6 Rice Vinegar Substitutes to Use in Your Cooking

Rice vinegar is a seasoning with a mouthwatering tangy-sweet flavor. It's a phenomenal ingredient used to season sushi rice, make pickled vegetables, dressings, marinades, salads, Asian slaw, and more. But what should you use if you don't have any rice vinegar on hand? The good news is there are a few great substitutes for rice vinegar you can use when you're fresh out. These are our top picks for the best rice vinegar substitutes to use in your cooking.

Seasoned Rice Vinegar

Seasoned vinegar is made by mixing standard rice vinegar with sugar and salt. Seasoned vinegar is best for recipes that call for extra salt and sugar. Because it has these additions, make sure you use less salt and sugar in the recipe. For instance, if you add ¾ cup of seasoned vinegar in your recipe, omit ¼ cup of sugar and 2 teaspoons of salt from your dish.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Made from fermented apple cider, apple cider vinegar has a wonderful, subtle apple taste. When used as a substitute for rice vinegar in marinades or as a seasoning for sushi rice, the apple flavor is barely noticeable. If you're planning on pickling some vegetables, you'll find the apple cider flavor will be more obvious. Don't forget to add ¼ teaspoon of sugar to every tablespoon of apple cider vinegar you use – this will mimic the sweetness of rice vinegar.

White Wine Vinegar

White wine vinegar is a great ingredient for all sorts of recipes, and with its mild flavor, it's a perfect rice vinegar substitute for sauces and dressings. You can swap out one tablespoon of white wine vinegar for every tablespoon of rice vinegar, just be sure to whisk in ¼ teaspoon of sugar for each tablespoon of vinegar you use. This will mimic the sweetness of rice vinegar and give your recipes a similar taste.

Lemon Juice

To add a bit of brightness to a dish, you can use lemon or lime juice in place of rice vinegar. It's perfect for adding zest to dressings or sauces. However, both lemon and lime juice will change the way your dishes taste due to their strong citrus flavor. If you want to use lemon juice as a substitute for rice vinegar, double up on the amount.

Champagne Vinegar 

Champagne vinegar is notable for its light, delicate flavor. As its name suggests, this type of vinegar is made from champagne. If you're looking for a rice vinegar substitute with a subtle flavor, champagne vinegar is a fantastic option. It will never overpower the other flavors in a dish. Use it for sushi, rice, marinades, sauces, and salad dressings.

Sherry Vinegar 

Like white wine and champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar is made from a type of wine. It has a noticeably sweeter taste than other types of wine vinegar, which makes it an excellent substitute for rice vinegar in a variety of recipes. It's ideal for marinades, sauces, dressings, and even works well for pickling vegetables. Substitute equal parts of sherry vinegar for rice vinegar in any of your recipes.