Updated on November 9th, 2022
Apple cider vinegar is one of the most versatile vinegar on the market. It can do everything that other vinegar do (including clean!) and is even marketed as a health elixir by the wellness community. So, what happens if you’re on the verge of pouring the last precious drop from the bottle?
“Can I use white wine vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar?” many people ask. This multipurpose condiment isn’t exclusively for drinking, as you may have assumed. Rice vinegar, herb vinegar, and orange juice can all be used instead of wine. Here are some ideas for comparable substitutions. Continue reading to learn about your alternatives! The top alternatives are listed below:
What are Some Substitutes for Apple Cider Vinegar?
Red Wine Vinegar
In many recipes, red wine vinegar can be used instead of red Apple cider vinegar. Fermented apples are used to make apple cider vinegar. It has a faint apple flavour, although its sweetness is different from apple juice. As a result, it’s usually utilized at a 1:1 ratio. Because of its high acidity, it’s vital to temper it with a little red wine.
Red wine vinegar has a similar fruity smell to apple cider vinegar, although it isn’t as powerful. It’s also red, so be warned that whatever you use it for will most likely change colour. What exactly is this? To use red wine vinegar, add a touch more and use a 1.25:1 ratio. Red wine vinegar has the strongest and harshest flavour, unless it’s manufactured at home. Start with less and add more as needed, if used as an apple cider vinegar alternative. You’ll also have to think about the red colour.
Rice Vinegar
Rice vinegar is a versatile component that works well in a variety of dishes. It’s frequently used in rice dishes, but it’s also good in salad dressings, stir-fries, and soups. It’s a popular choice for folks who prefer to add a bit of additional flavour to their food because of its fruity flavour and moderate acidity. If apple cider vinegar isn’t your preferred flavour, orange juice can be used instead.
Rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar differ primarily in their base or fundamental constituent. The former is made from rice, whereas the latter is made from apples. Rice vinegar is sweeter than apple cider vinegar, but apple cider vinegar is more strong. Despite the distinctions, one can be substituted for the other. Rice vinegar and apple cider vinegar have distinct health benefits, flavours, and aromas. If you don’t have one, you can still use one to replace or substitute for the other.
Rice vinegar is both an alcoholic drink and a culinary ingredient. It’s frequently sprinkled on top of foods or added into marinades and sauces as a seasoning. The majority of Asian countries produce their own wine.
Herb Vinegar
Use a herb-based vinegar instead of acidic apple cider vinegar in recipes that call for it. It’s a wonderful substitute for white wine vinegar because of its strong flavour. This vinegar also helps to lower cholesterol, improve heart health, and lose belly fat. Here are some herbs that can be used in place of apple cider vinegar. Enjoy the results of using these herbs in your cooking and baking.
In a big jar, combine the herb vinegar, honey, salt, and celery seed. Place the jar somewhere dark and chilly. Test the flavour after two weeks and make any necessary adjustments. Herb vinegar should be kept in a properly sealed bottle with a cork or wax seal. Herb vinegar can be kept in the refrigerator for months or even years. It should, however, be kept at room temperature.
Orange Juice
The most important thing to remember when substituting apple cider vinegar for orange juice is that orange juice is much sweeter than apple cider vinegar. To simulate its sweet flavour, it must be served with either sugar or water. While apple cider vinegar is healthier than orange juice, it is not as sweet. As a result, you should use this vinegar carefully when cooking.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is another possibility. It can produce comparable outcomes. It is readily available and inexpensive. Because it lacks a unique orange flavour, lemon juice is an acceptable replacement. Lemon juice is much sourer, but the same amount can be used. Lemon juice also contains a higher quantity of vitamin C and anti-carcinogens. If you can’t find orange juice, you can always try lemon juice.
Sherry Vinegar
When substituting apple cider vinegar for sherry vinegar, start with little amounts and taste it to assess its flavour. Apple cider vinegar, on the other hand, is more acidic than conventional sherry vinegar. As a result, you’ll need something to balance it out, like sugar. Sherry vinegar, while not as powerful as apple cider vinegar, can be used. The acidity is higher than rice wine vinegar.
Because sherry vinegar is slightly acidic, it should not be used in baking. If you prefer the taste of sherry, white wine vinegar can be used instead. Although it lacks the sourness of sherry vinegar, it has a lovely sherry flavour. Sherry vinegar has no discernible flavour in baking recipes. If you prefer a sweeter flavor, you can use rice wine vinegar.
Malt Vinegar
Consider malt vinegar if you’re trying to avoid gluten but still want a nice vinegar replacement. It has a yeasty flavour and is made from fermented barley. Because apple cider vinegar is gentler, it can be used in most recipes. This alternative to malt vinegar has a slightly distinct flavour, but it’s still a fantastic choice if you want to give your cuisine a tangy bite.
The fundamental distinction between malt vinegar and apple cider vinegar is that their origins differ. Apple cider vinegar is manufactured from apple cider, an alcoholic beverage made from apple juice, and malt vinegar is made from malted barley, a grain used to make ale that is transformed to vinegar. The two vinegars have diverse flavour profiles due to their various sources. The flavour characteristic of malt vinegar is toasted and nutty with a hint of yeastiness. Apple cider vinegar has a slight sweetness and fruitiness to combine with its acidity, so it tastes like the source fruit.
Are Cider Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar Interchangeable?
Cider vinegar and apple cider vinegar are the same things. The phrase “cider vinegar” is more specific and common in everyday life, whereas “apple cider vinegar” is more comprehensive. Both names have the same properties. ACV, often known as cider vinegar, is created from apples that have gone through two fermentation processes. Apple cider vinegar has a pale to medium amber colour and a tart taste when finished. Vinegar is used as a dressing, marinade, vinaigrette, and food preservative in a variety of recipes. Acne, allergies, arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, diabetes, flu, gout, heartburn, high cholesterol, and sore throat are among the ailments for which it is used as an alternative medication or nutritional supplement.
Apple cider vinegar is available in liquid form, but it is also available in pill, capsule, and tablet form as a supplement. There are two varieties of apple cider vinegar: organic and non-organic. The mother of the vinegar is visible in organic or unpasteurized cider vinegar, which has a hazy look. It provides a lot of health advantages. The non-organic or pasteurized form, on the other hand, has a bright and shining appearance and has lost most of its original nutrients, vitamins, and minerals.
Do Apple Cider Vinegar and White Vinegar Work the Same?
In most cooking applications, apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are suitable replacements, but the former is substantially sourer. In many circumstances, this vinegar can be used to replace other varieties of vinegar. Although apple cider vinegar and white vinegar can be used interchangeably, there are numerous differences between the two acidic pantry mainstays.
White vinegar has five to ten percent acetic acid, whereas apple cider vinegar has five to six percent. Most white vinegar are more acidic than their apple-based counterparts due to the increased acid concentration.
White vinegar is white and clear, while apple cider vinegar is dark brown or amber in hue. Both apple cider vinegar and white vinegar are widely used in salad dressings, vinaigrettes, marinades, and seasonings for vegetables such as beets. White vinegar is clearer and more acidic than regular vinegar, thus it’s ideal for pickling vegetables. White vinegar coupled with baking soda is a fantastic leavening ingredient for baked goods, however, consuming ACV and baking soda together might cause bloating. White vinegar has a sour flavour and smell, whereas apple cider vinegar has a rich apple flavour and smell.
Which is Stronger White Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar?
White vinegar contains 5 to 10% acetic acid, making it the most potent vinegar. It’s transparent in colour and has a sharp, sour flavour. Acetic acid levels in apple cider vinegar range from 4% to 6%.
Perhaps this is why apple cider vinegar is used for salad dressings, marinating meats, and making sauces, while white vinegar is preferred for “simpler” kitchen duties like dying Easter eggs, choosing food, and even washing windows and removing stains from clothing.
Apples, sugar, and yeast are used to make apple cider vinegar. The fermentation process is started by crushing the apples and mixing them with sugar and yeast. After that, the apple cider vinegar goes through two stages of fermentation: alcoholic fermentation and acidic fermentation.
Many companies filter out the mother before bottling their apple cider vinegar to make it look more acceptable to most consumers. This also removes some of the health advantages of apple cider vinegar that are derived from the mother’s enzymes and bacteria.
What can you do with Extra White Vinegar?
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Tabs for Laundry Detergent
The ease of laundry detergent tabs and pods is undeniable, but they can be quite costly! But there’s no need to forego convenience—you can easily produce your own single-use laundry detergent tabs at home for a fraction of the cost!
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Spray to Remove Wrinkles
When your clothing simply needs a little freshening up (or you don’t want to pull out the iron and ironing board), this wrinkle-release spray is ideal.
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Get Rid of Smelly Towels
Mildew on your bath towels can make them smell stale instead of fresh. But there is a simple solution! They’ll come out of the wash feeling fluffy and smelling lovely thanks to some baking soda and vinegar.
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Stain Stick Pretreatment
The nicest part about this DIY stain stick is that you don’t have to immediately wash the stained object! Rub a fresh stain with the stain stick, toss the item in the hamper, and wash it the next time you do laundry. The stain will easily come out!
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Lemon Dust Cloths, Reusable
Until now, dusting furniture has always been a pain. These lemon dust cloths are simple to create, fantastic for protecting your furniture and smell great.
What are Some Recipes in Which White Vinegar can be Used?
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Salad with Honeydew Relish
A gorgeous green salad with honeydew melon, cucumber, grapes, and celery. But it’s a simple honey, white wine vinegar, and mustard seed dressing that “pickles” and transforms these basic components into a sweet-tart masterpiece.
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Recipe for Pork Fajitas
Cider vinegar, sugar, cayenne pepper, and Worcestershire sauce make a simple Carolina-style barbecue sauce. Mexican fajitas with a delightful Southern twist For an even faster lunch, replace the pork with leftover rotisserie chicken (the dark meat works best).
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Recipe for Strawberries with Balsamic Vinegar and Buttermilk Ice
Sliced strawberries drizzled with balsamic vinegar are topped with granita-style frozen ice made with buttermilk, lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar.
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Recipe for Pickled Grapes with Rosemary and Chiles
Add these beautiful spicy-tart grapes to an antipasto or cheese plate, or to chicken or mixed green salads. The diverse flavours will impress your guests. But the greatest thing is that prep time is about 10 minutes, and “pickling” takes only a few hours in the fridge.
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Coleslaw with Zesty Vinegar
When you mix hot salad dressing with shredded cabbage, it gently wilts the greens, giving them a beautiful tender-crunchy quality. The dressing combines sugar, oil, and cider vinegar with peppery turmeric to give an old picnic favourite a new lease on life. Turmeric imparts a spicy flavour as well as a vivid yellow hue.
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Recipe for Caramelized Onion Flank Steak with Balsamic Glaze
The flank steak has a unique flavour because of the reduced balsamic vinegar sauce, which goes well with the caramelized onions. The steak and onions both provide a significant amount of potassium to this dish, with each serving containing 766 mg. Drizzle some of the glazes over the steamed broccoli or asparagus before serving.
Conclusion
Apple cider vinegar is a pale yellow vinegar that is prepared from apples. Sugar and yeast are also present. Bacteria and yeast in the juice transform the sugar into alcohol after the apples have been crushed into juice. Acetic-acid-forming bacteria then convert the alcohol to vinegar. Because apple cider is highly acidic, it takes on a distinct tart flavour when transformed into vinegar.
