Time to start dinner! Except, one hiccup. The cooking sherry you need is actually an empty bottle in your cupboard, or it's gone completely. Don't scrap the recipe. You have some alternatives, and dinner will soon be on the table - and no one will be the wiser. Your secret is safe here.
The Best Substitute for Cooking Sherry
Odds are you have a cooking sherry substitute on hand, especially if you're someone that enjoys a martini or Manhattan. You can even turn to red wine and white wines to get the job done. Let's take a closer look and get you cooking.
Substitutes for Dry Cooking Sherry
Don't scrap that dry cooking sherry recipe just yet. Check your cabinets for these instead.
- Dry vermouth
- Dry marsala
- Dry madeira
- Dry white wine, such as pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc
Substitutes for Sweet Cooking Sherry
You'll want to use a sweet substitute for your missing sweet cooking sherry.
- Sweet vermouth
- Port
- Red wine such as malbec, merlot, or cabernet, or a dessert wine such as moscato
Nonalcoholic Substitutes for Cooking Sherry
Although you can find cooking sherry at the grocery store, for the most part, it's incredibly undrinkable (it has salt added). So you may still have reasons you don't have any in the house. Not to worry.
- Chicken Broth is a choice for a dry sherry substitute, all you need to add is a splash of lemon juice.
- Use vanilla extract instead of sweet sherry. This works best with recipes that only need a splash of sweet cooking sherry. For every tablespoon of sherry, use a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Apple cider vinegar is a great substitute for dry sherry, but if you're using more than a splash, you'll want to dilute it in equal parts with water. For every quarter cup of ACV, you'll want to use a cup of water. If the recipe calls for a half cup of cooking sherry, you can use a half cup of diluted ACV. To use apple cider vinegar as a sweet sherry substitute, add sugar to your mix.
No Cooking Sherry? No Problem!
We've all been caught mid-recipe or about to start a recipe only to find you're missing an ingredient. Luckily, cooking sherry has several substitutes that'll help you cook that recipe anyways. And if you use a wine, well, feel free to help yourself to a glass while cooking and toast to your ingenuinty.
