
Just between you and me, I have a massive addiction to apple cider vinegar. One of my guilty pleasures is swigging it straight from the bottle. Not for everyone I know! If you don’t have any in the house, here are my favourite apple cider vinegar substitutes…
Best Apple Cider Vinegar Substitutes
(in order of preference)
1. Rice Wine Vinegar
Lacks the slightly sweeter, fruity flavour of apple cider vinegar. However it’s an excellent match from an acidity perspective. My number 1. go-to. Won’t have the health benefits of unfiltered ACV.
2. Champagne Vinegar
The second closest match is champagne vinegar. Like rice wine vinegar it lacks the fruity notes but is close on the acidity profile.
3. White Wine Vinegar
Another good substitute. I find most brands are harsher and stronger than apple cider vinegar so I would use slightly less if substituting.
4. Sherry Vinegar
Adds a different flavour profile which may not be a bad thing! Similar acidity profile.
5. Red Wine Vinegar
Unless its home made, red wine vinegar is usually has the strongest and harshest flavour. If using it as a substitute for apple cider vinegar, start by using less and add more as needed. You’ll also have the red colour to consider.
6. Lemon / Lime Juice
Citrus juices rely on citric acid whereas all the wine vinegars mentioned above are acetic acid based. This means citrus juice has a completely different flavour profile.
But if you don’t have any vinegar in the house, a squeeze of lemon or lime will provide freshness and bring the other flavours of your dish to life in a similar way to vinegar. You may even enjoy the flavour differences!
More Tips for Cooking with Vinegar
- The Best Vinegar to Use in Cooking
- How to Make Wine Vinegar
- A Beginners Guide to the Art of Seasoning
- Best Substitutes for Sherry Vinegar
More Articles Similar to Apple Cider Vinegar Substitutes
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Also see see the Simple Ingredients Substitutes Index.
Have fun in the kitchen!
With love,
Jules x
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