Red Wine Substitute

When a recipe calls for red wine and you don’t have a bottle open (or don’t cook with alcohol), this three-ingredient stand-in gets the job done. It won’t replicate the tannins or fruitiness of actual wine, but it nails the two things wine contributes most to cooking: acidity and savory depth.

The vinegar handles the acid component. It deglazes a pan the same way wine would, lifting those browned bits off the bottom. The instant beef stock adds umami and body so the liquid doesn’t taste like plain water with a splash of vinegar.

Use this anywhere a beef recipe calls for dry red wine: braises, pot roasts, pan sauces, and stews. Just swap it in at the same volume the recipe specifies.

Pro Tips

• Use red wine vinegar if you have it. It’s the closest match in flavor profile to actual red wine.
• For recipes that call for more than a cup of wine, scale this proportionally but taste as you go. Too much vinegar can overpower.
• Add the substitute at the same point the recipe says to add wine. It deglazes and reduces the same way.

Variations

• Swap beef stock for mushroom broth in vegetarian dishes for earthy depth without the meat flavor.
• Add a teaspoon of grape juice for a hint of the fruitiness you’d get from real wine.
• Use chicken stock instead of beef for lighter sauces and poultry dishes.