Apart from being an amazing beverage, red wine is also a great cooking ingredient. A dash of red wine can do wonders for steaks, marinades, stews, and sauces. If you are out of red wine, don’t worry! I’m here to tell you about some fantastic red wine substitutes.
Most Italian and French dishes use red wine as a main ingredient. Whatever dish you are cooking, red wine adds some depth and brightness to the dish’s overall flavour.
Confused regarding what could be the best alternative to red wine? Dry white wine, pomegranate juice, red wine vinegar, chicken/vegetable broth, and water are some of the best red wine substitutes.
Now that you have a brief overview of the red wine substitute let’s understand each separately. A better understanding of each red wine substitute will help you choose the suitable one for your dish.
10 Best Red Wine Substitutes
Given below are the best red wine substitutes. Go through the descriptions of each ingredient and choose the most appropriate one.
1. Dry White Wine
Dry white wine has a similar flavor to red wine and can be used as a red wine substitute in most dishes. It adds a sweet yet tangy taste to the dish, similar to red wine.
However, dry white wine won’t add any color to the dish. While substituting red wine with dry white wine, follow the 1:1 ratio.
2. Red Grape Juice
Red grape juice brings a sweet, tangy taste to the dish, similar to red wine. Also, red grape juice adds a red hue just like that of red wine. Hence, you are looking for a perfect non-alcoholic red wine substitute: red grape juice.
While using red grape juice as a red wine substitute, you can follow the 1:1 swapping rule. However, if you want to make the flavor a little more perfect, add a splash of white vinegar with your grape juice.
3. Beef Broth
Beef broth helps brighten the dish’s flavor, just like that of red wine. Hence if you have beef broth at hand, you can use it as a red wine substitute. You can also use vegetable broth. However, the beef broth would taste better.
However, beef broth doesn’t have any tanginess to it. Hence while adding beef broth as a red wine substitute, make sure to add a bit of vinegar to your recipe to bring the tangy taste.
4. Chicken Broth
The chicken broth, like beef broth, helps deepen the dish’s flavor, just like the red wine. Hence, chicken broth is a great red wine substitute, especially for sauces and curries.
Just like beef broth, chicken broth also lacks tart flavor. Hence while using chicken broth as a red wine substitute, add some regular vinegar to the broth to make it tangier.
5. Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice brings in a similar hue to red wine and can be used as a red wine substitute in dishes. However, while using cranberry juice as a substitute, make sure to use the unsweetened version, as the sweetened version might affect the dish’s overall taste.
Cranberry juice has a slight sweetness to it. Add some vinegar before using it as a red wine substitute to make it a little tangy. While using cranberry juice as a red wine substitute, follow the 1:1 ratio.
6. Red Wine Vinegar
Red wine vinegar helps to add a red hue to the dish. Therefore it can be used as a red wine substitute in a bit. However, red wine vinegar has a very strong tangy taste, unlike red wine.
Therefore, when using red wine vinegar as a substitute, dilute it with water before adding it to the dish. Also, if your dish particularly calls for red wine, go for any other substitute given above.
7. Pomegranate Juice
Pomegranate juice has a very pleasant taste and brings a red hue to the food. Thus, pomegranate juice works well as a red wine substitute. However, while using pomegranate juice, make sure to use the unsweetened version, as it might alter the dish’s overall flavor.
Pomegranate juice has a less tangy taste when compared to that red wine. Hence while using pomegranate juice as a red wine substitute, make sure to add a splash of white vinegar to it.
8. Tomato Juice
Tomato juice, with its slight tangy and sweet taste, is one of the best easily accessible red wine substitutes. It adds a slight red color to dishes and goes well with most dishes that call for red wine.
However, tomato juice carries a little bitterness. Thus while using it as a red wine substitute, make sure to mix it with some fruit juice to bring a slight sweetness to it. Also, the acidity of tomato juice varies depending on the tomatoes.
Thus if your tomato juice lacks the tangy touch, add some vinegar to bring the tangy taste. While using tomato juice as a red wine substitute, follow the 1:1 ratio.
9. Water
If you don’t have any of these in your kitchen, simply use water as a red wine substitute. Water can be used to dilute the dish. However, it won’t contribute either to the flavor or the color of the dish.
However, if you have some sugar and vinegar at home, add it to water and make a solution that tastes similar to red wine. Mix ¼ cup of water with ¼ cup of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of salt to make this solution.
10. Raspberry Juice
Raspberry juice has a slight sweetness to it with a hint of tartness, just like red wine vinegar. It also adds red color to the dish. It also enhances the flavor of the dish. Hence raspberry juice can be used as a red wine substitute.
Raspberry juice works well as a red wine substitute in salads and glazes. Like pomegranate juice and cranberry juice, raspberry juice might lack tardiness.
Hence while using raspberry juice as a red wine substitute, make sure to add a splash of vinegar and adjust it to your liking.
Short Recap Of Red Wine Substitutes
After going through the list of red wine substitutes, I’m sure you must have chosen one for yourself. However, if you are still perplexed regarding what to choose from these, let me further break it down.
Best Easily Available Red Wine Substitutes –
- Beef Broth
- Red Grape juice
- Tomato juice
Most Suitable Red Wine Substitutes –
- White Wine Vinegar
Substitute Options To Consider Last –
- Red Wine Vinegar
How To Use Red Wine Substitutes In A Recipe
10 Best Red Wine Substitutes You Can Try!
Ingredients
- Raspberry Juice
- Water
- Tomato Juice
- Pomegranate Juice
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Cranberry Juice
- Chicken Broth
- Beef Broth
- Red Grape Juice
- Dry White Wine
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 proceed to make the dish according to the recipe.
Conclusion
There are only a handful of red wine substitutes. Hence if you are looking for one, choose the most suitable one from the above list.
Most of the red wine substitutes given above are easily available. However, if your dish uses red wine in huge amounts, then it will be better to use red wine itself other than its alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What can I substitute for red wine in a recipe?
Dry white wine, pomegranate juice, red wine vinegar, chicken/vegetable broth, and water are some of the best red wine substitutes.
What alcohol can I use instead of red wine in cooking?
Dry white wine can be used as a red wine cooking alternative.
Can I use beer instead of red wine?
No. Beer has a different flavor profile than red wine and cannot be used as a red wine substitute.
