Shaoxing rice wine is a traditional Chinese cooking wine that brings a slightly sweet flavor with a hint of acidity to dishes. It’s commonly used in stir-fries, marinades, soups, and sauces to add depth and balance.
If you don’t have Shaoxing rice wine on hand, several substitutes can replicate its unique flavor profile and work just as well in your recipes.
What Is Shaoxing Rice Wine?
Shaoxing rice wine is a fermented rice-based alcohol from China, it has an amber color and complex flavor. It has a slight sweetness and savory undertones and is used in many dishes like drunken chicken, red-braised pork, and soups. Shaoxing rice wine is often used to tenderize meat, enhance flavors, and provide a subtle depth to sauces and marinades.
5 Substitutes for Shaoxing Rice Wine
1. Dry Sherry
Dry sherry is the closest match to Shaoxing rice wine due to its similar nutty, slightly sweet flavor. It’s widely available and works well in marinades, sauces, and stir-fries. Avoid using sweet or cream sherry, as these can make your dish overly sweet. Dry sherry has a balanced profile with enough acidity and depth to substitute Shaoxing rice wine seamlessly.
Recipes: Best for stir-fries, braised dishes, and soups.
2. Sake
Sake is a Japanese rice wine and is another excellent substitute for Shaoxing rice wine. Use dry sake, as it has a cleaner, lighter flavor that pairs well with Chinese cooking. While sake is less robust than Shaoxing rice wine, it adds a subtle umami depth to marinades, soups, and stir-fries. Use an equal amount of sake as a replacement.
Recipes: Ideal for marinades, soups, and braised dishes.
3. Mirin
Mirin is a Japanese sweet rice wine that is a good substitute for Shaoxing rice wine in recipes that can accommodate its added sweetness. It’s especially suitable for dishes that already include another sweetener, as you can reduce the amount of that ingredient to balance the flavors.
Mirin works well in glazes, marinades, and sauces where sweetness enhances the dish, such as teriyaki or sweet-and-savory stir-fries. For recipes where a more savory flavor is needed, you can mix mirin with a splash of rice vinegar to tone down its sweetness.
Recipes: Great for glazes, teriyaki dishes, and sweet marinades.
4. Dry White Wine
Dry white wine is a convenient and widely available substitute for Shaoxing rice wine. While it lacks the nutty and slightly sweet notes of Shaoxing, its acidity and crisp flavor work well in savory dishes. It’s particularly effective in recipes with poultry, seafood, or lighter sauces.
Dry white wine enhances the overall depth of a dish without overpowering other flavors. Avoid using sweet white wines, as they can alter the balance of your recipe.
Recipes: Perfect for stir-fries, seafood dishes, and light sauces.
5. Rice Vinegar with Apple Juice (Non-Alcoholic)
A non-alcoholic alternative to Shaoxing rice wine is a mixture of rice vinegar and apple juice. This combination provides the tangy acidity of Shaoxing rice wine, with a touch of natural sweetness from the apple juice. Combine two parts of rice vinegar with one part of apple juice for the best balance.
Recipes: Suitable for non-alcoholic cooking, marinades, and soups.