This post may include affiliate links; see our disclosure policy.

Don’t have white vinegar, or realized you’re all out while you’re cooking? Here’s the best white vinegar substitute to use in recipes.

White vinegar substitute
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Making a recipe that calls for white vinegar and don’t have it? White vinegar is a type of vinegar that’s made from distilled grain alcohol. It has a strong, harsh flavor and is often used in pickling recipes and even as a cleaner. Do not confuse it with white wine vinegar, which is made from wine and has a lighter, fruity flavor. All out of white vinegar and don’t want to run to the store? Here are a few options that can tide you over.

There is no substitute for canning!

Are you canning something and need white vinegar as part of the recipe? Run to the store and buy some! There’s no white vinegar substitute when you’re canning. You’ll need to follow the recipe exactly. If you’re not canning, proceed to the substitutes below.

Best white vinegar substitute

1. White wine vinegar

The best substitute for white vinegar? White wine vinegar! Just promise you’ll never do it the other way around, ok? White wine vinegar has a much milder and fruitier flavor profile than white vinegar, but it works in a pinch. Use it as a 1:1 substitute in sauces like Easy Taco Sauce or Famous Homemade Cocktail Sauce, or salads like Cucumber Salad with Vinegar.

2. Apple cider vinegar

Another white vinegar substitute? Apple cider vinegar. This type of vinegar is made from fermenting apple cider, then straining and bottling it. It tastes tangy and sour, with bold flavor. It’s not a total flavor match, but the bold flavor brings in some of the sharp flavor in white vinegar. Use it as a 1:1 substitution in sauces and salads like above.

Here are some recipes where you could use this white vinegar substitution:

About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

Leave a Comment

2 Comments

  1. judy says:

    What about using Rice Vinegar?

    1. Alex Overhiser says:

      I wouldn’t normally substitute as the flavor is quite different!