Although white wine is something that most of us are used to drinking, did you know that it also makes a lovely cooking companion? In this blog post about wine and dining, we will look at 12 delicious dishes you can easily make with white wine.
A lot of dishes can be made with white wine, like paella, mussel risotto, prawn scampi, lemongrass chicken stir-fry, orzo risotto, garlic roasted mushrooms, coq au vin, lobster thermidor, bouillabaisse, mushrooms and eggs on toast, cheese fondue, and roasted peaches with mascarpone ice cream.
White wine is the best companion for quite a few professional chefs out there, including pastry chefs. White wine, especially good quality white wine pairs perfectly with various ingredients and adds a lovely complexity of subtle yet sharp flavors.
Not just adding complexity to various recipes, white wine is also often used for fermentation. Moreover, what makes white wine even better is that a glass of the same served with any dish that consists of any white wine enhances the flavor even further.
In this post, you will find various beautiful recipes easily made with white wine. Some recipes may need a little more preparation than others; however, all in all, the recipes are worth the effort and the end result.
What's In The Post
12 Delicious Dishes That Can Be Made With White Wine
This section includes all the recipes that can be made with white wine and a short description of how exactly the wine can be used and how it will add flavor. So, let’s begin exploring these beautiful recipes!
1. Paella
This classic Spanish seafood and rice medley is delicious in every way possible. White wine tends to pair well with freshly made paella, mainly because, along with complexity, its flavor is also sufficiently subtle.
White wine is not as acidic as red wine is in most cases. This preserves the delicate flavor of all the fish and seafood added to the paella while also cutting through the oiliness of the rice, making it a well-balanced dish.
2. Mussel Risotto
Not just mussel risotto, but any risotto, for that matter, pairs perfectly with white wine. One of the reasons being the rice used to make risotto, which is arborio rice, soaks the flavors of white wine pretty well.
Since this risotto is made with mussels, also a type of seafood, the flavor gets enhanced even better. White wine also contains a moderate amount of sugar and tannins, which help improve the mussels’ taste even more.
3. Garlicky Prawn Scampi
Prawn scampi is a classic seafood dish with many different and complex flavors that work well together. Prawn scampi tends to have a slightly salty taste, but the little sweetness in white wine helps balance that out very well.
Moreover, white wine also has a low tannin content. This, in turn, helps your tastebuds stay calm by the complexity of flavors in the wine, paired with a garlicky prawn scampi.
4. Lemongrass Chicken Stir-Fry
Most of us are used to pairing white wine with a European recipe. But, did you ever think that white wine could also pair well with Asian classics like a chicken stir-fry? The flavors of a lemongrass stir fry complement white wine so well.
Lemongrass tends to have a refreshing flavor, but a stir-fry tends to be much more complex due to adding aromatic ingredients. Since white wine is not overpowering in taste, it fits well with all these complexities while shining through with its flavor.
5. Vegetarian Orzo Risotto
White wine has a perfectly delicate acidity that pairs well with seafood and vegetarian delights. Previously, white wine pairs well with arborio rice, mainly used to make risotto.
But white wine also pairs pretty well with other grains like orzo to bring out a well-balanced flavor. In this recipe, if white wine is added later in cooking, it tends to add so much more complexity to the risotto!
6. Buttery Garlic Roasted Mushrooms
Mushrooms tend to be packed with umami flavor, similar to meat but not as complex. Hence, that makes mushrooms and the subtlety of white wine a match made in heaven!
White wine also tends to have various herbal aromas, along with different sort of flavor profiles. So, while picking a white wine to pair with a mushroom dish like this one, you can decide based on what aroma best suits the flavor!
7. Coq Au Vin
Although there is no set rule, most people use red wine while making coq au vin, especially those with a fruity flavor. However, this classic French dish tastes lovely when paired with white wine!
Red wine helps bring out complex flavors in the chicken. But red wine makes the chicken perfectly acidic while not overpowering the dish. A good riesling is an excellent option for making coq au vin with white wine.
8. Lobster Thermidor
I don’t think it could be emphasized enough just how well white wine pairs with the subtle flavor of seafood! Lobster has to be the most subtle tasting seafood, with slightly sweet meat. White wine is a great ingredient to add to the dish.
A classic lobster thermidor consists of perfectly cooked lobster meat mixed with spices, herbs, and cheese and then added back to the shell before broiling. The white wine added to the stuffing or the sauce served on the side adds a delicious sharp yet subtle flavor.
9. Bouillabaisse
A bouillabaisse is a classic French soup with loads and loads of seafood. It consists of everything from fish to mussels, prawns, clams, and often even lobster. I think this proves that white wine’s flavor would pair well with this soup.
Adding white wine toward the end of this dish is essential to let the crisp flavor enhance the seafood. White wine also makes a great pairing with bouillabaisse, as it is aromatic and helps balance out sharp flavors.
10. Mushrooms and Eggs on Toast
Whoever said you cannot add white wine to a breakfast dish? Mushrooms and eggs on toast are a classic breakfast dish that can also be made fancy by adding some white wine to the mushrooms.
The mushrooms paired with onions and garlic tend to be meaty and very umami in flavor. The wine balances the flavors and cuts some of the intense spicinesses of the garlic, making it a lovely pairing.
11. Cheese Fondue
There are many ways to make classic cheese fondue; adding white wine is never off-limits! Cheese found is mainly made with types of Swiss cheese, which could have a sharp and complex flavor.
What the wine does here is reduce the cheese’s sharpness while retaining it to the perfect level. Moreover, a wine and cheese fondue tastes even better when paired with bread and meat!
12. Roasted Peaches with Mascarpone Ice Cream
This list had to end with a beautiful dessert since pairing white wine with desserts is just as great! Here, you can add some white wine to the peaches and the mascarpone ice cream!
The peaches can be roasted in a delicious sauce made with honey and white wine, which has a great balance of sharp and sweet flavors. Moreover, the soft mascarpone cheese also pairs nicely with white wine’s slight sweetness and subtlety.
Conclusion
White wine does not just make a great beverage but is also a lovely cooking companion! The low acidity pairs so well with various ingredients, creating the perfect symphony of flavors. White wine also makes a great addition to several sauces, making it something that should probably be a staple in your pantry! Try out some of these beautiful dishes made with white wine, and I can guarantee you will impress many people!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does white wine pair well with all seafood?
Yes, white wine makes a great pairing with just about any seafood!
Can white wine be paired with red meat?
You can try it, but red meat tends to have a robust flavor, and hence, the taste of the white wine might not shine through.
What other desserts does white wine pair well with?
White wine also pairs well with desserts like panna cotta and creme brulee.
Is white wine always subtle compared to red wine?
Yes, in most cases, white wine tends to be more subtle in flavor than red wine.
