Substitutes for white wine
White wine substitutes
White wine brings acidity and liquid to a dish. Pick a swap that replaces both, and add a little acid if your substitute has none.
What white wine does
Dry white wine adds acidity and a light fruity flavour to pan sauces, risotto, soups and braises, and supplies liquid. A good swap replaces the liquid and some of the acidity.
Quick reference
| Substitute | Amount |
|---|---|
| Broth with a little vinegar or lemon juice Sources vary | 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth + 2 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juiceper 1 cup white wine |
| White grape juice Sources vary | 1 cup white grape juiceper 1 cup white wine |
When the substitute matters
- Pan sauces and risotto: broth with a little vinegar or lemon juice keeps the dish savoury.
- Alcohol-free cooking: broth or white grape juice.
- Small amounts of wine: dry vermouth works as an equal swap.
- Grape juice is sweeter than dry wine, so taste before adding sugar elsewhere.
The substitutes, in detail
Broth with a little vinegar or lemon juice
Amount: 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth + 2 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice per 1 cup white wine
Sources vary
America's Test Kitchen: 1/2 cup broth plus 1 tsp wine vinegar or lemon juice for each 1/2 cup wine, which is 2 tsp per cup. PureWow uses much more acid: 1 tbsp lemon juice per 1/2 cup broth (2 tbsp per cup). Food Network and Chowhound use broth or stock on its own in place of the wine. Start with 2 tsp and add more to taste.
- Stir the vinegar or lemon juice into the broth.
- Broth is usually salty, so taste before adding more salt.
Best for
- pan sauces
- soups
- risotto
- braises
What changes
More savoury and less fruity than wine; the acid stands in for wine's tartness. Non-alcoholic.
White grape juice
Amount: 1 cup white grape juice per 1 cup white wine
Sources vary
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension and Healthline both use the same amount of juice as wine. For savoury dishes PureWow dilutes it instead: 1/4 cup juice, 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp vinegar or lemon juice for each 1/2 cup wine.
Best for
- sauces
- lighter braises
What changes
Sweeter and fruitier than dry wine, with less acidity. Non-alcoholic.
- vegan
- dairy-free
- egg-free
- gluten-free
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.
Sources
- America's Test Kitchen — Smart Everyday Substitutions
- Food Network — Ingredient Substitution Guide
- PureWow — Need a Substitute for White Wine? We Have 7 Stand-Ins That Will Do The Trick
- Chowhound — How To Substitute For White Wine When Cooking
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension (food.unl.edu) — Basic Ingredient Substitutions (updated and reviewed 2026)
- Healthline — Wine substitutes