8 Mirin Substitutes for Asian Cooking

Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine that is typically used in making marinades, sauces, and dressings, and added to simmered dishes like soups and stews. A little goes a long way, but a bottle won’t last forever so if you find yourself fresh out of this umami-rich seasoning, don’t worry because there are a few mirin substitutes that you can try.

Here are 8 great substitutes for mirin.

1. Sake

Sake is a lightly sweetened Japanese alcoholic beverage that has become recognizable all around the world for its unique flavor and cultural significance. It’s made from fermented rice and is often added as a key ingredient in Japanese dishes such as tempura, sukiyaki, and ramen.

Can I Use Sake Instead of Mirin?

Definitely! Both sake and mirin are staples in Japanese cuisine, so subbing one for the other isn’t uncommon. Sake contains approximately 15 to 17 percent alcohol versus mirin’s 14 percent alcohol. In some dishes, both mirin and sake are used in tandem to create a bold, umami flavor that is unmistakably Japanese.

Sake is widely considered the healthier alternative to mirin since it contains fewer calories due to having less sugar. However, most of sake’s health benefits are not related to weight loss and instead are due to its koji content, which is its fermented rice component. Because sake is made with yeast, rice, and koji, sake has high levels of vitamins and proteins. The proteins and peptides in sake help with blood alcohol metabolism, reducing cholesterol, and lowering blood triglycerides. Studies have also demonstrated a link between sake and an increase in the production of good bacteria within the gut microbiome.

Best for: cooking, soups, marinades, stews, meat tenderizer, seasoning, sushi rice

How to Substitute Sake for Mirin

Substitute 1 tablespoon of mirin with 1 tablespoon of sake.

Depending on the desired sweetness of your recipe, you may want to add a splash of apple juice to add a bit of natural sweetness to your recipe. A pinch of sugar would work just as well in case if you prefer a sweetness level more similar to that of mirin’s.

2. Rice Wine Vinegar and Sugar

Rice wine vinegar is a nonalcoholic fermented rice wine that’s often used as a mirin substitute. Compared to white vinegar, rice wine vinegar is less acidic with a slightly more delicate, sweet flavor.

Can I Use Rice Wine Vinegar and Sugar Instead of Mirin?

Yes, you can use rice wine vinegar instead of mirin in recipes where the alcohol content is not an essential part of the recipe. Cooking eliminates most of the alcohol in ingredients like mirin, so depending on the cooking time and cooking method, it may not make much of a difference if you use a nonalcoholic substitute straight away. This is especially the case with those who are allergic to alcohol and may not be able to use mirin at all in their cooking.

Rice wine vinegar is acidic and contains no sugar, unlike mirin, which is approximately 40 to 50 percent sugar. Some of the active ingredients in rice wine vinegar such as acetic acid, have been shown to have anti-obesity, anti-cancer, anti-microbial, and anti-inflammatory properties

Best for: cooking, soups, marinades, stews, meat tenderizer, seasoning, dressings

How to Substitute Rice Wine Vinegar and Sugar for Mirin

Combine 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar with 1 teaspoon of sugar and stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved. Use this mixture to replace 1 tablespoon of mirin in your recipes.

Rice wine vinegar is also sold as rice vinegar. These two are one and the same, and should yield the same results. Brown rice vinegar on the other hand, is different and carries a different flavor profile and is not recommended as a mirin substitute.

3. Dry Sherry and Sugar

Dry sherry is a distilled wine that is commonly used for cooking due to its low sugar content. It has a slightly acidic flavor and contains approximately 15 to 22 percent alcohol, but it lacks the distinct umami flavor of mirin.

Can I Use Dry Sherry with Sugar Instead of Mirin?

Yes, dry sherry and sugar can be used as a mirin substitute in recipes that are not so dependent on the umami flavor of mirin. Dry sherry is both delicate and complex, with crisp flavors tha