as careful when using tamarind paste as you would be when using lemon or lime juice in place of red wine vinegar. Note the differences between the two, and only use it for appropriate recipes.
It’s going to work best when red wine vinegar is called for as a flavor agent, not for acidity, so think marinades and some sauces rather than salad dressings and pickling juices.
When appropriate, though, tamarind paste is a decent substitute for red wine vinegar. It can be used at a 1:1 ratio to begin, but you may need to increase the amount of paste after.
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