10 Best Substitutes for Sherry Vinegar in Gazpacho

So you want to make that delicious gazpacho, but you’re fresh out of sherry vinegar.

Never fear—there are plenty of substitutes for the delicious tang of sherry vinegar that will still let you get that perfect blend of flavors in your gazpacho.

But, what’s the best substitute for sherry vinegar in gazpacho?

The best substitute for sherry vinegar in gazpacho is red wine vinegar. Sherry vinegar has a nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness. Red wine vinegar will provide the same sour/acidic taste, but will not have the nutty or sweet notes. Additionally, the red wine vinegar will not be as strong as the sherry vinegar.

10 Best Substitutes for Sherry Vinegar in Gazpacho

Here are 10 substitutes for sherry vinegar in gazpacho that are sure to make your soup the best one around:

1. Champagne Vinegar

This is a great substitute for sherry vinegar in gazpacho because it has a similarly sweet and mild flavor.  

Just be careful not to add too much, as champagne vinegar is more acidic than its sherry counterpart.

2. Red Wine Vinegar

Another great option for gazpacho, red wine vinegar pairs well with tomatoes and cucumbers, making it a perfect ingredient to swap out for sherry vinegar.  

The taste is a bit stronger, so adjust accordingly.

3. Lemon Juice

Gazpacho is a staple of Spanish cuisine, but if you’re looking to make it without sherry vinegar, lemon juice is a great option.

It’ll be more sour than sherry vinegar, so you may want to add a bit less than the recipe calls for.

4. White Wine Vinegar

Another of Spain’s favorites, white wine vinegar has a milder flavor than its red counterpart and will work well in gazpacho if you don’t want to taste the sweet notes that sherry or red wine vinegars bring to the dish.

5. Balsamic Vinegar

Balsamic vinegar is another good substitute.

It has a similar level of acidity and lends the same kind of earthiness to a dish.

Like with apple cider vinegar, though, balsamic is missing some of the complexity that you get from sherry vinegar.

This can be an issue if you’re using the vinegar for its rich flavor rather than just for acidity in your gazpacho.

6. Rice Wine Vinegar

Rice wine vinegar can also be a good substitute for sherry vinegar in gazpacho if you’re looking for something with lots of brightness and acidity but without the depth of flavor that sherry vinegar offers.

However, many chefs who use rice wine vinegar say that the best thing about it is that it’s cheap and easy to find.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another popular choice with many gazpacho lovers because of its mild flavor, affordability and accessibility—it’s easy to find in most grocery stores.

8. Soy sauce

Soy sauce is a salty condiment made from soybeans.

Soy sauce has been used in traditional Chinese cookery for centuries, and it’s also used in Japanese cooking as a substitute for sherry vinegar.

You can use soy sauce to make gazpacho, but we recommend making it slightly sweetened with honey so that the flavor of the soy sauce isn’t too dominant.

9. Sherry Wine (not the Same as Sherry Vinegar)

Sherry wine is not the same as sherry vinegar—it’s a type of fortified wine made in the region of Jerez de la Frontera.

If you want to use this instead of sherry vinegar, you can just pour some into the soup and give it a taste.

Add more if you think it needs more alcohol, or water if you prefer a milder flavor.

10. Distilled White Vinegar

Distilled white vinegar is also an option.

It sounds like an odd substitute for something as complex as sherry vinegar, but in fact, it will do the trick nicely.

Add some to your gazpacho and taste it—then add more if it needs more sour acidity or water if you prefer a milder flavor.

How to Pick a Substitute for Sherry Vinegar in Gazpacho

It’s important to keep in mind that sherry vinegar has a unique flavor, so when replacing it, you’ll want to pick an ingredient with similar characteristics: acidity, sweetness, and nuttiness.

Because there are so many different types of vinegar (and other acidic ingredients) available, there are quite a few options.

Start by taking into account the flavor profile of your dish and make sure your substitute matches up.

For example, if you’re using sherry vinegar in a savory dish, like gazpacho, you might choose red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar instead.

If you’re using it for its sweetness for something like marinara sauce, however, balsamic vinegar would be a better option.

6 Benefits of Substituting for Sherry Vinegar in Gazpacho

Sherry vinegar is not a critical ingredient in gazpacho, so picking a substitute will not ruin your soup.

In fact, you might even like the result better than if you’d used sherry vinegar!

Here are three benefits of picking a substitute for sherry vinegar in gazpacho:

1. You Get More Choices

When it comes to sherry vinegar substitutes, the world is your oyster!

You can use any mild vinegar with a pleasant flavor that you have on hand. We recommend: white wine vinegar, rice wine vinegar, champagne vinegar, red wine vinegar, or apple cider vinegar.

Just be careful not to use anything too strong (like balsamic) or too sweet (like honey).

2. You Get More Control

Sherry vinegar is one of the types of vinegar that has the most variability, as it’s not legally required to list all of its ingredients.

That means that, depending on where you’re buying it from, you could be getting any number of other things in your bottle.

With other types of vinegar, what you see is what you get—and you know exactly what you’re putting into your dish!

3. You Can Use a Cheaper Ingredient

Sherry vinegar tends to be pretty expensive compared to other vinegars due to its complex production process and its popularity in high-end restaurants across the world.

If you’re looking for ways to save money on your grocery bill, substituting a different kind of vinegar is an easy way to do so.

4. You Can Make Your Dish Even Healthier

Sherry vinegar is not the only acidic liquid you can use to bring balance to gazpacho.

In fact, many people find that substituting lemon juice or lime juice for the sherry vinegar actually makes the soup taste more lively and fresh.

If you’re trying to be healthy, this is one easy way to do it—just make sure you don’t add any additional salt to compensate for what’s missing from the sherry vinegar!

5. You Can Reduce Your Sodium Intake

If you’re watching your sodium intake, using sherry vinegar in your gazpacho could be an issue.

Sherry vinegar has a lot of salt in it, and using it means adding excess salt to your dish.

Lemon juice and lime juice do not contain any sodium at all, so they’re a great substitute if you’re watching your sodium intake.

6. You Can Get Creative with Different Flavor Combinations

Since sherry vinegar has such a strong taste, even just a dash gives the soup an intense kick of flavor.

With different substitutes, you can play around with unique—but still delicious—flavor combinations!