Substitutions / rice vinegar
What to use instead of rice vinegar
Use white wine vinegar in equal amounts. Slightly sharper and less sweet, but a very close match in most recipes.
Every option, best first
| Use instead | How much | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| White wine vinegar | 1:1 | Slightly sharper and less sweet, but a very close match in most recipes. |
| Apple cider vinegar | 1:1 | A bit more fruity and robust — works well, but adds a subtle apple note. |
| Distilled white vinegar | 1 tsp / 1½ tsp | Harsher and more acidic, so use a little less and consider a pinch of sugar to balance. |
How much is a cup of rice vinegar?
Substituting by volume and weighing are different problems, and the second one has an exact answer. Weigh rice vinegar in grams →
A word on how to read these
A substitution is a trade, not an equivalence. The ratio gets the quantity right; the third column is the part worth reading, because it tells you what you are giving up. In a stew, most of these are invisible. In a cake — where flour, liquid, fat and leavening are in a fixed relationship — the same swap can change the crumb.
Why baking notices and stew doesn't →
Where these came from
These substitutions were written by Gather's own kitchen model — the same one the app uses when you tap an ingredient and ask what else would work — then checked and saved as a fixed list in July 2026. Nothing on this page is generated while you read it. They are a good starting point and not a substitute for tasting as you go.