Choosing the perfect wine for cooking is more art than science—as is figuring out the ideal white wine substitute after you’ve sipped through your stash.
When Joyce Lin, the certified sommelier behind Sip with Joyce, chooses a white wine for cooking, she seeks to “enhance the dish’s flavors without dominating them.” Her go-to choices for many dishes are light, bright and dry varietals like Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio and Chenin Blanc.
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But what happens when you’re ready to prepare a recipe that calls for white wine and don’t have any stocked in the wine fridge? To help you find the right swap for your dish, we’ve compiled a guide on the best pantry items to substitute for white wine in cooking.
What Can I Substitute for White Wine?
If you’re out of white entirely, vinegar and lemon juice can both contribute the acidity wine delivers. But beware, they pack a much stronger punch.
“In a recipe that calls for a dry white wine, a splash of white wine vinegar can be used as a substitute,” explains Lin. “But it’s crucial to dilute it with water or broth to prevent it from overpowering the dish.” If the goal is to add more liquid, rather than acidity, consider using broth or even water instead.
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Another option is to scour your bar cart. “If I don’t have wine near me, my first thought is to go to the liquor cabinet and see what might work,” suggests Joe Cash, chef and owner of Scoundrel in Greenville, South Carolina, a 2024 James Beard Award semifinalist for Best New Restaurant. “Vodka is always a great deglazer, especially in a pinch.”
In wine-substituting scenarios, a little creativity can go a long way. “Growing up in Taiwan, I’m more familiar with using [the rice wines] Mizhiu Tou [and] Shaoxing and [the baijiu] Kaoliang in cooking,” Lin says. “Substituting wine with other spirits isn’t bizarre to me.”
Don’t have any of these options? “Sometimes you can just omit [them], learning the dish never needed it anyway,” says Cash.
What Can I Substitute for White Wine When Cooking?
Not all white wine substitutes are created equal. Some will work better for one dish or another. To help cut through the noise, we asked Cash and Linn to choose their favorite swaps for a half dozen classic white wine-centric dishes.
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Mushroom Risotto
Linn’s first choice for mushroom risotto is Chardonnay due to its “round, buttery flavor” that “harmonizes with the earthy, umami-rich taste of the mushrooms.” Though the results are different, fino Sherry from Spain adds a similar level of depth and complexity to this classic risotto dish. The dry, nutty and mineral notes of the fortified wine “complement the earthy flavor of mushrooms,” she says, enhancing the overall taste profile of the dish.
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Alvear 2014 Fino en Rama Pedro Ximénez (Montilla-Moriles)
This dry, Sherry wine from Montilla-Moriles near Cordoba has aromas of rising bread dough, green pear, grapefruit and salted cashew. Sophisticated flavors of mandarin orange, Golden Delicious apple, freshly baked focaccia, Provençal olives and white chocolate are bracketed by a backbone of bright acidity that lingers on the palate with a note of saline. 94 Points — Mike DeSimone
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Linguini and Clams
In an ideal world, Cash would reach for a Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo blend to infuse an herbal, citrus zing to this bright clam-strewn pasta dish. But, when that’s not possible, dry vermouth is an excellent stand-in. The fortified wine shares some characteristics with traditional white wines, such as crispness and acidity. This makes it an excellent alternative for linguini and clams, says Lin: “Its subtle herbal notes harmonize with the savory flavors, creating a more complex and well-rounded taste experience.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Vermouth Del Professore Vermouth Classic Tradizionale
Robust enough to use in whiskey cocktails that call for dry vermouth, this golden selection has a mild, toasty, slightly buttery aroma. It surprises with sweetness on the palate, unfolding juicy orange, honey, vanilla and golden raisin flavors. 90 Points — Kara Newman
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Steamed Mussels with White Wine and Garlic
To “complement the saltiness of the mussels and enhance the garlic-infused broth,” Lin reaches for Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. But even though wine is one of the dish’s main ingredients, other adult beverages are appealing surrogates.
Tequila, Cash says, “would work well with mussels’ clean yet spicy flavors.” Beer would be another great sub, he says: “I’d start with a good Belgian or Hefeweizen, but the possibilities are endless.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
Tequila Tapatio Reposado
Though it’s light straw in the glass, with hardly any color, the flavor is robust and complex. Scented with perky black pepper and spice, the palate echoes the pepper up front, followed by a fleeting meaty umami note midpalate and a long finish that boasts sparks of ginger and cayenne. Aged eight months. 93 Points— K.N.
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Classic Fondue
When Cash makes classic cheese fondue, he prefers to pop a bottle of Champagne. The bubbles break through the richness of the melty cheese, and, he says, “I really love what those yeasty notes do layered in with the cheese.”
White wine vinegar may not have the same bready notes—and you’re certainly not going to want to sip it alongside the dish—but, says Lin, “it not only adds a tangy and slightly acidic flavor to the fondue, but balances the creaminess of the melted cheese and prevents the dish from becoming too heavy.”
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Chicken Breasts with White Wine Pan Sauce
Lin loves to infuse her pan sauces with Pinot Gris, especially examples from Alsace, France, because of the refreshing acidity it lends. The addition prevents dishes from feeling too heavy on the palate while adding ripe, citrus and spicy notes that “complement the flavors in the chicken and the sauce,” she says.
For these same reasons, Cash recommends turning to extra dry vermouth in a pinch, as “the botanicals are amazing,” he says. “I’m usually going to finish with a bit of cream, Dijon and tarragon, and [the ingredients] play so well with vermouth.”
Wine Enthusiast recommends:
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Chicken Piccata
Chicken piccata is a rich and bright Italian-American standby that pairs beautifully with a dry fizzy white like Vinho Verde. Cash loves the “light, fun notes” of these wines, which boast green apple and citrus aromas. You know what other common ingredient boasts a citrusy flavor profile? Actual citrus—which is why lemon juice makes for a perfect proxy in this dish.
“The acidity helps balance the richness of the chicken and the buttery sauce, helping everything harmonize,” Lin says. Bonus: Lemon juice helps tenderize the chicken, helping ensure every bite is
juicy.
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