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We have gathered the Best Red Wine Substitutes for your recipes. Cooking with Red Wine helps enhance the flavors of your dishes.

A bottle of red wine being poured into a glass.
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Best Red Wine Substitutes:

We love to add Red Wine to our recipes. We feel like it is a very important ingredients that adds flavor, brightness and warmth to our favorite marinades or dressings.

If you have discovered that you are out of this key ingredient, these preferred options will help save your recipes. Most of the time these options will help, just make sure substitution will work with your recipe.

Why Cook with Red Wine?

Cooking Red Wine goes back to the Greeks time. It has become a regular addition to dishes meant to serve the royalty. The main reason Red Wine is added because of its flavor and acidity.

Red Wine is made from sweet grapes and commonly served with foods. Many people comment that it creates a burst of flavor in the mouth when taken with food. It also has health benefits with helps of digestion.

When added to foods it adds a pop of flavor in taste and tenderizes the other ingredients. It also adds a pop of color to your dishes.

A bottle of red wine being poured into a glass.

What to Substitute Red Wine in Cooking?

1. Dry White Wine:

If you have a bottle of White Wine it is a good replacement for red wine. The flavor will be very similar to red wine so the only thing you will be missing is the rose color.

2. Red Wine Vinegar and Water:

If you are looking for that tangy acidity flavor to be added to your recipes, Red Wine Vinegar and water is a good replacement. Dilute 50/50 water with the Red Wine Vinegar.

  • Substitute ½ cup wine for a ¼ cup red wine vinegar and ¼ cup water.
A bottle of red wine being poured into a glass.

3. Use Chicken Broth, Vegetable Broth, or Beef Broth:

If you are just looking for additional flavor and you are out of red wine, you can use broths or vegetable stocks and beef stocks. You will miss out on the acidity and warm that red wine gives your recipes, but the extra flavor will be amazing.

4. Cranberry Juice or Grape Juice:

Another cooking red wine substitution is 100 % pomegranate juice or cranberry juice. Make sure to get the 100% juice for no added sugar. Similar flavor and color so these fruit juices will work in a pinch.

Other juice options are tomato juice, apple juice, red grape juice or lemon juice. Add small amounts to recipes as it could change the flavor of your recipes.

A bottle of red wine being poured into a glass.

5. White Wine Vinegar:

White Wine Vinegar is a good substitute when your recipe calls for red wine. It has the same acidity and flavor that red wine does. It is tasty in light dishes like for chicken broth, chicken stock and rosotto.

If you using white wine it is best to dilute in equal amounts water to white wine for your recipes.

6. Use Water:

If you have nothing else, just add in water instead. You will not have the acidity and flavor that red wine gives, but it will help balance out the liquid.

When do you add Red Wine when Cooking?

Red Wine is added to recipes to enhance the flavor, color, and aroma. We recommend adding it at the beginning of the preparing the recipe. This ensure that most of the alcohol burns off, leaving the flavor within the recipe.

The quality of the red wine is also important. It is great for savory dishes but you can also use them for desserts and sweet recipes. We have also used it to tenderize meat and deglazing pots and pans.

Red wine is added to many different recipes including braises, stews, soups, marinades and sauces.

Recipes with Red Wine:

Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Slow cooker beef bourguignon sounds fancy and tastes amazing but the recipe is so easy to make. The beef is tender and the broth is savory.
Slow Cooker Beef Bourguignon
Slow Cooker Red Wine Beef Brisket
Slow cooker red wine beef brisket recipe is easy to make and so tender and delicious. Lots of veggies and a delicious broth make this a tasty dinner idea.
Slow Cooker Red Wine Beef Brisket
Crock pot Short Ribs
Crock pot braised short ribs recipe gives you tender ribs with the ease of the slow cooker. Now you can enjoy braised ribs any day of the week.
Crock pot Short Ribs

More Substitution Ideas:

We have gathered the Best Red Wine Substitutes for your recipes. Cooking with Red Wine helps enhance the flavors of your dishes. Check out this options for an easy non-alcoholic option or to avoid opening a bottle of wine. #eatingonadime #redwine #substitutes #substitute

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About the Author

Hi, I’m Carrie. Welcome to Eating on a Dime!

I’m on a mission to help you cook delicious meals without busting your budget. Together we are going to cook real food… for real families!

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