Apple cider vinegar is my go-to ingredient for salad dressing and baking recipes as it brings a unique tangy flavor and balance to my dishes. Apart from its lovely fruity flavor, another reason for loving apple cider vinegar is its numerous health benefits, such as promoting weight loss, lowering blood sugar, and boosting skin health. However, sometimes you might run out of it. So, what would you do in that situation? Don’t worry, there are plenty of other alternatives that can work just as well. Here, we will mention the 10 best substitutes for apple cider vinegar that you can use for baking and salad dressing.

What is Apple Cider Vinegar?

Apple cider vinegar is basically produced from fermented apples, sugar, and yeast through the two-step fermentation process. The first step involves fermenting the sugar present in the apple juice by adding yeast to it. This will transform apple juice into alcohol. Upon further fermentation, the apple juice alcohol will form acetic acid, which is called vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar Applications

  • Salad Dressings:

For its tangy and fruity flavor, apple cider vinegar is a vital ingredient in various salad dressings. It makes a good combination with herbs and oil and enhances the taste of fresh green.

  • Preparation of Sauces and Glazes:

Apple cider vinegar has also significant applications in the preparation of sauces and glazes for its sharp and slightly sweet taste. It balances the saltiness, sweetness, and acidity in sauces and glazes.

  • Pickling:

Apple cider vinegar acts as a preservative in pickling and preserves fruits and vegetables. It also imparts a mild and tangy taste that complements the natural flavor of the pickling.

  • Preparation of Beverages:

Several health drinks and tonics include apple cider vinegar to offer refreshing and health-boosting beverages.

10 Best Substitutes for Apple Cider Vinegar

  • White Wine Vinegar

    In terms of acidity profile, both white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are quite similar. This is why white wine vinegar makes a great substitute for apple cider vinegar. While apple cider vinegar adds a subtle fruity flavor to the dish, white wine vinegar remains neutral and does not affect the final flavor.

    • Red Wine Vinegar

    If you want fruity-flavored vinegar like apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar can work well for you. It has more fruitiness than apple cider vinegar. It also changes the color of the bakes, making them a little pinkish.

    • Rice Wine Vinegar

    Rice wine vinegar can be another effective alternative to apple cider vinegar as it offers a tasty and acidic flavor without affecting the bake’s final appearance. In the case of rice dishes, soups, and stir-fries, you can use rice wine vinegar with a 1:1 replacement ratio to apple cider vinegar. Also, when choosing between unseasoned and seasoned rice wine vinegar, you should opt for unseasoned ones, as seasoned rice wine vinegar has added sugar and salt.

    • Champagne Vinegar

    Like white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar also offers a slightly fruity flavor. The light color of champagne vinegar will not overpower the color of the dish. Therefore, it can be a good substitute for apple cider vinegar.

    • Balsamic Vinegar

    Among the 10 best substitutes for apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar will surely be one for its efficiency in making dressings and vinaigrettes. It is also useful for balancing the savoriness of poltry products, fish, meats, and roasted veggies. As balsamic vinegar is produced from fermented grape juice, it is sweeter, fruitier, and darker than apple cider vinegar.

    • Sherry Vinegar

    If you prefer less overpowering vinegar in your salads or soups, then you must try out sherry vinegar. It is produced from fermented Spanish sherry wine. Sherry wine is also a healthier option as it does not contain carbohydrates and fat.

    • Malt Vinegar

    Malt vinegar is an excellent alternative to apple cider vinegar, especially for baking. While you might like the yeasty flavor of it, the dark color of malt vinegar can make your bake darker. Malt vinegar is useful for fries and tacos.

    • Lemon Juice

    Acidic fruit juice like lemon juice makes a useful baking alternative to ACV because of its acidic profile. We usually replace ACV with lemon juice at a 1:1 replacement ratio. However, you should adjust the amount depending on the juice’s acidity value.

    • Lime Juice

    The pH value of lime juice is very similar to that of ACV; therefore, it is a good substitute for ACV. Lime juice offers a little limey flavor which I like, but you might not. So, while using lime juice, keep in mind that your finished bake will have a limey flavor.

    1. Orange Juice

    Orange juice has a pH between 3 and 4, therefore, less acidic than lime or lemon juice. It adds a sweet flavor and brightness to the dishes. This is why orange juice can work well for sweeter recipes.