Substitutions
Vinegar made by fermenting apple cider twice, first to alcohol and then to acetic acid. Around 5 percent acidity, with a fruity, faintly sweet character and a soft golden colour.
What it does in a recipe: Fruity acidity with enough body to stand up in a dressing or a barbecue sauce. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Cider vinegar, ACV
Quick answer
White wine vinegar
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp white wine vinegarAll substitutes, best first
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp white wine vinegarBoth are fruit-derived vinegars at roughly the same acidity, so the sourness and the chemical behaviour match closely.
Trade-offCleaner and sharper, without cider vinegar's rounded apple sweetness. Slightly paler in a dressing.
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp rice vinegarMild and slightly sweet, which puts it in the same tasting territory even though the acidity runs a shade lower.
Trade-offGentler and less fruity, so a barbecue sauce or a slaw will taste flatter. Not reliable for canning.
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 2 tsp white vinegar + 1 tsp apple juiceWhite vinegar supplies the acetic acid backbone and the juice restores the apple sweetness that gives cider vinegar its character.
Trade-offSharper on the attack and sweeter on the finish, with the two notes sitting slightly apart rather than integrated.
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp lemon juiceSimilar acid strength, so it does the same job of activating baking soda, tenderising a marinade or souring milk.
Trade-offCitrus rather than orchard fruit. It works well in baking and less well in a slaw, where cider vinegar's roundness is doing the work.
Unfiltered cider vinegar contains sediment, the so-called mother. It is harmless and adds a slightly fuller flavour, but shake the bottle so you are not measuring from clear liquid one day and cloudy the next.
At a glance
| Category | Acids & vinegars |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | Fruity acidity with enough body to stand up in a dressing or a barbecue sauce |
| Suits | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free |
| Swaps available for | Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 4 |
Questions
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp white wine vinegar. Both are fruit-derived vinegars at roughly the same acidity, so the sourness and the chemical behaviour match closely. Cleaner and sharper, without cider vinegar's rounded apple sweetness. Slightly paler in a dressing.
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp rice vinegar. Mild and slightly sweet, which puts it in the same tasting territory even though the acidity runs a shade lower. Gentler and less fruity, so a barbecue sauce or a slaw will taste flatter. Not reliable for canning.
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 2 tsp white vinegar + 1 tsp apple juice. White vinegar supplies the acetic acid backbone and the juice restores the apple sweetness that gives cider vinegar its character. Sharper on the attack and sweeter on the finish, with the two notes sitting slightly apart rather than integrated.
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar = 1 tbsp lemon juice. Similar acid strength, so it does the same job of activating baking soda, tenderising a marinade or souring milk. Citrus rather than orchard fruit. It works well in baking and less well in a slaw, where cider vinegar's roundness is doing the work.
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter - confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.