Looking for a last-minute mirin substitute? These finest eight ingredient substitutes can keep you out of hot water.

Mirin is a sort of Japanese rice wine that is often used in Japanese cooking. Steamed glutinous rice is combined with distilled liquor to make it. After mixing, the mixture is allowed to ferment. The procedure might range from two months to many years. Mirin’s color darkens with time, and its taste grows more powerful.

Mirin has a sweet flavor that complements ramen and teriyaki sauce. Its high sugar content balances out the salt in soy sauce. Because of its syrup-like consistency, it may be used as a glaze.

Mirin contains around 14% alcohol. It is less than what you would find in sake, but it accomplishes the job. It is available in a variety of forms, ranging from real mirin to mirin-fu or aji-mirin, which are condiments.

Sake

Sake is a fermented rice-based alcoholic beverage. It is also known as rice wine. It may be served either hot or cold. When it is colder, it tends to bring out a deeper taste. High-end sake is often served cold. Lower-end sakes should be warmed up first. However, it is critical to maintain the sake at temperatures no lower than 40F (4.5C) and no more than 105F (40C).

Because of the similarities between the two components, sake is the greatest substitution for mirin. As a result, mirin is an excellent sake substitute.

The main distinctions are sake’s greater alcohol concentration and unsweetened taste. You may add sugar to it to make it taste more like mirin. Adding sugar to sake also helps to reduce its alcohol content. One teaspoon of sake and two tablespoons of sugar may be used in lieu of one tablespoon of mirin. If you don’t want the sweet overtones in your dish, you may replace mirin with sake on its own.

Rice Vinegar

Rice vinegar is created by fermenting rice. It is also a prominent element in Japanese cuisine and is used similarly to mirin. Mirin and rice vinegar are excellent alternatives for one another. Rice vinegar, like mirin, has a somewhat sweet taste. It is also marketed in shops as rice wine vinegar since rice vinegar is made by fermenting rice wine.

Because of the comparable tastes, it works well as a mirin alternative. Because vinegar is sour, you’ll need to add around half a teaspoon of sugar for every tablespoon of rice vinegar.

Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar has a dark, deep, glossy appearance and a rich feel. It originates in Italian cuisine and is prepared from boiling grapes. It’s a decent alternative for mirin because of the sweet undertones, but it’s also sour since it’s vinegar. To balance out the sour tones, add a dash of sugar to the balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar, on the other hand, is best used as a condiment rather than a culinary element. As the recipe asks for mirin, use an equivalent quantity of balsamic vinegar.

Dry Sherry

Dry sherry is a fortified wine made with brandy. The method enhances the alcohol concentration and produces a superb cooking wine, which may be replaced in recipes that call for cooked mirin. While mirin is sweeter, dry sherry contains stiff and acidic flavors akin to mirin.

You may use sugar to get the same flavor as mirin when using dry sherry. Use a tablespoon of dry sherry combined with half a spoonful of sugar for every tablespoon of mirin.

Vermouth

Vermouth, like sherry, is a fortified wine. Because of its potency, it is often misconstrued with spirits. It may, however, be readily infused with herbs and spices to customize the flavor.

It’s a great mirin alternative since it gives a sweet taste to foods. You may obtain either red or white vermouth, which can be substituted for mirin. White vermouth has a dry flavor, but red vermouth has a sweeter flavor. However, regardless of whatever mirin alternative you choose, you may need to increase the quantity of sugar. To make vermouth taste more like mirin, add two teaspoons of sugar to each cup.

Marsala Wine

This is a Sicilian fortified wine. It is often used in dishes, particularly when making caramelized sauces. It works well as a replacement for mirin and adds a rich, nutty taste. Marsala wine comes in a variety of tastes, including vanilla, apricot, tamarind, and brown sugar. Use as much Marsala wine as the recipe specifies for mirin.

White Wine

Mirin may be substituted with several varieties of white wine. You may choose depending on what goes well with your food. Dry white wine, on the other hand, is a popular option. Use one tablespoon of white wine sweetened with two teaspoons of sugar for every tablespoon of mirin.

White Grape Juice

If you want a replacement with no alcohol and a comparable sweetness, white grape juice is a wonderful choice. It is not as sour as mirin, so add a tablespoon of lemon juice to each cup of grape juice to match the taste.