Balsamic vinegar is used quite often in a variety of recipes and there’s a reason for that. Balsamic vinegar has been around for thousands of years and it’s been a staple in the home of many due to its high acidity and sweeter taste.
Balsamic vinegar is made from grapes, which gives it that sweeter taste. However, it’s a little more acidic than other types of vinegar, which is why it packs such a punch when its used for food or marinades. Though, Serious Eats writes that traditional balsamic doesn’t offer an acidic taste, but a “mellow tartness.”
Here are a few ingredients and recipes for a balsamic vinegar substitute that you can use in your very own home!
Some of the substitutes you can use are:
- red wine vinegar
- apple cider vinegar
- balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic Substitutes
There are a few different ways for you to find or create your own balsamic vinegar substitute, but it all depends on what you prefer. For those who might not have the time to whip up their own, there are a few different routes for you to go down. Here are some of the ingredients you can use for a balsamic vinegar substitute!
Red Wine Vinegar
Recommended Ratio: 1:1 tablespoon
Given that it’s so close to red wine vinegar, a nice balsamic vinegar substitute would indeed be red wine vinegar. All you really need to do is mix about a tablespoon of red wine vinegar in with half a teaspoon of sugar and voila! Now, this balsamic vinegar substitute works well but it’s important to keep in mind that red wine vinegar is a bit more bitter than balsamic.
Balsamic Vinaigrette
Recommended Ratio: 1:1 1/2 tablespoons
Balsamic vinaigrette is another great ingredient you can try. The vinaigrette also has a healthy amount of balsamic vinegar already in there, so it serves as a fine substitute if you’re using it for a salad or something equally small. But, this balsamic vinegar substitute might not be the best thing to use if you’re working with it in large quantities because the difference in overall ingredients is bound to offer different tastes.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Recommended Ratio: 1:1 tablespoon
Of course, the classic substitute of apple cider vinegar and sugar has been a go-to for years. Much like the red wine vinegar, all you need for this is a tablespoon of the apple cider vinegar and then half a teaspoon of sugar.
There are a few other ingredients that you can try as well for a balsamic vinegar substitute such as molasses, soy sauce, and white vinegar. There are lots of great recipes online that you can try in case you ever run out of balsamic.
Though nothing will ever replace the authentic taste of balsamic, you can rest easy knowing that there are a few things you can substitute it with!
