What Is Shaoxing wine and How Can I Use It?
Here's everything worth knowing about shaoxing wine and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 15 recipes to cook tonight.
Key Points
- The classic amber Chinese rice cooking wine, with a warm, nutty, sherry-like aroma.
- Splash it into marinades, stir-fries, and braises to deepen sauce and tame off notes.
- Dry sherry is the standard one-for-one swap; skip sweet or cream styles.
What is shaoxing wine?
Shaoxing wine is the classic amber Chinese rice cooking wine, brewed from fermented glutinous rice in the city of Shaoxing. It has a warm, nutty, slightly sherry-like aroma that rounds out marinades and braises and takes the raw edge off meat and seafood.
It is the workhorse rice wine of a Chinese kitchen, and the rice wine page covers the family in full.
How to Use It
A splash goes into marinades, stir-fries, and braises as you add the protein, where the heat drives off the harshness and leaves a savory depth. Chinese Beef Stew and Asparagus Shrimp Stir Fry both use it this way, to deepen the sauce and cut fishy or gamey notes.
Pour it down the side of a hot wok so it sizzles.
Substitute
Dry sherry is the standard swap, measure for measure, since it shares that same nutty, oxidized character. Pale dry sherry or a dry Madeira both work; avoid sweet or cream sherry, which throws off the balance.
Buying and Storing
Look for it in any Chinese grocery, often labeled "Shaoxing rice wine" or "Shao Hsing." Pick a drinking-grade bottle over the salted cooking version when you can.
Once opened it keeps for months in a cool cupboard or the fridge, since its alcohol and acidity protect it. For the full picture on rice wines, see the rice wine page.
Quick facts
Where to find shaoxing wine: Shaoxing wine is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
- In Chinese
- 绍酒
- British (UK) term
- Shaoxing wine
- en français
- Vin de Shaoxing
- en español
- vino Shaoxing
Recipes using shaoxing wine
There are 15 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Soy-Peanut Sauce Noodle with Broccoli
A quick, easy and tasty one pan meal is perfect for a weeknight supper. Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand.
Bok Choy, Tofu & Shiitake Stir Fry
This simply delicious Chinese stir-fry is made with not too many ingredients, it's quick and easy as well. Serve it with a bowl of rice to complete the meal.
Sichuan Broccoli, Tofu, & Carrot Stir-Fry
Quick, easy and packed with deliciousness. Serve this sichuan style stir-fry dish with rice to complete the meal.
Quick Broccoli & Chicken Stir-Fry
Made this dish with chicken breasts, some of the fresh vegetables I had on hand. Used Asian staple ingredients for sauce and seasonings, it came out very flavorful. Served it over a bed of warm rice to make a complete and delicious meal.
Asparagus Shrimp Stir Fry
This easy yet tasty recipe is a great way to maintain the texture of asparagus. Tender but still crispy. The Chinese seasoning including soy sauce, sichuan oil, garlic, ginger and rice vinegar really brings tons of flavour into the dish. Serve it with cooked brown rice to make a wholesome meal.
Tofu & Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry
Browned tofu cubes, crispy sugar snap peas, a few mushrooms and sweet bell peppers are stir-fried with garlic, ginger, scallions, and Chinese seasonings. Quick, easy and tasty, great for a busy week-day supper.
Broccoli, Sweet Bell Pepper & Mushroom Fried Rice
A quick and easy way to make your leftover rice into a delicious one pan meal. Feel free to add cooked meat. For a meatless version, add some scrambled eggs or browned tofu cubes.
Oriental Chicken & Vegetable Stir-Fry
A quick, easy yet tasty Chinese stir fry, chunks of marinated chickens are cooked with broccoli and carrots, then tossed with yummy sauce. Serve it over a bed of noodles or rice to complete the meal.
Bok Choy, Mushrooms & Tofu Stir-Fry
This bok choy, mushrooms, and tofu stir-fry deliver sweet, sour, and slightly spicy flavor. It's hard not to taste good when you have garlic, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil... all these classic and delicious Asian spices in one dish.
Bean Sprouts Stir-Fry with Bell Pepper & Carrot
Bean sprouts are stir fried with bell peppers and carrots, seasoned with soy sauce, rice vinegar and a bit shaoxing wine. Serve it with steamed rice or wrap it into warm crepes or tortilla wraps.
Chinese Beef Stew
Chunks of beef slowly braised in an authentic Chinese manner. Nearly any tough cut of beef can be made magically tender and flavorful with this technique.
Chinese Five-Spice Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce
Chinese five-spice pork satay with homemade coconut peanut sauce. Marinate overnight in sesame oil and Shaoxing wine, grill to charred edges. Authentic Asian street food for BBQ.
Black Vinegar Pork
A healthier take on a traditional Chinese recipe, with no MSG or food colouring, which are often added to commercially made versions.
Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon
Steamed stuffed bitter melon with seasoned pork, water chestnuts, and ginger, finished with a garlicky fermented black bean sauce. A classic Cantonese home-style dish.
Steamed Stuffed Bitter Melon
Steamed stuffed bitter melon with seasoned pork, water chestnuts, and ginger, finished with a garlicky fermented black bean sauce. A classic Cantonese home-style dish.
