Substitutes for mirin
Mirin substitutes
Mirin is a sweet rice wine. Most swaps pair a drier wine or vinegar with a little sugar to match its sweetness.
What mirin does
A sweet Japanese rice wine that gives glaze, gloss, gentle sweetness and a little acidity. Most swaps need added sugar because mirin is sweeter than the wines used to replace it.
Quick reference
| Substitute | Amount |
|---|---|
| Dry white wine plus sugar | 1 tbsp dry white wine + ½ tsp sugarper 1 tbsp mirin |
| Sake plus sugar Sources vary | 1 tbsp sake + ½ tsp sugarper 1 tbsp mirin |
| Dry sherry plus sugar | 1 tbsp dry sherry + ½ tsp sugarper 1 tbsp mirin |
| Rice vinegar plus sugar (alcohol-free) Sources vary | 1 tbsp rice vinegar + ½ tsp sugarper 1 tbsp mirin |
When the substitute matters
- For teriyaki and simmered dishes, sake or white wine with sugar is closest.
- For no alcohol, use rice vinegar with sugar; it is tangier.
- Dry sherry is stronger and nuttier; it suits marinades and sauces.
The substitutes, in detail
Dry white wine plus sugar
Amount: 1 tbsp dry white wine + ½ tsp sugar per 1 tbsp mirin
America's Test Kitchen (2 tbsp wine plus 1 tsp sugar per 2 tbsp mirin), Food Network and Insanely Good Recipes all come to 1/2 teaspoon sugar per tablespoon.
- Stir the sugar into the wine until it dissolves.
Best for
- marinades
- sauces
- teriyaki
What changes
More acidic and less rounded than mirin. Contains alcohol.
Sake plus sugar
Amount: 1 tbsp sake + ½ tsp sugar per 1 tbsp mirin
Sources vary
America's Test Kitchen's ratio. Insanely Good Recipes and Fine Dining Lovers use 1 teaspoon sugar (or honey) per tablespoon of sake; Pantry & Larder says a small amount. Kikkoman says to adjust the sweetness to taste.
- Stir the sugar into the sake until it dissolves.
Best for
- teriyaki
- marinades
- simmered dishes
What changes
The closest in flavour, slightly drier. Kikkoman notes no substitute reproduces all of mirin's effects. Contains alcohol.
Dry sherry plus sugar
Amount: 1 tbsp dry sherry + ½ tsp sugar per 1 tbsp mirin
Food Network, Insanely Good Recipes and Fine Dining Lovers agree on 1/2 teaspoon sugar per tablespoon of dry sherry.
- Stir the sugar into the sherry until it dissolves.
Best for
- marinades
- sauces
What changes
Stronger and nuttier than mirin. Contains alcohol.
Rice vinegar plus sugar (alcohol-free)
Amount: 1 tbsp rice vinegar + ½ tsp sugar per 1 tbsp mirin
Sources vary
Food Network and Pantry & Larder use 1/2 teaspoon sugar per tablespoon of vinegar. Fine Dining Lovers uses 1 teaspoon.
- Whisk until the sugar dissolves.
Best for
- dressings
- marinades
- sauces
Not for
- glazes that need body
What changes
Tangier and sharper than mirin, with no alcohol.
- vegan
Don't use
- Balsamic vinegar
Pantry & Larder advises against it as a mirin substitute.
How we source this
Each swap is backed by at least two independent sources, including a test kitchen, university extension service or product maker. The amounts replace one unit of the original ingredient and do not work in reverse. See the full source list.