SaurabhChampagne vinegar is a light and delicate vinegar that is used to top dishes such as fish, as well as make a vinaigrette. It has a delicate flavor and can be used for many dishes to add a punch to them.
Champagne vinegar can be found in most supermarkets, but it is not always available. You can use many substitutes for champagne vinegar that can either be easily found or made at home.
The best substitutes for champagne vinegar are white wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and lemon juice, among others.
Below is a list of substitutes for champagne vinegar.
Best Champagne Vinegar Substitutes
The following products make excellent substitutes for champagne vinegar and can save your recipe if you don’t have champagne vinegar on hand.
1. White Wine Vinegar
White wine vinegar is one of the best substitutes for champagne vinegar. They both have a light and delicate flavor and being used interchangeably for recipes.
The two have similar tastes and white wine vinegar can be drizzled on top of fish, meats, or used in a dressing to make salads and it will give you a very close flavor to champagne vinegar.
You can usually find white wine vinegar more easily in supermarkets, which makes it a great and easily accessible substitute for champagne vinegar.
2. Sherry Vinegar
Like white wine vinegar and champagne vinegar, sherry vinegar has a light, delicate flavor. It is popularly used on top of fish and for salad dressings due to its delicate taste.
This makes it a perfect substitute for champagne vinegar. You can use it instead of champagne vinegar for the same recipes.
It has a very mild, slightly sweet taste that resembles champagne vinegar. And it is useful to keep on the pantries to top fish and vegetable dishes.
3. White Vinegar
White vinegar is a staple in everyone’s pantry. And if you’re in a pinch, it’s a great substitute for champagne vinegar.
White vinegar has more of an intense flavor, but will still work on top of fish, meats, and salad dressings. Make sure to use slightly less of the amount, and if you have white wine on hand, add some white wine as well.
This will add some sweetness to the white vinegar, to resemble the flavor of champagne vinegar. You can also add red wine instead to give it a deeper, fruitier flavor.
4. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a tart, slightly fruity vinegar that is mainly used for dressings. But is also a good substitute for champagne vinegar.
It is a bit more tart than champagne vinegar, but it will still add a sweet flavor with fruity notes to any dish and can be used to make dressings, top fish, meat, or vegetables.
It is also easily available in supermarkets, making it the easiest substitute to get. You can use less apple cider vinegar than champagne vinegar to ensure that it doesn’t overpower the dish.
5. Raspberry Vinegar
Raspberry vinegar is a vinegar flavored with raspberries, which also has a sweet, delicate, and slightly fruity flavor. It is especially popular in the summertime and used to top salads and meat for an extra sweet yet tart fruity flavor.
Raspberry vinegar can replace champagne vinegar in meals as it is also sweet and delicate, and will add a nice amount of fruitiness to any dressing you prepare. You can buy raspberry vinegar or make it at home by steeping white vinegar with some raspberries.
6. Rice Wine Vinegar
Used in Asian cuisine to make sushi, rice wine vinegar is a great substitute for champagne vinegar. You can use it to top meat, fish, and vegetables, as well as make salad dressings.
It is made from Japanese rice wine and has a slightly acidic, yet delicate flavor, perfect for substituting champagne vinegar. They have similar flavors and can be used interchangeably. It is also available in most grocery stores, so it can be easier to find than champagne vinegar.
7. Herb Vinegar
You can buy many different types of herb vinegar or even make your own depending on what flavor you are looking for. But it can also be used to substitute champagne vinegar.
You can purchase oregano or basil herb vinegar, and use it instead of champagne vinegar to give a depth of flavor to fish, meats, and dressings. Herb vinegar is also made of a base of white vinegar just like champagne vinegar.
The flavor will not be as sweet, but you can still use herb vinegar as a substitute for champagne vinegar. Stir in a teaspoon of honey or sugar to give a sweeter flavor to the vinegar.
8. Red Wine Vinegar
Red wine vinegar is a lot fruitier. It has a richer, deeper flavor than white vinegar, making it perfect to top meats not to use in salad dressings.
However, it’s not recommended to be served with fish. Red wine vinegar can be used to replace champagne vinegar but keep in mind the flavor may differ a bit.
It will still add sweet notes to the dish. You can replace champagne vinegar with red wine vinegar on top of meats or salad dressings.
9. Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is dark and rich and very popularly used in salad dressings.
It has a much tangier flavor than champagne vinegar, but it complements meat, fish, veggies, or salad dressings very well. And therefore can be used as a substitute for champagne vinegar.
The flavors are not completely the same, however, balsamic vinegar still makes great salad dressings and compliments meats and veggies pretty well. You can use balsamic vinegar in the same quantity as champagne vinegar to replace it.
10. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is a good substitute for all vinegar.
It works pretty well on top of fish or to use in different salad dressings instead of vinegar. It also has a slightly fruity flavor and makes a great replacement for champagne vinegar if no other vinegar is available.
You can add a teaspoon of sugar to the lemon juice to give it some sweetness as well.
Related Questions
Is champagne vinegar the same as white vinegar?
Both champagne vinegar and white vinegar have quite mild tastes. But champagne vinegar is made from champagne while white vinegar is distilled on its own.
The two share some similarities in taste and can be used interchangeably to top meat, fish, or to be used in salad dressings.
Can you use rice wine vinegar instead of champagne vinegar?
Yes, rice wine vinegar is a great substitute for champagne vinegar as the two have very delicate flavors. You can use rice wine vinegar in place of champagne vinegar in any dish that calls for it.
Can I substitute champagne vinegar for sherry vinegar?
Yes, sherry vinegar and champagne vinegar have similar delicate, sweet tastes and can be used in place of each other. Sherry vinegar is great for topping fish, meat or vegetables, or to be used in a salad dressing like champagne vinegar.
Can I use champagne vinegar to make dressing?
Champagne vinaigrette is very popular and can be made the same way any vinaigrette is made; with olive oil, vinegar and mustard. You can add sweetener and any spices you want to make a delicate salad dressing.
How do you make champagne vinegar?
You can make champagne vinegar at home, but it is a lengthy process.
Get some champagne, water, and a vinegar mother which you can either buy online or get from the bottom of your vinegar bottles. Leave it for a couple of weeks in a container and keep feeding it champagne for the next two weeks.
Then, leave the mixture to sit for about 12 weeks and you’ll have your own champagne vinegar. If you leave some vinegar and the mother behind, you can start the process again and keep it in your pantry.
