What can I use instead of apple cider vinegar?
You can use white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar or rice vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar in most recipes, swapping one for one, because they are similarly acidic and mild. White distilled vinegar works too but is sharper and has no fruit flavour. Lemon juice can stand in for dressings. Pickling and canning are covered separately.
Updated
Key facts
- Similar strength. FDA's guide says each listed vinegar "should contain 4 grams of acetic acid per 100 mL", so standard vinegars are similarly acidic. [1]
- Common types. Typical retail vinegars include "white distilled, apple cider, wine (white and red), rice, balsamic, malt and sugar cane". [2]
- Wine vinegar in the EU and UK must have at least 60 g/l total acidity. [3] [4]
What are the best substitutes for apple cider vinegar?
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| White wine vinegar | 1:1 | Dressings, marinades, sauces |
| Red wine vinegar | 1:1 | Dressings, marinades, darker sauces |
| Rice vinegar | 1:1 | Dressings, Asian dishes; milder |
| White distilled vinegar | 1:1, or a little less | Pickles and baking; sharper, no fruit |
| Lemon or lime juice | 1:1 | Dressings and baking |
| Malt vinegar | 1:1 | Chips and chutneys; strong flavour |
Ratios are kitchen rules of thumb, not tested recipes. How the vinegars differ is covered in types of vinegar and apple cider vinegar vs white vinegar.
How are the substitutes made?
Knowing what each vinegar is made from helps you guess how it will taste in place of apple cider vinegar:
| Vinegar | Made from |
|---|---|
| Wine vinegar (white or red) | "The product made by the alcoholic and subsequent acetous fermentations of the juice of grapes" [1] |
| Malt vinegar | Barley malt or cereals, fermented without distillation [1] |
| Rice vinegar | "the two-fold fermentation of sugars from rice or a concentrate of rice without distillation" [2] |
| Distilled (spirit) vinegar | "the acetic fermentation of dilute distilled alcohol" [2] |
| Balsamic vinegar | Grape juice, part fermented and part concentrated or heated [2] |
Speciality wine vinegars such as sherry or champagne vinegar are also wine vinegars, so they can stand in one for one, though their flavour is stronger. Balsamic vinegar is sweeter and darker, so use it only where that suits the dish.
What should I check on the substitute's label?
- Seasoned rice vinegar. The Vinegar Institute notes that seasoned rice vinegars are made with the "seasoning" ingredients noted on the label, so read the list and adjust the recipe, or use plain rice vinegar. [2]
- Diluted acetic acid. A bottle of diluted acetic acid is not vinegar, according to the Vinegar Institute. [2]
Can I substitute vinegar when canning or pickling?
Swapping vinegars in canning or pickling is a food-safety question rather than a cooking one, so this answer does not cover it. It is covered in apple cider vinegar for pickling, which follows US home food preservation guidance. For cooking with cider itself rather than vinegar, see cooking with cider and the glossary entry for cider.
Related answers: types of vinegar · apple cider vinegar for pickling
Related on Cider Radar
Questions
Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of white wine vinegar?
Which apple cider vinegar is best for cooking?
Any pasteurised or unpasteurised cider vinegar of standard strength works; check that the label says vinegar, not just acetic acid. The Vinegar Institute notes that diluted acetic acid is not vinegar. [2] Label names are explained in cider vinegar vs apple cider vinegar.
Sources
- CPG Sec. 525.825 Vinegar, Definitions – Adulteration with Vinegar Eels — US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
- Vinegar FAQs — The Vinegar Institute
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, Annex VII: Definitions, designations and sales descriptions of products (Part II point 17: wine vinegar) — legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives)
- Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products (official EU text) — EUR-Lex (Publications Office of the European Union)