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Best Substitutes for Red Wine in Cooking

Red wine brings acid, tannin, and colour to braises and ragus. The colour is the easy part; the tannin and acid are what a substitute has to work at, because without them a long braise tastes flat and heavy.

The substitutes, with ratios

Beef stock + red wine vinegar (1 cup stock + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup wine)

Best for: Braises, stews, bolognese

The workhorse. Add a teaspoon of tomato paste for depth.

Pomegranate juice + vinegar (¾ cup juice + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup)

Best for: Anywhere the tannin matters

Pomegranate is genuinely tannic, which makes it the closest fruit juice.

Cranberry juice, unsweetened (1:1)

Best for: Colour and acid in shorter-cooked dishes

Check it is unsweetened or the sauce turns cloying.

Non-alcoholic red wine (1:1)

Best for: Anything, when you can find a decent one

Quality varies enormously between brands.

Watch out

Grape juice alone is the common mistake: it has the colour and none of the structure, so a long braise ends up sweet. Whatever you use, add the acid separately. In a reduced sauce, taste before you add any additional salt, because reduction concentrates whatever was already there.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a good substitute for red wine in beef stew?

Beef stock with a tablespoon of red wine vinegar per cup, plus a teaspoon of tomato paste for depth. That covers the acid, the savoury base, and some of the body the wine would have added.

Can I use balsamic vinegar instead of red wine?

In small amounts as part of the substitute, yes, but not cup for cup. Balsamic is sweet and intense; use about 2 teaspoons plus stock to make up the volume.

Is grape juice a good red wine substitute?

Only with acid added. On its own it makes braises noticeably sweet. Use three-quarters juice to one-quarter stock, plus a tablespoon of vinegar per cup.

What can I use instead of red wine?

Beef stock + red wine vinegar is the closest match, at 1 cup stock + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup wine. Braises, stews, bolognese. The workhorse. Add a teaspoon of tomato paste for depth.

What is a good replacement for red wine?

Beef stock + red wine vinegar (1 cup stock + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup wine) if you want the closest result, or Pomegranate juice + vinegar (¾ cup juice + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup) for anywhere the tannin matters. Which one is right depends on what the red wine was doing in the dish.

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