13 Best Sherry Vinegar Substitutes That Will Never Disappoint You

Sherry vinegar remains one of the most underrated ingredients for cooking. It has this subtle sweetness and deeply complex flavor that is perfect for marinating meat, adding to steamed veggies, seasoning stews, and making the most outstanding salad dressings. 

The uniqueness of this vinegar makes many foodies out there feel like nothing could replace the sherry vinegar, especially when they run out of it.

Sherry vinegar is a great mix of red wine and white wine vinegar with a balanced flavor; when added to a dish, the depth and aroma are something to rave about.

But, situations might arise where you will run out of sherry vinegar. Does the cooking stop?

Of course not; the cooking must go on because there are some great substitutes, and you might have some of them in your refrigerator or pantry that work as well as the real thing.  

Nutrition Table

Sherry Vinegar Substitutes 

Sherry vinegar is excellent for adding flavors to your dish, but some alternatives are fantastic. Some of them are: 

1. Rice Wine Vinegar

This Asian vinegar might not be like sherry wine, but rice wine vinegar will serve its purpose well. It delivers when it comes to flavor and acidity.

It is a little mild, gentle, and anything but pungent. When it comes to costs, rice wine vinegar is actually cheaper than sherry wine. 

How To Substitute

When replacing it with sherry vinegar in your dishes, use the 1:1 ratio to have the desired effect on your meals. For example, add rice wine vinegar to your stews, marinades, salad dressings, stir-fries, meats, and roasted veggies.

If there is also any other recipe that requires sherry vinegar, the rice wine vinegar will always be an ideal choice.

2. Champagne Vinegar 

This is an excellent sherry vinegar replacement. It is a bit milder and sweet compared to most wine vinegars.

One thing that champagne vinegar shares with other wine vinegars is that it is fancy and has the same beautiful effect on dishes. As for acidity levels, it is less punchy compared to the other wine vinegars. 

How To Substitute

Add the Champagne vinegar to your salad dressings, meat marinades, roasted dishes, and soups. Since its flavor is lighter compared to sherry vinegar, consider adding a dash of red wine to add that more robust flavor to your dish.

Use this option if you have it for all the dishes you are making that call for sherry vinegar as one of their ingredients.

3. Apple Cider Vinegar 

Apple cider vinegar might not have the same robust levels as sherry vinegar, but it works beautifully. The acidity levels of this vinegar are higher than rice wine vinegar, and it is sweet, just like the latter, which makes it an ideal option.

Apple cider vinegar is one of those always-present cooking substances in most kitchens, which is why it will always come through when you have run out of sherry vinegar. 

How To Substitute

You will only need to add the apple cider vinegar to your dish gradually. First, begin with a 1:2 ratio. If the tartness is too much, and you want to reduce it, consider sprinkling brown sugar.

Remember that apple cider vinegar has lower acidic levels compared to sherry vinegar which is why you might need to add a slight acidity to balance out those flavors in your dish.

Add apple cider vinegar to your reductions, salads, soups, meats, stews, and pasta. Of course, any recipes requiring sherry vinegar will also do with apple cider vinegar. This one will not disappoint at all.

4. Lemon/Orange/Limejuice/Grapefruit 

So you don’t have sherry vinegar in your kitchen but have citrus juice somewhere in your kitchen. Your recipe will work beautifully because citrus juices are pretty acidic but mild. The best options are lime, grapefruit, and orange. 

These citrus juices will deliver that extraordinary acidity needed for that dish and bring a lot of their flavors to the dish, which may or may not blend well with some ingredients in a dish. 

Citrus juices are sweeter than most wine vinegars and have a different tangy flavor compared to sherry vinegar. They can get your cooking done when you don’t have any wine vinegar in your pantry, but this will always depend on the dish you are cooking.  

How To Substitute

This is an excellent addition to soups, salads, drinks, and roasted vegetables. However, steer clear from using this citrus option when doing your meat dishes because they will not turn out the same as when wine vinegar is used on them.

Also, if you wish to adjust the acidity of this substitute, consider adding a splash of vinegar to tone it down.

Also, please don’t use them on simmered foods or sauce-based ones. Instead, stick to wine vinegar for those dishes for them to work.

5. Sherry Wine

It is comforting to know that before it became sherry vinegar, it was sherry wine. This makes it an ideal substitute, especially if you are doing cooked or simmered recipes.

In addition, Sherry wine is sweeter and lacks that acidic element since it doesn’t go through the fermentation process. 

How To Substitute

For best results, mix your sherry wine with balsamic vinegar before adding it to your dishes. Then, use it with cooked dishes that require sherry vinegar.

6. Balsamic Vinegar 

This is a typical Italian ingredient in most dishes. If you don’t have sherry vinegar in your kitchen, you will have balsamic vinegar if you are a serious cooking enthusiast. Balsamic vinegar is sweeter, bolder, and has an intense flavor compared to sherry vinegar.

It bears a fruity aroma, earthiness, mild tartness, nutty flavors, and a special touch of bitterness. In other words, it has a strong taste of fig, cherry, molasses, prune, and chocolate.

Overall, this vinegar is low in acidity, which makes it an ideal non-alcoholic sherry vinegar replacement in most recipes. 

How To Substitute

When considering this swap, it is best to use the same ratio of 1:1 but then add more gradually until the desired taste is achieved.

This will always depend on the dish, and you might also find yourself adjusting some ingredients because balsamic vinegar has a distinctly sweet flavor.

Add balsamic vinegar to your meats, marinades, dressing, salads, pasta, roasted meats, vegetables, soups, and all dishes requiring sherry vinegar in their recipes.

7. White Wine Vinegar

White wine vinegar is not made from the grapes used to make sherry, but it can work. It is milder compared to sherry but still makes an excellent substitute. This replacement has a lightness that is similar to sherry wine vinegar, and it also has a similar acidity level.

In addition, the floral notes in white wine add that remarkable complexity to a recipe like the sherry vinegar.  

Just be careful and never think the distilled white vinegar will work the same way as white wine vinegar because the former has a very sour taste. So it is far from the ideal sherry vinegar substitute except for some dishes. 

How To Substitute

Add your white wine vinegar to soups, pickles, roasted dishes, and meats, and you could also add a drizzle over your raw food. It might not taste precisely like sherry vinegar, but it will deliver unique goodness. Again, observe the 1:1 ratio for best results.

8. Red Wine Vinegar 

This is a fantastic substitute enriched with various flavors, and it is known for its intensity and tartness, which is why you should use it in moderation.

The base wine is different, but red wine vinegar is made from a similar process as the sherry wine vinegar resulting in a fantastic substitute. 

Red wine vinegar has this sharper and more acidic taste compared to sherry vinegar, and it will be felt in a dish which is why adding bit by bit until the desired taste is accomplished is advisable. 

How To Substitute

Thanks to its diverse flavor profile, red wine vinegar can be added in small amounts in stews, marinades, salads, pickles, roasts, dressings, and meats.

You will need to add it in small quantities; in this case, the 1:1 ratio is not advisable. Use a smaller amount than you would have used as sherry vinegar because too much might spoil your dish.

9. Malt Vinegar 

The fermentation of malt syrup or beer creates malt vinegar. It has this attractive dark brown color, a strong flavor, and is a bit sweet. It is an excellent sherry vinegar replacement thanks to its similar flavor profile. 

This vinegar is more useful than just dousing chips and fish. Its mild acidity and subtle sweetness are ideal for adding to dishes requiring sherry vinegar. 

How To Substitute

You can use malt vinegar for a marinade or dressing and any recipe that requires sherry vinegar. When using it in place of sherry vinegar, ensure that you use the 1:1 ratio to achieve the desired taste in your dish.

10. Brown Rice Vinegar 

This is a great sherry vinegar substitute and can be used the same way. However, it is essential to remember that brown rice vinegar happens to be more potent, which is why significant adjustments to the amount used in a dish should be made. 

How To Substitute

When substituting, begin with a small amount and slowly add more until the desired flavor is achieved. To create delicious flavors, you can add them to salads, sauces, and soups.

You can also drizzle it over cooked meats or vegetables and mix it with olive oil and salt to make a simple dressing.

11. Coconut Vinegar 

This is a substitute made from the sap of the coconut palm. It has this subtle sweetness and subtly acidic flavor. When adding it to dishes, it results in that special touch of sweetness without making your dish too sugary. 

Coconut vinegar has nutritional value and is an excellent source of antioxidants and vitamins, which help boost the immune system. 

How To Substitute

When using coconut vinegar as a replacement for sherry vinegar, it is vital to use an equal amount for the dish to work.

Use coconut vinegar in making salad dressings, marinades and sauces. You can also drizzle it over fresh fruit or veggies to turn your snacks into healthy options.

Remember, coconut vinegar has a robust flavor. If the flavor becomes too strong, you can always neutralize it using water or add coconut milk to create a balance in the acidity.

12. Herbal Vinegar  

This is another wonderful sherry vinegar substitute and it is a straightforward option to add that unique flavor to salad dressings, everyday meals, and marinades. 

You can get the ready-made herbal vinegar from the store, but if you opt to make one, some pre-planning must be done because the herbs should steep for a week plus, but the result is always worth it. 

How To Substitute

When using herbal vinegar instead of sherry vinegar, add a splash to your stews and soups for that extra flavor.

You can also use it when making a vinaigrette or drizzle it over grilled meats or roasted veggies. Homemade pickles also become better when herbal vinegar is added to them.

Use the 1:1 ratio when substituting to make the recipe work.

13. Distilled White Vinegar 

This is an excellent replacement for sherry vinegar only for some dishes, but for others, it is an absolute disaster, and you would be better off trying the other alternatives on this list.

Still, this one works well with suitable dishes and in place of sherry vinegar. 

How To Substitute

You can use distilled white vinegar on salad dressings, sauces, and marinades. You can also use it when you pickle vegetables or your fruits.

When substituting, use an equal amount of vinegar as the sherry vinegar(the 1:1 ratio). Consider adding some sugar or honey to taste and as desired.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is There A Best Replacement For Sherry Vinegar When Preparing Gazpacho?

The best replacement for sherry vinegar when preparing Gazpacho is red wine. This is because it has the same acidity and sweetness. Adding red wine to your Gazpacho will make it outstanding. 

Is There An Ideal Non-Alcoholic Sherry Vinegar Substitute? 

As for non-alcoholic substitutes, there are several, but the best one happens to be apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar stands out because it has the same acidic and tart taste as sherry vinegar but minus the alcohol content. 

Which Is The Perfect Sherry Vinegar Substitute? 

Most substitutes will work just fine, but the rice wine vinegar stands out and makes an excellent alternative. Made from fermented rice, this vinegar type is the ideal option for Asian cuisine. 

It has this fantastic, subtly sweet taste and is almost similar to sherry vinegar. However, when you compare rice vinegar to others like red or white vinegar, rice vinegar comes close to sherry vinegar thanks to a similar flavor and acidity level.  

13 Best Sherry Vinegar Substitutes That Will Never Disappoint You

Make your food more vibrant and more flavorful by adding some sherry vinegar substitutes.

Ingredients

• Rice Vinegar

• The Apple Cider Vinegar

• Balsamic Vinegar

• Red Wine Vinegar

• Lemon/Orange/Limejuice/Grapefruit

• Sherry Wine

• Malt Vinegar

• Champagne Vinegar

• Brown Rice Vinegar

• Coconut Vinegar

• White Wine Vinegar

• Herbal Vinegar

• Distilled White Vinegar

Directions

• Choose your favorite substitute from the list given above
• Follow the directions given in the recipe after having substituted the ingredient in the correct ratio

Recipe Video

• Author
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Jess Smith

Hi, my name is Jess Smith, and I love cooking in my spare time. Around three years ago, I decided to give up my day job as a teacher to pursue my passion for food. While I have enjoyed sharing tips and tricks on Social Media, I have decided to expand my horizons through this blog.

Through this blog I hope to help others learn the basics and more intricate details of cooking. I know from personal experience how frustrating it can be to cook a meal, only to realize you are missing one ingredient from your list. This is why I love to write articles chatting readers through some great substitutes that can be used in an emergency.

I hope you will find this blog useful, and that it will help you to develop your culinary skills, to help you cook up a storm!

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