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Best Substitutes for White Wine in Cooking

White wine in cooking does two jobs at once: it adds acid that cuts fat, and it adds a fermented depth that plain liquid cannot. A good substitute has to cover both, which is why grape juice on its own tastes flat and slightly sweet in a pan sauce.

The substitutes, with ratios

Chicken or vegetable stock + white wine vinegar (1 cup stock + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup wine)

Best for: Pan sauces, risotto, braises · the everyday answer

Add the vinegar at the end so it does not cook off entirely.

Dry vermouth (1:1)

Best for: Anywhere white wine is called for

Keeps for months open, which is why many restaurant kitchens use it by default.

Verjuice (1:1)

Best for: Delicate sauces and dressings

Pressed unripe grape juice. Acidic without alcohol.

White grape juice + vinegar (¾ cup juice + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup)

Best for: When sweetness suits the dish

Too sweet on its own. The vinegar is not optional.

Watch out

Do not reach for cooking wine from the supermarket shelf: it is heavily salted and will wreck the seasoning of a reduced sauce. If a recipe reduces the wine hard, as risotto and pan sauces do, use stock and vinegar rather than juice, or the finished dish turns syrupy.

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Frequently asked questions

What can I use instead of white wine in cooking?

Chicken or vegetable stock with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar per cup is the closest everyday swap, because it covers both the acid and the savory depth. Dry vermouth is a 1:1 replacement if you have it.

Can I use vinegar instead of white wine?

Not on its own, it is far too sharp. Use about 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of liquid, with stock or water making up the rest.

Does the alcohol cook off?

Not completely. After 30 minutes of simmering roughly 35% remains, and even after two hours a small amount is left. If you are avoiding alcohol entirely, substitute rather than relying on cooking it off.

What can I use instead of white wine?

Chicken or vegetable stock + white wine vinegar is the closest match, at 1 cup stock + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup wine. Pan sauces, risotto, braises · the everyday answer. Add the vinegar at the end so it does not cook off entirely.

What is a good replacement for white wine?

Chicken or vegetable stock + white wine vinegar (1 cup stock + 1 tbsp vinegar per 1 cup wine) if you want the closest result, or Dry vermouth (1:1) for anywhere white wine is called for. Which one is right depends on what the white wine was doing in the dish.

Related guides: Red Wine · Chicken Broth · Lemon Juice · All guides