What Is White wine vinegar and How Can I Use It?

Here's everything worth knowing about white wine vinegar and how to pick it, what it is, how to store it, and what to use instead, plus 477 recipes to cook tonight.

What is white wine vinegar?

White wine vinegar is white wine fermented until its alcohol turns to acid. It is the pale, milder cousin of red wine vinegar, cleaner and less assertive, with none of the color that would tint a delicate dish.

That restraint is the point. When a recipe needs brightness but should stay light on the palate and light in color, this is the vinegar that does the job without taking over.

For how vinegar is made in general and the rule about adding acid late, see the main vinegar page. Here the focus is where white wine vinegar beats the alternatives.

Flavor and Acidity

White wine vinegar lands around 5% to 7% acidity, similar to red wine vinegar but without the tannin and pigment. The flavor is crisp and a little floral, depending on the wine it came from, and that restraint is why it will not overpower delicate herbs or fish.

It also stays clear. A pale sauce keeps looking pale instead of muddy.

Cooking With White Wine Vinegar

Its best-known job is the French butter sauce beurre blanc, where white wine vinegar and wine are reduced with shallots before cold butter is whisked in. The acid is what keeps the sauce from turning greasy.

Light dressings are its other strength. It carries the Italian Herb Salad Dressing and the classic 1969 Oil & Vinegar Dressing, where you want clean tang without a heavy grape note muscling in.

Quick pickling is another natural fit. Its mild flavor lets the spices and the vegetable lead, as in Pickled Garlic, where a harsher vinegar would bury the garlic and nothing else would come through.

A spoonful also cuts the richness of creamy dishes. A little stirred into something like Orange Tarragon Cream Sauce at the very end sharpens it without thinning the flavor.

The common mistake is reducing it too hard in a pan sauce. Boil it down to nothing and the acid scorches and turns bitter, so add wine alongside it and stop while there is still liquid in the pan.

Substitutes

The closest swap is red wine vinegar, one for one, as long as you do not mind a pink tinge and a slightly bolder flavor. For anything that must stay pale, that tinge is exactly what you are trying to avoid.

Rice vinegar makes a good milder stand-in, a touch sweeter and very gentle, which suits dressings and quick pickles. Champagne vinegar is essentially a more delicate version of the same thing and swaps in directly.

Apple cider vinegar works in a pinch, though it brings an apple note. Plain distilled white vinegar can substitute, but it is much sharper, so use about a quarter less and expect a harder edge.

Buying and Storing

Buy plain white wine vinegar for everyday cooking and save Champagne vinegar for special dressings where its finesse shows. Check the acidity on the label, since the percentage tells you how much you will need.

Storage is simple. Capped and kept in a cool cupboard away from heat, it lasts for years with no refrigeration.

A cloudy haze or a small jellylike clump is just the mother forming, and it is harmless. Strain it if you like, or leave it. The vinegar is fine to use.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find white wine vinegar: White wine vinegar is usually found in the oils section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: White wine vinegar is a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

白葡萄酒醋

British (UK) term

White wine vinegar

en français

vinaigre de vin blanc

en español

vinagre de vino blanco

How much does white wine vinegar weigh?

Related

Spices and Herbs

Recipes using white wine vinegar

There are 477 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Marinated Pork Chops

Grilled pork chops marinated 6 hours in olive oil, white wine vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, bay leaf, and dry mustard. A simple Mediterranean-style marinade for thick-cut chops.

Gazpacho (Salad Soup)

Classic gazpacho, the chilled Spanish salad soup, with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, olive oil and white wine vinegar. No cooking required, just blend and chill.

Chilled Tomato-Yogurt Soup

A velvety chilled soup made with strained yogurt, ripe tomatoes, fresh dill, and a bright splash of white wine vinegar. This no-cook vegetarian recipe is refreshing, tangy, and ready to serve after a few hours in the fridge.

Chicken Potato & Spinach Salad

A chicken breast and potato salad with spinach, dressed with a creamy and tangy tarragon-mustard dressing.

Basic Yummy Gazpacho

No-cook gazpacho made with Roma tomatoes, cucumber, red bell pepper, garlic, and white wine vinegar. Five-minute blender soup, vegan, naturally low-calorie, and ready as soon as it chills. Summer in a glass.

Satay Peanut Chicken

Satay peanut chicken skewers marinated in peanut butter, soy, lemon, garlic, ginger, and red pepper, then grilled and served with the reserved sauce for dipping. A Southeast Asian classic with a kick.

Chilled Sonoma Tomato Vegetable Soup

California-style chilled gazpacho built from peak summer tomatoes, English cucumber, red bell peppers, jalapeno, serrano, and a chiffonade of fresh herbs. Vegan, low-fat, and made for blistering Sonoma afternoons.

Easy & Yummy Gazpacho

Classic gazpacho, the chilled Spanish tomato soup with fresh tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic, and a bright lime-and-lemon finish. No-cook summer dish, ready after a 2-hour chill.

Tom's Best Gazpacho

Classic Spanish gazpacho with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, green pepper, garlic and white wine vinegar. No-cook chilled summer soup blended in 5 minutes.

Cherry & Quinoa Salad

Fresh sweet cherries and quinoa are tossed with celery, creamy goat cheese, toasted almonds and tangy white wine vinaigrette.

Blueberry, Roasted Corn, Soy Bean & Arugula Salad

Fresh blueberries, roasted sweet corn, soy bean, red bell pepper and peppery arugula are tossed with a white wine vinegar-olive oil vinaigrette. It's a light and tasty summer salad that accompanies well with any barbecued dishes.

Chilled Couscous Vegetable Salad

A scrumptious salad that's made with couscous, romaine lettuce, corn kernels and baby green peas.

Pork Chops & Sugar Snap Peas with Mint Julep Glaze

Delicious pork chops are seared in a hot skillet, sugar snap peas are cooked in a flavorful broth, which makes this one-skillet meal that's quick, easy to prepare and perfect for a week day dinner.

Asparagus, Red Bell Pepper & Arugula Salad

Seared asparagus and sweet red peppers nestle over peppery arugula, finished with creamy goat cheese. This vibrant vegetarian salad comes together in 18 minutes with bold garlic-ginger vinaigrette.

Arugula Salad Warm Goat Cheese with Black Olive Vinaigrette

Baked seasoned warm goat cheese adds a nice zing into the salad, fresh arugula and radicchio have the slightly peppery taste, perfectly match the olive vinaigrette and creamy goat cheese.

Yummy Tzatziki

Authentic Greek tzatziki with strained yogurt, salted and squeezed cucumber, garlic, white wine vinegar, and olive oil. The proper way: 24-hour drain, no shortcuts. Vegetarian dip or sauce.

Sauteed Garlic Salad Dressing

The dressing is so garlicky without feeling spicy or overwhelmed, because the garlic has been cooked in the oil. The dressing works deliciously well with almost any your favorite salads.

Grama's Dill Pickles

Grama's dill pickles are a classic hot-pack brine of white wine vinegar, water, and pickling salt poured over fresh cucumbers with sprigs of dill. Crunchy old-school pickles, ready after a few weeks of curing.

Ropa Vieja

Ropa vieja is a classic Cuban shredded beef dish braised in a rich tomato sauce with cumin, oregano, garlic, and green peppers. Served over white rice with fried plantains on the side.

Tartar Sauce

Make your delicious tartar sauce with this easy to follow recipe that doesn't take a lot of time to prepare.

Edamame & Roasted Bell Pepper Hummus

What a tasty hummus. If you have never tried to make a hummus with edamame, roasted bell peppers, and peanut butter, you should add this one to your to-try list. Carrot, celery, chips or crackers all go deliciously well with it.

Heirloom Beets, Warm Goat Cheese, Arugula with Green Olive Vinaigrette

Sweet roasted heirloom beets, warm goat cheese rounds on a bed of fresh arugula with flavors highlighted by a green olive vinaigrette.

Avocado Feta Salsa - Superbowl

Super quick and easy to put together, and the salsa tastes so refreshing and delicious. Serve it with store-bought or homemade tortilla chips.

Broccoli Mushroom Bulgur Salad

A Broccoli Mushroom Bulgur Salad with a hint of sweet and sour essence is a delightful and healthy dish that combines the earthy flavors of broccoli and mushrooms with the nutty taste of bulgur. The salad is then elevated with a tantalizing sweet and sour dressing that adds a burst of flavor to every bite.

Stolichnyi Salat - Table Salad or Russian Salad

Classic Russian Olivier salad with boiled potatoes, carrots, peas, chicken, apples, and orange in a creamy egg yolk, mayonnaise, and sour cream dressing. Chilled overnight for deep, layered flavor.

Crab n' Pink Grapefruit Salad

Sweet crab, tangy grapefruit on tender crisp on a bed of Boston lettuce drizzled with a perfectly balanced vinaigrette.

Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad with Arugula & Light Vinaigrete

Beets and carrots are both earthy vegetables, roasting really help to enhance the great taste, tossed with light vinaigrette and peppery arugula, a tasty salad that goes well with any kind of main course.

Refreshing Asparagus & Mixed Baby Greens Salad

Pan-seared asparagus is tender yet still crisp, tossed with mixed baby greens, a tasty vinaigrette and hard-boiled eggs. A flavorful salad that's quick, easy to make.

Warm Pasta with Roasted Tomatoes, Greens & Goat Cheese

Juicy, sweet and tender roasted tomatoes, creamy goat cheese, and slightly bitter mixed greens make this mouth-watering pasta dish delicious and nutritious.

Mandrin Orange & Green Salad

Mandarin orange and mixed greens salad with toasted pine nuts and a white wine vinaigrette. A quick five-ingredient low-calorie side salad ready in 10 minutes.

Pea-Mint Sauce

A very refreshing and tasty sauce! We had lots of frozen peas and lots of fresh mint growing at our backyard, this recipe was perfect for us to use up some of the peas and mint.

Spicy Tomato Jam

We have had so many fruit jams, have you even tasted tomato jam with some spiciness, ginger and garlic. And it is so versatile, it goes well with cracker, bread or some pita bits.

Greens with Roasted Corn & Pepper Salad

This is one of my favorites, and is always a hit when I bring it to potlucks.

Arugula Salad with Garlic Croutons, Gruyere & Eggs

Great salad, looks elegant but is reasonably easy to put together. Loved the combination of textures, crunchy croutons, slightly spicy rocket (arugula) and perfectly dressed with just a bit of tang from the dressing.

Picadillo Con Alcaparras (Picadillo with Capers)

Cuban-style picadillo with capers, pimento-stuffed olives, burgundy wine, and a touch of nutmeg. Ground beef braised in a savory-sweet sofrito. Serve over rice with plantains.

Creamy Dill Ranch Dressing

A lighter ranch dressing made creamy with nonfat cottage cheese, low-fat mayo, and buttermilk powder, brightened with fresh dill and shallot. Thick, tangy, and only 19 calories per serving.

Delicious Tuna Melt Sandwiches with Swiss Cheese & Apple

Inspired by Cat Caro's recipe, we made a few changes in our version. These deliciously filling sandwiches are also loaded with good-for-you ingredients. Perfect for a quick-fix lunch or dinner.

Mixed Salad with Parmesan Croutons

Sweet cherry tomatoes, red bell peppers and crunchy romain lettuce are tossed with a lemon-olive oil vinaigrette, and cheesy Parmesan croutons.

Quinoa, Wild Rice Salad with Cherry & Grapes

Quinoa, wild rice, sweet cherries and grapes are tossed with celeries, feta cheese and a tasty vinaigrette. You will be impressed by both yummy flavor and great texture.

Venezuelan Avocado Salsa

That's why you should always make salsa from the scratch. It's simple and refreshing. The best thing is that you can control the amount of salt you put in.

Caramelized Onion, White Bean & Cheddar Flatbread

Try this rectangular pizza, caramelized onion with white bean paste coated pizza dough, thinly sliced tomatoes and cheddar cheese, toasted pumpkin seeds, let this homemade pizza colorful and delicious.

Arugula, Chickpea, Roasted Pepper & Artichoke Salad

Vibrant salad combining peppery arugula, chickpeas, roasted red peppers, and artichoke hearts with citrus vinaigrette and shaved Parmesan. Fresh, colorful, and packed with Mediterranean flavor.

Muffelatta Sandwich

This sandwich absolutely deserves 5 star! It was so quick and easy to put together, and it was packed with flavour. We omitted the anchovies, used Swiss cheese, otherwise followed the recipe. If you are looking for a crowd-pleasing sandwich, this is the one!

German Potato Salad

German potato salad in a warm, tangy dressing of broth, white wine vinegar, mustard and a touch of sour cream, poured over still-warm sliced potatoes so they soak up every bit. Served at room temperature with fresh dill.

Sole with Orange Tarragon Cream Sauce

Cooked two sole fillets in a hot pan with a bit oil, then served with this delicious orange tarragon cream sauce. It tasted delicious. Had some mint peas aside to add some refresh-ness. Quick, easy, healthy yet delicious!

Red Onion Jam

A sweet and sour topping of carmelized red onions that is perfect to dress up a burger.

Leftover Mashed Potato Supreme

Here's a great way to use up leftover mashed potatoes in a very dressy way. No one will complain about leftovers when this dish is set on the table. It works even better for serving leftovers to guests one or even two days later! :) Serve this as a side dish and it will dress up other leftover mains.

Brown Butter Brussels Sprouts

A quick steam keeps the brussel sprout green and fresh. Browned butter develops a nutty rich flavor. Toss them together with some toasted almonds and simple seasonings and they create a winning recipe that will make you wonder why you didn't like brussel sprouts when you were a kid.

Springtime Asparagus Salad

This vibrant salad highlights the fresh, earthy flavor of asparagus, complemented by a tangy, herbaceous vinaigrette and crunchy toasted pine nuts. The revised recipe clarifies preparation steps, ensures proper seasoning, and includes tips to avoid common pitfalls like overcooking asparagus or under-toasting nuts. Optional variations add flexibility for dietary preferences or flavor twists.

Cabbage & Potatoes

Cabbage and potatoes skillet: diced potatoes browned in bacon fat, then tossed with shredded cabbage, onion and a splash of beer and vinegar. Rustic Irish-German one-pan side.

All 477 recipes