12 Substitutes for Red Wine Vinegar and How to Use Them

Red Wine Vinegar Substitute

Keeping a bottle of vinegar in the fridge is convenient, but you need not panic if you run out. There are some excellent substitutes for red wine vinegar that you can try. Red wine vinegar substitutes can offer the same flavor and texture.

Many of us are familiar with the tangy red wine vinegar used in salad dressing. Red wine vinegar is made by fermenting red wine in wooden barrels for as long as two years. The wine on fermentation produces acetic acid. Then it is strained and bottled for use.

A higher quality wine produces a higher quality vinegar. It can also be manufactured through a complex process using stainless steel tanks. In this article, we will discuss the uses and the best alternatives to red wine vinegar.

Also Read: 10 Healthy Substitutes for Heavy Cream

Uses of Red Wine Vinegar

Red wine vinegar can be used in baking, pickling, in marinades apart from salad dressings. Here are some culinary uses of red wine vinegar:

Marinade:  The acidity in vinegar helps tenderize and enhance the flavor of meat over time.

Salad Dressings: Olive oil and red wine vinegar are a staple Italian salad dressing. Red wine vinegar is used in many tasty varieties of dressings. It adds a fruity taste to the salads.

Pickling: Pickling is a way to keep vegetables tender while adding a sweet and sour flavor.

Vinaigrette: Red wine vinegar when mixed with oil, herbs, and seasoning creates a vinaigrette. It can be added to salads or used as a marinade for beef, chicken, or fish.

Health benefits of red wine vinegar include:

1. Diabetes

Red wine vinegar has been used to help control high blood sugars by reducing sugar levels in carbohydrates. It is also known to prevent the increase in blood glucose level after sweet consumption (1).

2. Cholesterol

Red wine vinegar has no cholesterol and reduces cholesterol levels along with additional fats and triglycerides (2).

3. Weight loss

Red wine vinegar suppresses your appetite by making you feel full and its acidic nature is known to lower your body fat (3).

4. Antioxidants

Free radicals produce oxidation and damage the healthy cells in the body. Red wine vinegar contains a chemical called resveratrol which acts as a powerful antioxidant.

Healthy Substitutes for Red Wine Vinegar

You need not panic if you find out that you are running out of red wine vinegar. Are there any red wine vinegar substitutes?

These substitutes have the same flavor as red wine vinegar and contain similar acidic properties. Red wine substitute options include:

1. White Wine Vinegar

White wine has similar acidity levels as red wine vinegar and is made with white wine instead of red wine. In fact, French cuisine is usually prepared with white wine vinegar. This is a perfect red wine substitute.

2. Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is an Italian favorite and can be a perfect red wine vinegar substitute. With a milder, sweeter flavor, balsamic vinegar as a substitute for red wine vinegar requires you to decrease any sweetener called for in the recipe.

3. Rice Wine Vinegar

Rice wine vinegar has the same tangy taste as red wine vinegar but is milder than the distinct flavor of red wine vinegar. It is recommended to add additional rice wine vinegar to the recipe when using it as a red wine substitute.

Also Read: Top 10 Substitutes for Vegetable Oil

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a fruity, stronger tasting red wine vinegar substitute. Due to its distinct flavor, it is recommended to reduce the amount added to the recipe when using it as a red wine vinegar substitute.

5. Sherry Vinegar

Typically used in Spanish dishes, sherry vinegar is a favorite red wine substitute. Like apple cider vinegar it’s sweeter and milder flavor requires you to reduce other sweet ingredients used in a recipe in order to even out the level of sweetness in your dish.

6. Champagne Vinegar

A little less known red wine substitute is champagne vinegar. Champagne vinegar is processed the same way as other wine vinegar. Due to its mild flavor, it can be a good red wine vinegar substitute.

7. Raspberry Vinegar

Raspberry vinegar is a sweeter red wine vinegar substitute. You may have to adjust the sweetness of the dishes by reducing other sweet ingredients to maintain the flavor.

8. Malt Vinegar

This vinegar is most commonly used in fish and chips dish. It can also be used as a red wine vinegar substitute due to its tangy flavor. Malt vinegar should be used cautiously so that you don’t drastically change the overall flavor of the dish.

9. Blended Red and White Wine Vinegar

Blending red and white wine vinegar may be the answer when you don’t have enough red wine vinegar in the bottle to fill the recipe. Because both kinds of vinegar come from wine, their flavors are very similar and can complement any dish.

Other Substitutes for Red Wine Vinegar

10. Red Wine

You can also use red wine as a red wine vinegar substitute. However, you need to add white vinegar in red wine to maintain the flavor and tanginess for any marinade or dressing.

11. Tamarind Paste

Tamarind paste is a great substitute for red wine vinegar. It is widely used in Asian and Indian cooking. However, as a meat tenderizer, you will need to use the paste carefully to prevent changing the flavor of the dish.

12. Lemon or Lime Juice

If you need to maintain the tangy taste, lemon or lime juice can be a reasonable alternative for red wine vinegar. Be careful when using this substitute else you would end up making your dish sour.

Red wine vinegar is the staple of many marinades, dressings, and dishes. It is always best to use the ingredients called for in the recipe. However, in an emergency, you can use any one of the red wine vinegar alternatives.

While red wine vinegar is an excellent additive to a variety of dishes and has many health benefits, you should not use it excessively. Too much red wine vinegar can lead to tooth decay, lower levels of potassium, and reduced calcium. As with all things, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing.

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James Concato

James Concato is a Hospital Administrator in the Chicagoland area. He has been in healthcare for more than 25 years. He holds a Masters Degree in Healthcare Administration from Quinnipiac University and has worked in or lead many different departments. Writing on cancer treatment and cancer prevention through natural treatments is his passion. James, like many others, has had family members pass away from cancer and he knows that Cancer screening is the key to better outcomes. As an administrator of different physician practices like Pediatrics, Surgery, Anesthesia, and Oncology James brings a wealth of knowledge to his writing. James is interested in educating the public through his writing.