The mild flavor of cane vinegar is the essence of Filipino cuisine; without it, it is impossible to prepare any Filipino dishes. I’ve compiled a list of cane vinegar substitutes so your mood doesn’t spoil. Go through the list, and find which alternative can work for you.

Some of the best cane vinegar substitutes are red wine, apple cider, sherry, malt, rice, and balsamic vinegar.
Primarily used in Filipino cooking, It is one of the four main types of vinegar in the Philippines, along with coconut vinegar, cane vinegar, and kaong palm vinegar. Sugar cane juice is fermented into cane vinegar using bacteria, water, and a light, delicate flavor, sour and sweet.
It ranges from dark yellow to golden brown and is made in the Philippines, France, and Louisiana. Due to its mellow flavor, you can use it for salads, marinades, meats, and cold sauces.
From a health perspective, It is beneficial for providing relief from constipation and gas, improves digestion, enhances food taste, improves appetite, and improves the health condition. Let’s move to the crux of the article.
12 Best Cane Vinegar Substitutes
Here is a list of the best cane vinegar substitutes that you can add to your dishes when you are out of the ingredient.
1. Red Wine Vinegar

Red wine vinegar is alcohol-free vinegar created by fermenting and straining red wine. It has a rich and sweet, and sour flavor. Using it as a cane vinegar substitute is best when you need vinegar’s acidity.
You can use red wine vinegar to make vinaigrettes, marinades, and sauces. Red wine vinegar, as one would expect, is a little sharper and less sweet than cane vinegar. So, you can add or adjust sugar or other sweeteners in your recipe accordingly.
2. Balsamic Vinegar

You can also use sweet balsamic vinegar as a substitute for cane wine. It works great because of its syrup-like consistency, complex flavors, and tart aftertaste.
It works best as a cane vinegar in recipes with meat, fish, veggies, or salad dressings. You can incorporate balsamic vinegar in the same quantity as cane vinegar to replace it.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most used vinegar in the world. It is made out of apples, yeast, and sugar.
It is more acidic than cane vinegar and is used to prepare vinaigrettes and soups.
From a health perspective, it is high in potassium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Some studies say it aids weight loss and lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels. You can use apple cider vinegar as a substitute for cane vinegar in a 1:1 ratio.
4. Malt Vinegar

Malt vinegar is created from malted barley. Since it is used in the fermentation process, it has a faintly nutty flavor that can substitute for cane vinegar in many recipes.
Malt vinegar has many nutritional benefits, from helping your body regulate glucose to aiding in weight management. Malt vinegar has virtually no sugar. You could add some sugar to get closer to the flavors of cane vinegar.
5. Herbs Vinegar

Any herb vinegar works as a substitute for cane vinegar. Dill, tarragon, thyme, lemongrass, basil, and parsley herb vinegar pair exceptionally well with cane vinegar.
Herbs vinegar can help to deepen the flavor of fish, meats, and dressings. Although it is not as sweet, you can add honey or sugar to balance the taste of cane vinegar.
It is excellent for health as it is immune stimulation, warming of the body, and more. You can use it in a 1:1 ratio.
6. White Wine Vinegar

You can use white wine as an alternative to cane wine. It tastes fruity and resembles cane vinegar in sweetness and lightness. You can use it to prepare salads, dressing, sauces, and marinades.
White wine vinegar has significant health benefits like anti-tumor properties, promotes heart health, and controls blood control. Replace the cane wine with an equal amount of white wine vinegar.
7. Rice Vinegar

Due to rice vinegar’s sweet and savory aroma, it can work as an alternative to cane wine. As we all know, rice vinegar is a by-product of rice fermentation. Due to this, it has various health benefits, supporting weight loss and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
It is used to make sauces, marinades, salad dressing, and sushi. Instead of cane wine, you can substitute one tablespoon of rice wine vinegar; however, you should taste it first.
Note: You can use Red rice vinegar if you are out of rice vinegar
8. Sherry Vinegar

Sherry Vinegar is an excellent substitute for cane vinegar as it has a proper balance of acidity and sweetness. It is dark brown vinegar fermented from sherry wine with a nutty flavor.
It is more acidic than cane vinegar, and you can use flavored soups or make a marinade or salad dressing. A 1:1 ratio substitution is adequate as a cane vinegar substitute if you have Sherry vinegar.
9. Palm Vinegar

The sap of the nipa palm is used to make the traditional Filipino vinegar known as nipa palm vinegar. Palm vinegar is a white, cloudy vinegar with a yeasty or musty taste. It is as mild and acidic as cane vinegar.
You can use it in dipping sauces, salad dressings, and as an ingredient in dishes like paksiw and atchara pickles. It contains Probiotics, Polyphenols, and nutrients and may lower blood sugar and help fight diabetes. You can use cane vinegar as a substitute for cane vinegar in a 1:1 ratio.
10. Champagne Vinegar

Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier Light grapes make the champagne vinegar. It offers a subtle tartness paired with a delicate floral quality.
You can use it in meats, salads, and other dishes to add flavor to your favorite recipes. A 1:1 ratio substitution is already adequate if you are using champagne vinegar.
11. Fruit Vinegar

You can use fruit vinegar as an alternative to cane vinegar. You can use mango, peach, berries, orange, and apricot vinegar. Because it contains fruits, it is fruity and sweet, and acidic. It is one of the best cane vinegar substitutes available.
Fruit vinegar aids weight loss and helps control blood sugar. Fruit vinegar is a good source of Potassium, calcium, and phosphorus. A 1:1 substitution is best when replacing cane vinegar with any fruit vinegar.
12. Distilled White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar is that vinegar that is always in your pantries. It has a sour taste because it is made by feeding oxygen to a vodka-like grain alcohol, causing bacteria to grow and acetic acid to form.
It has a strong taste from cane vinegar, it is better to use it in a small amount first and then use it accordingly, or it will ruin the taste of the dishes.
You can use distilled white vinegar in your pantry for baking, cooking rice, making marinades and dressings, and poaching eggs.
A Short Recap of Balsamic Vinegar Substitutes
That was an extensive read on cane vinegar and its substitutes. The following points will make things easy for you to remember about cane vinegar and its substitutes:
Best Cane Vinegar Substitutes In Terms Of Flavor and Texture-
- Palm Vinegar
- Malt Vinegar
Best Cane Vinegar Substitutes That Are Easily Available–
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
Cane Vinegar Substitutes Should Be Least Considered-
- Distilled White Vinegar
How To Use Cane Vinegar Substitutes In A Recipe
12 Best Cane Vinegar Substitutes You Can Try!
Ingredients
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Palm Vinegar
- Distilled White Vinegar
- Champagne Vinegar
- Fruit Vinegar
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Malt Vinegar
- Herbs Vinegar
- White Wine Vinegar
- Rice Vinegar
- Sherry Vinegar
Instructions
- Go through the substitutes and see which one seems fit for the recipe.
- Collect your ingredients and use your preferred substitute.
- Use the substitute in the required amount and make the dish according to the recipe.
Conclusion
Now that we are at the end of this article, I hope you found a good substitute for cane vinegar. All the mentioned options are ideal cane vinegar substitutes.
However, we both know that practically nothing can match cane vinegar’s mellow flavor. Please let us know how the above cane vinegar substitutes worked for you. I hope to see you with some more good articles. Cheers!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a substitute for Filipino vinegar?
You can use white, rice wine, or cider vinegar as a substitute for Filipino vinegar.
What is the cane vinegar substitute for chicken?
You can use white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, or malt vinegar as a cane vinegar substitute for chicken.
What can I use as a substitute for cane vinegar?
Cane vinegar substitutes are red wine, apple cider, sherry, malt, rice, and balsamic vinegar.
Can I use distilled white vinegar as a substitute for cane vinegar?
You can use distilled white vinegar as a substitute for cane vinegar.