What Is Rice vinegar and How Can I Use It?

Rice vinegar rewards a little know-how: how to choose it, cook it, store it, and substitute in a pinch. Browse 436 recipes to cook with it.

What is rice vinegar?

Rice vinegar is brewed from fermented rice, and it is the gentlest bottle on the vinegar shelf: about 4 to 5 percent acidity with a faint natural sweetness, where distilled white runs harsher. That softness is the whole point. It seasons without puckering.

The label trap is the word "seasoned." Seasoned rice vinegar has sugar and salt already blended in for sushi rice.

Pour it into a dressing that also calls for sugar and salt and you have seasoned the dish twice. That is how a dressing comes out cloying and over-salted from one wrong bottle.

Plain, unseasoned rice vinegar is the one to keep on hand. It does everything seasoned vinegar does once you add your own sugar and salt, and nothing locks you into the sushi ratio.

White, Brown and Black

Plain white rice vinegar is the default: clear, mild, at home in dressings, quick pickles and rice dishes.

Brown rice vinegar keeps more of the grain and tastes nuttier, so it holds up better in marinades and glazes.

Black rice vinegar, the Chinkiang style, is aged and malty, closer to a mild balsamic than to the white version. It is the dumpling-dipping vinegar, and a spoonful rounds out a braise.

Where It Does Its Work

Sushi rice is the signature job. Warm rice folded with rice vinegar, sugar and salt becomes the seasoned shari under nigiri, the base for a dish like Ebi Kimizushi (Prawn Sushi with Egg Yolk).

It is also the acid that lifts fried rice and noodle bowls without weighing them down, the way it does in Garlic Vegetable Fried Rice and a cold Vegetable Salad with Soba Noodles.

In dressings its mildness lets it season slaws and salads that would taste shrill with a sharper vinegar, as in Sichuan Strawberry Slaw.

Add it near the end of cooking. The aroma is volatile, and a long simmer boils off the bright note and leaves only flat sourness behind. A splash also balances salt: if a stir-fry tastes one-note salty, a teaspoon evens it out faster than more sugar will.

Standing In for It

Apple cider vinegar is the closest stand-in: use the same amount with a pinch of sugar to soften its fruit-forward sharpness. White wine vinegar works the same way.

Lemon or lime juice covers dressings in a pinch, brighter and less rounded, and it dulls quickly once heated.

Skip distilled white vinegar. At full strength it is all attack and no balance, and diluting it just makes the dish watery. Going the other direction, rice vinegar substitutes quietly for white wine vinegar in plenty of non-Asian slaws and vinaigrettes.

Keeping It

A sealed bottle in a cool, dark cabinet keeps for years. Vinegar is its own preservative, so refrigeration adds nothing. If the bottle clouds or grows wisps of sediment, it is still fine. That haze is harmless residue from brewing, not spoilage.

Flavor does fade slowly after opening. If a years-old bottle smells faint instead of bracing, the pickles it makes will be faint too, so replace it for anything where the vinegar leads.

Nutrition

Quick facts

Where to find rice vinegar: Rice vinegar is usually found in the asian section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.

Food group: Rice vinegar is a member of the Spices and Herbs US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.

In Chinese

米醋

British (UK) term

Rice vinegar

en français

vinagre de arroz

en español

de vinaigre de riz

How much does rice vinegar weigh?

Related

Spices and Herbs

Recipes using rice vinegar

There are 436 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Chinese Pan Fried Dumplings

These pan-fried dumplings feature a savory filling of ground pork, Napa cabbage, scallions, ginger, and garlic, encased in a tender wrapper.

Hot & Sour Mushroom Soba Soup

Hot and sour mushroom soup with sliced mushrooms, bamboo shoots, rice vinegar, and white pepper, ladled over Japanese soba noodles. A 30-minute lighter take on the Chinese takeout classic.

Blender Gazpacho

Quick blender gazpacho with tomato, cucumber, green pepper, and rice vinegar. Vegan no-cook Spanish-style cold soup ready in 10 minutes. Garnish with finely diced cucumber for crunch.

Best Black Bean Chili

Black bean chili built on home-ground spices and dried ancho chile. Vegetarian, vegan-adaptable, with toasted cumin and homemade chili powder. Serve over melted cheese with creme fraiche and roasted poblanos.

Carrots-Spicy & Sour

Carrots caramelize in hot oil until golden at the edges, then get tossed with tangy rice vinegar and savory black bean sauce for a quick Asian-inspired side dish with a spicy kick.

Quick Pickled Carrots - Japanese-Style

Tangy, sweet Japanese-style pickled carrots, thinly sliced or julienned, ready in hours. Perfect as a side for sushi, rice bowls, grilled meats or for wraps.

Easy Sweet & Sour Veggie Salad

Sweet, sour and slightly spicy. Cucumber, sweet bell pepper, carrots, wood ears and smoked tofu are tossed with rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, soy sauce and Korean chili pepper. A very tasty side dish that goes well with all your favorite Korean dishes or most of the main courses.

Sichuan Potato Salad

In China, there are literally thousands of methods to cook potatoes. This sweet and sour potato salad is quick and easy to put together, and it tastes delicious. It can be made one day ahead, served chilled, at room temperature or warm.

Avocado, Radish & Edamame Salad

A simple salad with big health credentials: avocados are an excellent source of good fats, and more recently have been shown to also inhibit inflammation when eaten in combination with foods that typically trigger it. They are also a rich source of potassium (which balances sodium to keep blood pressure levels stable) and vitamin E, an important antioxidant.

Japanese Beef Stir-Fry

Japanese-style beef stir-fry with thinly sliced flank steak, snow peas, red pepper, escarole, and fresh ginger in a soy-brown sugar glaze. A fast, colorful skillet dinner.

Shiitake & Veggie Stew with Garlic-Black Bean Sacue

Shiitake mushrooms, a few different vegetables, garlic-black bean sauce, and glass noodles make this soup packed with great flavors and nutrients. Enjoy it with a refreshing and light salad aside.

Summer White Bean Soup

Summer white bean soup with sauteed celery, swiss chard or kale, a splash of rice vinegar, and a hint of liquid aminos. Light, vegetarian, naturally high in fiber and gentle enough for warm weather.

Kale Salad with Pinenuts, Currants & Parmesan

In a surprising twist, Tuscan kale is served raw—and makes for a substantial and satisfying fall salad. Sweet currants (or raisins) soaked in tangy white balasmic vingegar and salty parmesan punctuate the dressed, shredded kale.

Chinese Stir-Fried Noodles with Veggies

A flavorful and filling dish is great for a quick week-night meal. It's healthy and nutritious enough as well.

Soba in Chicken Broth

Japanese soba noodles in ginger-miso chicken broth with shiitake mushrooms, gai lan, and fresh cilantro. Restaurant-quality slurpable noodle soup ready in 40 minutes at home.

Green Beans with Sesame Dressing

Tender crisp green beans tossed in a simple Asian dressing.

Smashed Radishes in Soy Dressing

Authentic Chinese side dish that combines the peppery flavor of radishes with a savory, slightly tangy with a hint of sweet soy dressing. The radishes are gleefully smashed allowing them to soak up the flavors of the dressing.

Beef With Broccoli Stir Fry (New Year)

The secret to this recipe is cooking the beef in 1 cup of oil to seal in the juices, and cooking the broccoli in water to make it crisp and tender. For a more authentic touch, try using Chinese broccoli, which has an appearance and taste similar to asparagus.

Grilled Tofu in a Soy, Ginger & Orange Marinade

Marinated tofu, mushrooms and vegetables are packed with Asian flavors, grilling adds extra smokiness. Not only your vegetarian family or friends love these tasty skewers, but also the meat-lovers. Using the firmest tofu will make a big difference on both texture and flavor!

Spinach & Leek Soup

Very good! The recipe was fairly easy to make. I used miso paste and a very flavourful vegetable stock base, which gave the soup a great depth of flavour. Served soup with brown rice, and it was delicious yet filling and packed with goodness.

Vegetable Smoked Tofu Salad with Soy-Maple Dressing

Lots of fresh veggies and smoked tofu are tossed with a flavorful yet light soy-maple dressing.

Sichuan Fried Rice

An easy yet flavorful sichuan fried rice is packed with goodness. A great week-day meal is all in one pot.

Cabbage & Shiitake Pot Sticky Buns

After a few potsticker recipes, I finally made my very first bunch of pot sticky buns (another popular food in China). They came out soft, and quite delicious. Nicely browned and crispy at the bottom. It's an excellent way to use up some of our fresh veggies.

Cabbage & Shiitake Pot Sticky Buns

After a few potsticker recipes, I finally made my very first bunch of pot sticky buns (another popular food in China). They came out soft, and quite delicious. Nicely browned and crispy at the bottom. It's an excellent way to use up some of our fresh veggies.

Avocado & Watercress Salad with Soy Dresssing

A light yet flavorful salad. It's refreshing, tasty and easy to make. Lots of textures and flavors. Creamy, crunchy and delicious.

Asian Red Cabbage Coleslaw

This salad recipe is a refreshing blend of tangy and sweet flavors. The cabbage left to marinate for an hour, allowing the flavors to meld together, resulting in a delicious and refreshing vegan and vegetarian friendly side dish that can be served at room temperature to highlight the fresh flavors and texture.

Garlicky - Soy Rapini (Broccoli Rabe)

Simply blanched the rapini, then a quick stir-fry with ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil and rice vinegar. The simply tasty dish can be served as a side dish or toss with cooked pasta to make a meal.

Sea Weed, Bell Pepper Salad with Garlic-Sesame Dressing

Another dish from my childhood memories, and it's my all-time favorite dish that my mom used to make very often. All the ingredients are inexpensive, but the salad tastes so refreshing and flavorful.

Shiitake, Green Bean & Potato Miso Stew

Shiitake mushrooms, tofu and potatoes are like sponge that soak all the great flavor from the miso stew. Green beans add bright color and nice crisp, and the glass noodles give a bit chewiness and some healthy calories that are good for you.

Asian Edamame & Carrot Salad

This quick and easy salad is packed with great flavour, and it's so refreshing.

Moo Shu-Style Grilled Chicken

Fantastic. I cooked it for my parents. My mother said it was very aromatic, my father just finished before I started to eat. It was a fun lunch. Thanks!

Warm Salmon Salad with Crispy Potatoes

Kick it up a notch with this version of salmon salad. The crispy potatoes make the dish worthy of serving to guests. Be prepared for rave reviews. It can also be stuffed into a pita for a quick and healthy lunch.

Kung Pao Beef

Kung Pao beef: velveted flank steak stir-fried with roasted peanuts, fiery dried chilies, and crunchy water chestnuts in a savory-sweet Sichuan sauce. A bold, spicy take on takeout, ready in 40 minutes.

Spicy Peanut Butter Noodle Salad with Cucumber & Bok Choy

Rice vermicelli tangles with crisp cucumber, bok choy, and matchstick carrots in a creamy peanut butter sauce spiked with chili garlic paste, ginger, and fresh cilantro for a make-ahead Asian noodle salad.

Delicious Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao chicken stir-fries marinated chicken with dried red chilies, bamboo shoots, and peanuts in a sweet, savory, slightly tangy sauce. Authentic Sichuan technique in 40 minutes.

Soy-Peanut Sauce Noodle with Broccoli

A quick, easy and tasty one pan meal is perfect for a weeknight supper. Feel free to add whatever veggies you have on hand.

Stir-Fried Bok Choy with Chinese Sauce

Quick, easy and very tasty! Made this recipe a few days ago, it was simply delicious and we served it with fried rice that we made with the leftover rice. A delicious combination, and both of them together made a great meal.

Potstickers (??)

Making pot stickers are pretty much as same as making dumplings, the only thing different is how to cook them. Instead of boiling in the water, we fry them in a nonstick skillet with a bit oil, which really develops a layer of golden, brown and crispy bottoms with great texture. Serve these yummy pot stickers with a mixture of rice vinegar, a little bit soy sauce, a dash of sesame oil and splash of hot pepper oil.

Potstickers (??)

Making pot stickers are pretty much as same as making dumplings, the only thing different is how to cook them. Instead of boiling in the water, we fry them in a nonstick skillet with a bit oil, which really develops a layer of golden, brown and crispy bottoms with great texture. Serve these yummy pot stickers with a mixture of rice vinegar, a little bit soy sauce, a dash of sesame oil and splash of hot pepper oil.

Cool Soba Noodle Salad

Assorted fresh crunchy vegetables, sour, sweet and spicy sauce, and soba noodles make this quick, easy and tasty cool summer salad!

Quick & Easy Bibimbap

Learn how to make Bibimbap, one of my favorite Korean dishes. This time instead of preparing each vegetable separately, I cooked the similar texture vegetables together, which saved time and still tasted delicious. I mixed the seasoned vegetables with soba noodles and of course always have some kimchee as a side, that's a must in Korean food.

Sugar Snap Pea, Shiitake & Tofu Stir-Fry

Make this easy, tasty and light stir-fry for a quick week-night meal with a bowl of steamed rice or a few slices of bread.

Stir-Fried Veggie with Noodles

Stir-fried bell peppers, carrots, and zucchini with garlic, ginger, scallions are tossed with pasta, cucumber, cilantro, and miso-chili sauce. It's a delicious, light yet nutritious one pot meal that's perfect for week-nights.

Bok Choy, Tofu & Shiitake Stir Fry

This simply delicious Chinese stir-fry is made with not too many ingredients, it's quick and easy as well. Serve it with a bowl of rice to complete the meal.

Quick Chinese Chicken Salad

If you just need a quick dinner, this scrumptious salad is the perfect dish for you!

Quick Chinese Chicken Salad

If you just need a quick dinner, this scrumptious salad is the perfect dish for you!

Sesame Vegetable Fried Rice

This is a delicious recipe that helps you make a tasty dish with leftover rice and whatever veggies you have on hand.

Chipotle Tomatillo Salsa

Smoky chipotle tomatillo salsa with charred tomatillos, pureed chipotles in adobo, red onion and cilantro. Tart, smoky and vegan, with a deep building heat that's a world above any jar.

Sesame Roasted Mushrooms & Scallions

It is a very tasty roasted mushrooms recipe. Garlic, ginger, scallions are roasted with mushrooms, adding the soy-sauce, vinegar and sesame oil, they give mushrooms very rich flavor.

Roasted Root Salad With Carrot Vinaigrette (Thanksgiving)

Thanksgiving comes to mind! Healthy and interesting recipe. From my MIL's recipes but I think she got this from her SIL! This could be a salad or a side dish and could be made a day ahead and brought to room temperature before serving.

All 436 recipes