Shaoxing Wine Substitutes
绍兴酒 · Shaoxing rice wine · Chinese cooking wine
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Dry sherry is by far the closest substitute for Shaoxing wine — use it 1:1. Both are amber, nutty, slightly sweet fermented wines, so sherry steps in almost invisibly for marinades and stir-fries. For a non-alcoholic substitute, use an equal amount of chicken or vegetable stock with a few drops of rice vinegar to add back a little tang, or white grape juice cut with rice vinegar. Mirin works in a pinch but is much sweeter, so use less and cut other sugar. One thing to avoid: rice vinegar on its own is NOT a substitute — Shaoxing is a wine, not a vinegar, and using straight vinegar will make the dish sour. The role of Shaoxing is to add depth and round off raw or gamey notes, so the best swaps keep that nutty backbone.
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Every shaoxing wine substitute, ranked
| Substitute | Ratio | Match |
|---|---|---|
| Dry sherry Almost everything — marinades, stir-fries, braises | 1:1 | 92% |
| Stock + rice vinegar (non-alcoholic) Alcohol-free cooking · vegan | Equal-part chicken/veg stock + a few drops rice vinegar | 65% |
| Dry white wine Marinades and pan sauces | 1:1 | 70% |
| Mirin (use less) When you only have Japanese pantry items | Use about ⅔ the amount and reduce other sugar | 60% |
- Dry sherry: The closest match by far. Use a dry (not sweet/cream) sherry. Pale dry sherry like fino works beautifully.
- Stock + rice vinegar (non-alcoholic): The go-to alcohol-free swap. Milder and less complex, but keeps the savory depth without the booze.
- Dry white wine: More acidic and less nutty, but a reasonable stand-in if it's what you have open.
- Mirin (use less): Much sweeter than Shaoxing, so dial it back or the dish turns candy-sweet.
What is Shaoxing Wine?
Shaoxing wine is an amber-colored Chinese rice wine, aged and lightly salted, used the way Western cooks use white wine or sherry — to deglaze, marinate, and add aromatic depth. It's the default “cooking wine” in Chinese kitchens, splashed into stir-fries, braises, and marinades for meat and seafood to mellow strong flavors and add a toasty, savory roundness.
Flavor: Nutty, toasty, mildly sweet and savory, with a gentle alcohol warmth that cooks off.
Shaoxing wine vs rice vinegar
This is the most common mix-up — they are not interchangeable. Shaoxing is a wine (nutty, slightly sweet, savory); rice vinegar is an acid (sharp and sour). Swapping wine for vinegar makes a dish noticeably sour. If a recipe calls for both, you need both. The only place rice vinegar appears in a Shaoxing substitute is as a few drops added to stock to mimic a little of the wine's tang.
Shaoxing wine vs mirin
Both are sweet-ish cooking wines, but mirin (Japanese) is much sweeter and lower in alcohol, while Shaoxing is nuttier and more savory. You can sub mirin for Shaoxing if you use less and cut the recipe's added sugar — but dry sherry is a closer match for most Chinese dishes.
Where to buy shaoxing wine
Stock real shaoxing wine
Asian groceries carry it cheaply (about $3–5). Buy a bottle labeled “Shaoxing” (often with a small amount of added salt) rather than generic “cooking wine,” which is lower quality. It keeps for a long time in the pantry.
Shaoxing Wine FAQ
What is the best substitute for Shaoxing wine?
Dry sherry, used 1:1 — it's amber, nutty, and slightly sweet just like Shaoxing, so it disappears into the dish. For a non-alcoholic version, use equal-part chicken or vegetable stock with a few drops of rice vinegar.
What is a non-alcoholic substitute for Shaoxing wine?
Equal-part chicken or vegetable stock plus a few drops of rice vinegar is the simplest. White grape juice cut with a little rice vinegar also works. Both keep the savory depth without alcohol; they're milder, so the dish loses a touch of complexity but nothing essential.
Can I use rice vinegar instead of Shaoxing wine?
No — rice vinegar is an acid and will make the dish sour. Shaoxing is a wine used for depth, not tang. They do different jobs, and many recipes use both. If you only have rice vinegar, you don't have a Shaoxing substitute.
Is cooking sherry the same as dry sherry?
Use dry sherry, not “cooking sherry.” Cooking sherry is heavily salted and lower quality, which can throw off your seasoning. A modestly priced bottle of dry (fino) sherry from the wine aisle is the better Shaoxing stand-in.
Where can I buy Shaoxing wine?
Any Asian grocery store, or Weee!, Yamibuy, and Amazon. It's inexpensive and shelf-stable. Look for a label that says “Shaoxing” specifically rather than a generic Chinese cooking wine.
Recipes that use shaoxing wine
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