5 Mirin Substitutes That Live in Your Pantry (or Bar)
A sweetened Japanese rice wine called mirin is frequently included in marinades, sauces, dressings, and other simmered foods like soups and stews. A bottle won’t last forever, but a little goes a long way. Here are our top mirin substitutions so you can get that Japanese-style roast chicken on the table right away if you run out of this aromatic, umami-rich ingredient but still want to add the flavor and depth that comes with cooking with wine.
1. Sake
Because sake is already a rice wine, it gets you halfway there in place of mirin. Many types of sake, especially unfiltered varieties, are sweet enough to replace mirin naturally. A splash of apple or white grape juice, together with a dash of sugar, can compensate for the sake that is drier than usual.
2. Sherry
Sake can be used in place of mirin because it is already a rice wine. Many varieties of sake, especially unfiltered ones, are sweet enough to organically replace mirin. Sake that is drier than usual can be fixed with a dash of sugar and a splash of apple or white grape juice.