rice vinegar
A mild, slightly sweet vinegar made from fermented rice, much gentler and rounder than most Western vinegars, common in Asian cooking, dressings, and pickling. Its low acidity and light sweetness make it forgiving to use generously without overwhelming a dish the way a sharper vinegar can.
Buying guidance
Check the label for seasoned rice vinegar, which already has sugar and salt added specifically for sushi rice and shouldn't be swapped in for plain rice vinegar without adjusting the rest of a dish's seasoning. Plain, unseasoned rice vinegar is the more versatile pantry choice for general cooking.
Substitutions
- Seasoned rice vinegar, with less added sugar or salt elsewhere -- close if that's what's on hand.
- White wine vinegar diluted slightly with water -- milder and closer to rice vinegar's gentleness than straight white vinegar.
- Apple cider vinegar -- a bit fruitier and more assertive; use slightly less.
Tips & common mistakes
Because it's milder than distilled white or cider vinegar, swapping it in cup-for-cup for a sharper vinegar under-delivers on acidity -- taste as you go and expect to use more than the original amount of a stronger vinegar to get the same tang.
Storage
Plain rice vinegar is acidic enough to preserve itself indefinitely at room temperature, opened or not. Seasoned rice vinegar is a different matter -- the added sugar and salt make it a bit more perishable once opened, so refrigerating it and using it within a few months keeps it tasting fresh rather than flat.