A sweet Japanese rice wine, low in alcohol and high in natural sugars from fermented glutinous rice. It gives teriyaki and glazes their shine and balances the salt of soy sauce.
What it does in a recipe: Sweetness, mild acidity and gloss - the sugars caramelise into a lacquer and the alcohol carries aroma. Pick the swap that covers that job - the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Hon-mirin, Sweet rice wine
4substitutes
1close matches
Wine & spiritscategory
Quick answer
Sake + sugar
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp sake + 1/2 tsp sugar
All substitutes, best first
4 ways to replace mirin
Sake + sugar
Closest match
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp sake + 1/2 tsp sugar
Sake is the same rice ferment without the residual sweetness, so adding sugar back reconstructs mirin almost exactly, including the glossy finish on a glaze.
MethodWarm gently to dissolve the sugar before adding to a marinade, so the sweetness is evenly distributed.
Trade-offVery close. Sake is slightly stronger in alcohol, which burns off quickly in a hot pan.
Mirin is both sweet and gently acidic, which is why neither sugar nor vinegar works alone - the pairing covers both properties at once, and this is the standard kitchen substitution.
MethodStir until the sugar is fully dissolved before the mixture goes into the pan.
Trade-offThe vinegar version is sharper than mirin and lacks its fermented rice aroma; the sherry version is nuttier but closer overall.
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp white grape juice + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar
The juice supplies the sugar and body that make a glaze shine, and the small amount of vinegar restores the acidity that keeps it from tasting flatly sweet.
Trade-offGrape rather than rice in flavour, and it caramelises a little faster. Reduce other sugar in the sauce to compensate.
Much of what is sold as 'mirin' in supermarkets is aji-mirin, a seasoning made from corn syrup and a little alcohol with added salt, rather than true hon-mirin. Alcohol does not fully cook off, so use one of the alcohol-free options above where that matters, and check the label since some aji-mirin products contain wheat-derived ingredients.
At a glance
Mirin in summary
Mirin at a glance: category, its job in a recipe, the diets it suits, the diets its substitutes can satisfy, and how many substitutes there are.
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp sake + 1/2 tsp sugar. Sake is the same rice ferment without the residual sweetness, so adding sugar back reconstructs mirin almost exactly, including the glossy finish on a glaze. Very close. Sake is slightly stronger in alcohol, which burns off quickly in a hot pan.
Can I use rice vinegar or dry sherry + sugar instead of mirin?
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp rice vinegar or dry sherry + 1/2 tsp sugar. Mirin is both sweet and gently acidic, which is why neither sugar nor vinegar works alone - the pairing covers both properties at once, and this is the standard kitchen substitution. The vinegar version is sharper than mirin and lacks its fermented rice aroma; the sherry version is nuttier but closer overall.
Can I use white grape juice + rice vinegar instead of mirin?
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp white grape juice + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar. The juice supplies the sugar and body that make a glaze shine, and the small amount of vinegar restores the acidity that keeps it from tasting flatly sweet. Grape rather than rice in flavour, and it caramelises a little faster. Reduce other sugar in the sauce to compensate.
Can I use water + sugar + rice vinegar instead of mirin?
1 tbsp mirin = 1 tbsp water + 1 tsp sugar + 1/4 tsp rice vinegar. This strips mirin down to its three functional parts - liquid, sugar and acid - and rebuilds them without any alcohol at all. Missing the fermented depth entirely, so a teriyaki will taste correct in structure but simpler. Acceptable in most home cooking.
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.