Home Sauces Is There a Non-Alcoholic Alternative to Wine in Cooking?
sauces 2 min fix
Is There a Non-Alcoholic Alternative to Wine in Cooking?
Yes. Replace wine with stock plus a small amount of acid, or use unsweetened white grape juice, red grape juice, or dealcoholized wine depending on the dish.
wine substitute · alcohol-free cooking · alcohol-free · gluten-free
The fix
Tap a step to check it off.
- 1 for 1 cup dry white wine, use 3/4 cup chicken or vegetable stock plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white wine vinegar
- 2 for 1 cup dry red wine, use 3/4 cup beef, mushroom, or vegetable stock plus 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 3 for a fruitier sauce, replace 1 cup wine with 1/2 cup unsweetened grape juice and 1/2 cup stock, then add acid to taste
- 4 use dealcoholized wine in an equal amount when the recipe depends heavily on wine flavor
If it's still wrong
- If the dish tastes sweet, add lemon juice or vinegar 1 teaspoon at a time and balance it with a pinch of salt.
- If the sauce tastes too sharp, add more stock 1 tablespoon at a time or whisk in a little butter.
Prevent next time
- Choose stock to match the dish: chicken or vegetable for white-wine recipes, and beef, mushroom, or vegetable for red-wine recipes.
- Use unsweetened juice and add it gradually so its sugar does not dominate the dish.
Notes
Choose the substitute by the wine’s job
For deglazing, stock works well because the liquid loosens the browned bits from the pan; finish with lemon juice or vinegar for brightness. In soups, stews, and braises, stock plus acid is usually the best all-purpose replacement. For a pan sauce or reduction where the fruit flavor matters, add a little unsweetened grape juice, but dilute it with stock to avoid making the dish sugary.
Dealcoholized wine gives the closest flavor in risotto, coq au vin, beef bourguignon, and other dishes where wine is a defining ingredient. Check the label if you need to avoid alcohol completely, since some products labeled non-alcoholic can contain a small residual amount.
Avoid cooking wine as a substitute. It still contains alcohol and is often heavily salted.