Red wine vinegar is a commonly used ingredient especially when making vinaigrettes or marinating meat. It is a product of red wine and it is derived when red wine is fermented. Red wine is usually aged before being bottled so as to reduce the intensity of the flavour. Although red wine vinegar is mostly used for cooking it can also be used for other purposes for example cleaning the house. Furthermore, red wine vinegar has a number of health benefits for example it helps with weight loss, reduces blood sugar level and also it has the potential to boost heart health. Most people usually run out of red wine vinegar because they use it almost every day, however this article aims at highlighting some of the red wine vinegar substitutes that you can use on a daily basis.
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Red wine
NB: red wine is an appropriate red wine vinegar substitute if you are cooking but not on salads. This is because you can never substitute red wine for recipes that need an acidic property like vinegar for denaturing proteins.
If you want to cook your favourite dishes that requires red wine vinegar you can simply substitute it with red wine. Red wine vinegar is simply a fermented product of red wine that is why it is more acidic. Red wine may be used as a substitute when marinating meat and making vinaigrettes but it is not suitable for making salad dressing since it will not emulsify unless vinegar is added.
Red wine and white vinegar
NB: you can use a mixture or red wine and white vinegar on recipes that require an acidic property.
When you run out of red wine vinegar you can substitute it with red wine and white vinegar. Red wine helps to add a flavour that is similar to red wine vinegar whilst the white vinegar helps to give the dish an acidic property and it also gives the dish a tangy taste.
Lemon or lime juice
NB: you can substitute red wine vinegar with a lime juice or lemon but the taste will not be similar to red wine vinegar.
When substituting red wine vinegar for lemon or lime juice to your dish it is important to note that the flavour will not be like that of red wine vinegar. However, the lime juice or lemon will provide the acidic properties that are found in red wine vinegar.
Tamarind paste
Tamarind paste is a red wine substitute that has its origins in Asia. It has excellent denaturing properties just like red wine vinegar. Tamarind paste is commonly used for marinating meat as well as sea food.
Balsamic vinegar
NB: balsamic vinegar has a mild sweet flavour as compared to red wine vinegar so you have to add it in small portions.
Balsamic vinegar can be used as a substitute for red wine vinegar and it is a popular ingredient in many Italian recipes. If you are substituting red wine vinegar with balsamic vinegar just add a small amount of what the recipe requires of you then you can work your way up so that the dish does not taste too sweet because balsamic vinegar has a sweet flavour to it.
White wine vinegar
NB: white vinegar is as acidic as red wine vinegar although red wine has a stronger taste.
When the dish does not require the exact flavour profile of red wine vinegar you can use white wine vinegar. Use a ratio of 1:1 when substituting red wine vinegar for white wine vinegar.
Apple cider vinegar
When red wine vinegar is not available you can substitute it with apple cider vinegar which is very healthy. You need to add the apple cider vinegar to your dish and taste it, but if the flavour seems off you can add a little bit of red wine just to balance out the acidity. However, when making salad dressing and you want to substitute red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar you can add 3 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar and 1 teaspoon of red wine for every 4 teaspoons of red wine vinegar that the recipe requires. This is because if you only use apple cider vinegar on its own the salad will have an over powering tangy taste.
Rice vinegar
NB: rice vinegar has a tangy taste that is similar to that of red wine vinegar.
Rice vinegar can be used as a red wine vinegar substitute because of its tangy flavour which is similar red wine vinegar. It is important to know that although these 2 vinegars share something in common, rice vinegar tends to have a more mild flavour to it. Thus when you are adding rice vinegar as a substitute you need to start by using a ratio of 1:1 but then you can adjust the flavours until it tastes more like red wine vinegar.
Sherry vinegar
NB: it is sweeter than red wine vinegar so you need to add it in small quantities if you are substituting it for red wine.
Sherry vinegar is mostly used in Italian cuisines and it is a good substitute for red wine vinegar. It is mild and sweet as compared to red wine vinegar. You need to add just a little bit of it so that it does not overpower the dish.
Conclusion
Red wine vinegar is a very famous ingredient which has so many medicinal benefits and it can be used on a daily basis. Most people tend to run out of it unexpectedly but this shouldn’t hinder them from making their favourite dishes that require red wine vinegar. The above article has highlighted some of the common red wine vinegar substitutes that you can easily find in your pantry. You can use ingredients like red wine especially if the dish does not require an acidic property. However, if the dish requires an acidic property then you can use a combination of red and white wine, you can also use lemon or lime juice, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, tamarind paste, rice vinegar and sherry vinegar.