Short on Shaoxing wine? The best substitute is dry sherry, used in equal amounts — it has the same nutty, slightly sweet depth that Shaoxing brings to Chinese cooking. For an alcohol-free swap, use mirin (and cut the other sweetness in the dish) or a splash of rice vinegar loosened with a little water.
That is the quick answer. Here is how to choose the right one for what you are actually cooking.
What Shaoxing wine actually does
Shaoxing is a Chinese rice wine from the city of the same name in Zhejiang province, brewed from glutinous rice and wheat and aged to a deep amber colour. It adds aroma, umami and a faint sweetness that rounds out savoury dishes — the background note you cannot quite name in a good stir-fry, a red-braised pork or a dumpling filling.
It is not there for the alcohol, which cooks off. It is there for fragrance. That matters when you are choosing a substitute, because a true replacement needs to bring depth, not just liquid. Water will not do it, and neither will stock on its own.
Shaoxing also does a specific job with meat and fish: the alcohol carries away some of the compounds responsible for gamey or fishy smells as it evaporates. That is why recipes so often call for a splash in a marinade rather than in the sauce.
The best substitutes, ranked
1. Dry sherry — the best all-rounder
Closest match by a distance, and the one most Chinese cookbooks recommend. Use it one-for-one. A dry amontillado or a fino both work; avoid cream sherry, which is far too sweet. Ideal for stir-fries, marinades and braises.
2. Dry white vermouth
An underrated swap. Vermouth is fortified and aromatised, so it brings more complexity than plain white wine. Use it one-for-one, and it keeps for months once opened — unlike wine.
3. Mirin — the best low-alcohol option
Sweeter than Shaoxing, so reduce or skip the other sugar in the recipe. Excellent in marinades and glazes, less so in a clear soup where the sweetness has nowhere to hide. Use about three-quarters of the amount.
4. Rice vinegar, diluted — in a pinch
Use a teaspoon loosened with a little water, plus a small pinch of sugar to replace the sweetness. Best when Shaoxing is a minor note rather than the star. Do not use it neat — vinegar is sharp where Shaoxing is round.
5. Pale dry white wine
Works at a push for marinades. Less authentic, but better than leaving it out entirely. Choose something unoaked and dry.
6. Alcohol-free: white grape juice and rice vinegar
Mix three parts white grape juice to one part rice vinegar. Not a perfect match, but it gives you the sweet-sour roundness without alcohol — useful if you are cooking for someone who avoids it entirely.
Which substitute for which dish
| Dish | Best swap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Stir-fries | Dry sherry, 1:1 | Goes in down the side of the wok, same as the real thing |
| Marinades for meat | Dry sherry or mirin | Mirin adds gloss when the meat is grilled |
| Red-braised dishes | Dry sherry | Long cooking needs real depth; vinegar will not survive it |
| Dumpling fillings | Dry sherry | Small quantity, big aromatic difference |
| Clear soups | Dry sherry | Avoid mirin here — the sweetness is too obvious |
| Quick sauces | Diluted rice vinegar + pinch of sugar | Fine when it is a background note |
What not to use
A few common suggestions are worth avoiding. Sake is drier and cleaner than Shaoxing and lacks the aged, nutty character, so it works but tastes noticeably Japanese rather than Chinese. Cooking sherry from the supermarket seasoning aisle is heavily salted and will throw the seasoning of your dish out. Red wine will stain the dish and clash. And plain water or stock will leave a flat, one-note sauce.
When to use the real thing
For dishes where the wine is front and centre — drunken chicken, red-braised pork, classic dumpling fillings — there is no true replacement. The real thing is inexpensive, keeps for ages in a cupboard, and one bottle covers dozens of meals.
Yutaka Shaoxing Rice Wine 150ml
A small, inexpensive bottle that earns its place in any Asian store cupboard — enough for dozens of stir-fries and marinades.
View product →Genuine Japanese mirin — the best low-alcohol stand-in for Shaoxing, and essential in its own right for teriyaki and glazes.
View product →Browse the full rice wine and vinegar range for more.
How to store it
Shaoxing keeps like any fortified wine — seal it tightly and store it in a cool, dark cupboard. It will stay good for a year or more, and unlike table wine it does not need refrigerating after opening. If it smells sharp and vinegary rather than nutty, it has turned.
Tuk Tuk tip: keep a bottle of Shaoxing and a bottle of rice vinegar in the cupboard and you will rarely be caught out — between them they cover most Chinese recipes.
Shaoxing wine FAQs
What is the best substitute for Shaoxing wine?
Dry sherry, used in equal amounts. It has the closest nutty, slightly sweet depth to Shaoxing rice wine, and it works across stir-fries, marinades and braises alike.
Can I substitute Shaoxing wine without alcohol?
Yes. Use mirin and reduce other sweetness in the dish, or a small amount of rice vinegar loosened with water and a pinch of sugar. For a fully alcohol-free option, mix three parts white grape juice with one part rice vinegar.
Is Shaoxing wine the same as rice vinegar?
No. Shaoxing is a rice wine that adds aroma and umami; rice vinegar is sharp and acidic. They are not interchangeable like for like, though diluted rice vinegar can stand in at a pinch.
Does the alcohol cook out of Shaoxing wine?
Largely, yes. It is used for fragrance and depth, and most of the alcohol evaporates during cooking. A small amount can remain in very quickly cooked dishes.
Can I use sake instead of Shaoxing wine?
You can, but it is drier and cleaner and lacks the aged, nutty character. The dish will work; it will just taste more Japanese than Chinese. Dry sherry is the better swap.