Cooking Wine
Cooking wine is a shelf-stable wine product sold in the grocery aisle rather than the liquor section, made drinkable-tasting for sauces and braises but deliberately salted (usually around 1,500mg sodium per 2 tablespoons) so it can be sold without a liquor license and stored unrefrigerated for long periods. It comes in red, white, sherry, and marsala versions, and in Asian cooking Shaoxing wine plays a similar role. It is not the same product as a bottle of drinking wine used for cooking, which most chefs actually prefer.
Varieties
Cooking wine sold in the regular grocery aisle is a distinct, salted product from any bottle of drinking wine used in cooking. Shaoxing wine, used heavily in Chinese cooking, is made from fermented rice rather than grapes and is a different product from grape-based cooking wines, even though some brands add salt to it for the same shelf-stability reasons.
Buying tips
Check the sodium line on the label since brands vary significantly, and buy the type that matches the recipe (a sherry cooking wine tastes nothing like a marsala one). If a recipe is important to get right, a cheap actual drinking wine from the liquor store usually costs about the same and tastes noticeably better.
Substitutes
Dry white wine or dry red wine (a drinking bottle, not labeled 'cooking wine') — 1:1
Better flavor and no added salt; use whatever color the recipe calls for and reduce added salt elsewhere in the dish since cooking wine already assumes a salted product.
Dry vermouth — 1:1
Herbal and slightly more concentrated than plain wine, but it keeps for months once opened in the refrigerator, making it a practical substitute to have on hand.
Chicken or vegetable broth with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice — 1:1, plus 1 teaspoon acid per 1/4 cup broth
Non-alcoholic option; use low-sodium broth since standard broth plus the acid can push a dish salty fast.
White grape juice with a splash of white wine vinegar — 1:1, plus 1 teaspoon vinegar per 1/4 cup juice
Non-alcoholic and adds sweetness, so best in dishes that already lean sweet, like some braises and pan sauces.
Shaoxing wine — 1:1
Only for recipes that specifically call for cooking wine in a Chinese cooking context; it has a distinct nutty, savory flavor different from grape wine.
Storage
Unopened cooking wine can sit in the pantry for a long time because of the added salt and preservatives. Once opened, refrigerate and it will keep for one to three months, longer than a bottle of drinking wine because of that same salt content.
How to use
Deglaze a pan after searing meat, build the liquid base for braises and stews, add to pan sauces and gravies, and use in marinades. Because of the added sodium, taste a dish before adding extra salt when using cooking wine rather than a regular drinking wine.
What it pairs with
White cooking wine works in cream sauces, risottos, and dishes with chicken or fish; red cooking wine suits beef braises and mushroom sauces; sherry cooking wine pairs well with cream-based soups; marsala cooking wine is built for chicken or veal marsala.
Nutrition
The defining nutritional feature of cooking wine is sodium, not alcohol content or calories; a couple tablespoons can carry as much sodium as a bouillon cube, so it adds up quickly in recipes that use a cup or more.
FAQ
Is cooking wine the same as regular wine?
No. Cooking wine has salt added, usually around 1,500mg of sodium per 2 tablespoons, specifically so stores can sell it without a liquor license and it can sit unrefrigerated on a shelf.
Can drinking cooking wine get you drunk?
Technically yes since it does contain alcohol, but the heavy salt content makes most brands unpleasant to drink straight, which is largely the point of adding it.
Should I use cooking wine or regular wine in recipes?
Regular dry drinking wine gives better flavor and lets you control the salt in the dish yourself; reach for cooking wine mainly for convenience when you don't want to open a full bottle.
Does the alcohol in cooking wine burn off completely during cooking?
No. Simmering for 15 minutes removes roughly 40 percent of the alcohol, and even a long braise of an hour or more typically leaves around 5 to 10 percent of the original alcohol behind.
Can I skip cooking wine entirely in a recipe?
Yes, substitute broth with a splash of vinegar or lemon juice; the dish will lose some depth but will still work, especially in soups, gravies, and braises.
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