What Can I Substitute for Shaoxing Wine?

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Swap for Shaoxing wine: dry sherry, 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine. Verdict: straight swap

Dry sherry has a similar alcohol level and the same aged, nutty, oxidised character, so it covers flavour, odour masking and deglazing in one swap. Full details

Checked 25 October 2026 · Rankings aren't for sale

What's it doing in this dish?

You're stir-frying and the recipe has you splash wine around the edge of a hot wok just before the sauce goes in.

dry sherry — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)
sake — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)
dry white wine — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

Here the wine is deglazing and giving a quick hit of aroma as the alcohol flashes off, and all three have enough alcohol to do that. Dry sherry comes closest on the nutty note, while white wine is the one you probably already have open. Supermarket Shaoxing is salted, so add a small pinch of salt or a few extra drops of soy sauce to make up for it.

You're marinating prawns, fish, pork mince or chicken with wine, ginger and soy to take away strong smells before cooking.

sake — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)
dry sherry — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

The job in a marinade is mostly odour masking, and sake does that cleanly without adding its own strong flavour, which suits delicate seafood. Dry sherry works equally well and gives more of the aged, nutty background that Shaoxing would leave behind.

You're making a red-braise or slow-cooked pork belly where a good glug of wine simmers with soy, sugar and star anise for an hour or more.

dry sherry — 60 ml for every 60 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tbsp)AU tbsp = 20ml
mirin — 60 ml for every 60 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tbsp)AU tbsp = 20ml

In a long braise the alcohol cooks away and what stays is the caramel, oxidised flavour, so dry sherry is the best match because it shares that aged character. Mirin suits these recipes because they already contain sugar you can cut, by about 1 teaspoon for every 15 ml of mirin, to stop the braise turning sweet and sticky.

You're mixing wine into raw pork or prawn filling for dumplings, wontons or steamed buns.

dry sherry — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)
sake — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

The wine masks the porky or fishy smell of the raw filling and adds a fragrant note you notice on the first bite. Both picks keep the filling loose without making it watery, but cooking Shaoxing is salted, so taste a tiny fried test piece and add a pinch more salt if it seems flat.

You're cooking for someone who avoids alcohol and need to leave the wine out of a stir-fry or fried rice.

chicken stock — 15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

Stock gives the same splash of liquid for deglazing and some savouriness, which covers the secondary roles. It cannot mask strong smells or give the wine's aroma, so add a little extra ginger and spring onion to dishes with seafood or pork to help with the smell.

You're making drunken chicken or drunken prawns, where the meat sits in a large amount of Shaoxing and the wine is the main flavour.

Nothing really replaces it here.

In these dishes the wine is not supporting other flavours, it is the flavour, and it is served cold or barely cooked so nothing softens a stand-in. Sherry turns it into a different, grapey dish and sake makes it taste thin, so buy Shaoxing wine for these recipes.

What Shaoxing Wine does in a recipe

flavour & aroma · primary — Its aged, slightly oxidised character adds a nutty, caramel-like, faintly sweet aroma that reads as the background note of many Chinese stir-fries, braises and dumpling fillings.
masking fishy & gamey smells · primary — The alcohol and aromatic compounds bind with and carry off the strong smells of seafood, pork and offal as they evaporate in a hot wok or marinade.
deglazing & moisture · secondary — A splash hitting a hot wok lifts browned bits, loosens the sauce and adds liquid without diluting flavour the way water does.
seasoning · secondary — Supermarket cooking versions have salt added, so they contribute a little saltiness alongside the soy sauce in a dish.

Every substitute, ranked

Substitute	Amount	Verdict
dry sherry	15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)	Straight swap
sake	15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)	Straight swap
mirin	15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)	One catch
dry white wine	15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)	Close enough
chicken stock	15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)	Close enough

Australian tablespoons are 20 ml. UK, New Zealand, US and Canadian recipes use 15 ml, so their 1 tbsp is 3 Australian teaspoons.

dry sherry

Straight swap

15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

Dry sherry has a similar alcohol level and the same aged, nutty, oxidised character, so it covers flavour, odour masking and deglazing in one swap.

Covers: flavour & aroma, masking fishy & gamey smells, deglazing & moisture
Misses: seasoning
Taste: Slightly sharper and less caramel-sweet, with a faint grape note instead of rice.
Texture: No change in the finished dish.
Looks: Fino is paler, so a red-braise may be marginally lighter in colour.
Best for: stir-fries, red-braised pork, dumpling fillings

Dairy-freeGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

sake

Straight swap

15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

Sake is a rice-based alcohol that strips fishy smells and deglazes well, though it lacks the aged caramel note that matters more in long braises.

Covers: masking fishy & gamey smells, deglazing & moisture, flavour & aroma
Misses: seasoning
Taste: Cleaner and lighter, with less of the nutty, brown-sugar depth.
Texture: No change in the finished dish.
Looks: Clear, so sauces come out a touch paler.
Best for: steamed fish, seafood stir-fries, chicken marinades

Dairy-freeVeganGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

mirin

One catch

15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

Mirin brings rice-wine aroma and handles odour masking and deglazing, but it is much sweeter, so the recipe's sugar has to come down.

The catch: Cut any sugar in the recipe by about 1 teaspoon for every 15 ml of mirin, or use half mirin and half water if the recipe has no sugar to cut.

Covers: flavour & aroma, masking fishy & gamey smells, deglazing & moisture
Misses: seasoning
Taste: Sweeter and milder, with a rounder, less savoury finish.
Texture: The extra sugar makes sauces slightly glossier and stickier.
Looks: Browns and glazes faster, so watch for scorching in a very hot wok.
Best for: braises with sugar to adjust, glazed pork, teriyaki-style sauces

Dairy-freeVeganNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

dry white wine

Close enough· probably in your pantry

15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

White wine deglazes and masks fishy smells, but it is lower in alcohol, more acidic and fruity rather than nutty, so the flavour role is only partly covered.

Covers: deglazing & moisture, masking fishy & gamey smells
Misses: flavour & aroma, seasoning
Taste: Brighter and more acidic, with a fruity edge that sits slightly apart from the soy and ginger.
Texture: No change in the finished dish.
Looks: Paler sauce with no amber tint.
Best for: quick stir-fries, prawn dishes, stir-fried greens

Dairy-freeGluten-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

chicken stock

Close enough· probably in your pantry

15 ml for every 15 ml Shaoxing wine (3 tsp)

Stock is the alcohol-free option that handles deglazing and adds savouriness, but with no alcohol it cannot mask strong seafood smells or give the wine's aroma.

Covers: deglazing & moisture, seasoning
Misses: flavour & aroma, masking fishy & gamey smells
Taste: Flatter and more brothy, missing the fragrant lift on the first bite.
Texture: No change in the finished dish.
Looks: No noticeable change.
Best for: alcohol-free stir-fries, chicken and vegetable dishes, fried rice

Dairy-freeNut-free

Tried this swap? How did it work?

Commonly tried, but skip these

People reach for these, and they let you down.

rice wine vinegar

Skip it

People reach for it because the bottle says rice wine and sits next to the Shaoxing on the shelf, but it is vinegar, and a full measure makes a savoury stir-fry or braise taste sour.

Tried this swap? How did it work?

sweet or cream sherry

Skip it

People try it because dry sherry is the standard swap and the sweet bottle is the one in the cupboard, but the high sugar burns in a hot wok and makes savoury dishes taste like dessert.

Tried this swap? How did it work?

When to buy the real thing

The recipe is a drunken dish such as drunken chicken, where the meat is soaked in a cup or more of Shaoxing wine.
Instead: Buy a bottle of Shaoxing wine, which most major Australian supermarkets stock in the Asian aisle and Asian grocers sell in several grades.
The recipe calls for more than about 125 ml of Shaoxing wine as a main braising liquid, such as Shaoxing-braised pork or duck.
Instead: Buy Shaoxing wine, because at that volume a substitute's different flavour dominates the finished sauce; if you cannot get it, choose a braise that uses mostly stock and soy instead.

Rescue a swap gone wrong

The stir-fry has a harsh, raw boozy taste.

Why: The sherry or sake went in too late or into a wok that was not hot enough to drive off the alcohol, or an Australian 20 ml tablespoon was used where an overseas recipe meant 15 ml.

Fix: Turn the heat up and toss for another 30 seconds so the alcohol evaporates, and next time add the wine around the hot edge of the wok rather than into the middle of the sauce.

The dish tastes sour.

Why: Rice wine vinegar was used instead of a rice wine, adding acidity in place of aroma.

Fix: Stir in about ½ teaspoon of sugar and a little extra soy sauce per 15 ml of vinegar used to push it back towards savoury; it will lean sweet-and-sour, so serve it that way rather than trying to remove the sourness completely.

The sauce has gone sticky, dark and is catching on the wok.

Why: Mirin or sweet sherry was used without cutting the recipe's sugar, and the extra sugar is caramelising and burning over high heat.

Fix: Take the wok off the heat, add a splash of water or stock to loosen the sauce, and balance the sweetness with a few drops of soy sauce; if it tastes burnt, it cannot be saved, so next time cut the sugar or use half mirin and half water.

The seafood or pork still has a noticeable fishy or gamey smell.

Why: Chicken stock was used in place of the wine, and without alcohol there is nothing to carry the strong smells away during cooking.

Can't be fixed — next time: Once cooked, the smell cannot be removed, although extra spring onion, ginger or white pepper can cover some of it; next time use sake or dry sherry in the marinade, or blanch the pork and rub the seafood with ginger before cooking.

Key numbers

Alcohol: 14–18% ABVThis is close to a fortified wine such as dry sherry, which is why sherry is the usual substitute.
Ethanol boiling point: 78 °C (173 °F)Most of the alcohol cooks off quickly in a hot wok, leaving the aroma behind, but some remains in short marinades and quick sauces.

Differences between countries

Applies to Australia

Salted cooking wine vs unsalted drinking grade (Australia, United Kingdom, New Zealand, United States, Canada)

The bottles in the general supermarket aisle are usually labelled cooking wine and have salt added, which makes them unpleasant to drink. Unsalted, drinking-grade Shaoxing and aged huadiao are more often found at Asian grocers or wherever alcohol is licensed for sale. If you use the unsalted kind, add a small pinch of salt or a little extra soy sauce.

Applies to Australia

Australian sherry is now labelled apera (Australia)

Australian-made fortified wines that used to be called sherry are now sold as apera, while sherry is reserved for Spanish wine. When looking for the dry sherry substitute in Australia, a dry apera or a Spanish fino or amontillado will do the job.

Where to buy it

Applies to Australia

Australia · easy to find

Asian aisle of supermarkets, Asian grocers

Supermarkets usually carry the salted cooking version, and Asian grocers stock several grades, including aged huadiao.

United Kingdom · easy to find

World foods aisle, Chinese supermarkets

Larger supermarkets usually have one salted cooking version, while Chinese supermarkets carry a wider range.

New Zealand · moderate to find

Asian aisle of supermarkets, Asian grocers

Asian grocers are the most reliable source if your local supermarket does not stock it.

United States · easy to find

International aisle, Asian grocers

Grocery bottles are usually salted cooking wine, and unsalted versions are more likely at Asian grocers or liquor stores.

Canada · easy to find

International aisle, Asian grocers

Grocery bottles are usually salted cooking wine, and Asian grocers in larger cities carry more grades.

What is Shaoxing Wine called in other countries?

Shaoxing rice wineChinese cooking wineChinese rice wineshao hsing wineshao xing winehuadiao winehua diao wineyellow wine

Measurements differ too, not just names: the kitchen conversion chart covers cups, spoons and oven temperatures across these countries.

Questions people ask

Is Shaoxing wine the same as rice wine vinegar?

No, Shaoxing wine is an alcoholic rice wine and rice wine vinegar is a sour vinegar with almost no alcohol. The two often sit side by side on the shelf, but swapping vinegar in at the same amount makes a savoury stir-fry or braise taste sour. If you have used vinegar by mistake, a little sugar and extra soy sauce will pull it back towards sweet-and-sour.

Can I leave Shaoxing wine out of a stir-fry?

Yes, in most stir-fries and fried rice you can leave out a small splash and replace it with the same amount of chicken stock or water. You will lose the fragrant note and some of the help with fishy or porky smells, so add a little extra ginger and spring onion to seafood and pork dishes. It cannot be left out of drunken chicken or drunken prawns, where the wine is the main flavour.

Is Chinese cooking wine the same as Shaoxing wine?

Usually, because most bottles labelled Chinese cooking wine are salted Shaoxing wine, but some are other rice wines with a lighter flavour. Check the label for the word Shaoxing or huadiao if you want the aged, nutty character a recipe is counting on. Cooking versions contain added salt, so taste before adding the full amount of salt or soy sauce.

Is Shaoxing wine gluten-free?

No, Shaoxing wine is not considered gluten-free because it is traditionally brewed with a wheat-based starter as well as rice. Dry sherry, sake and dry white wine are the gluten-free substitutes, used at the same amount. Check that the soy sauce in the recipe is gluten-free too.

How much is a tablespoon of Shaoxing wine in ml?

Most Chinese recipes written in English mean a 15 ml tablespoon. An Australian tablespoon holds 20 ml, so measuring with one gives a third more wine than intended, which can leave a raw, boozy taste in a quick stir-fry. Use a 15 ml measure or three 5 ml teaspoons when following an overseas recipe.

Does the alcohol in Shaoxing wine cook off?

Most of it does in a hot wok or a long braise, but not all of it. Alcohol evaporates well below the boiling point of water, so a splash around the edge of a very hot wok loses much of it within seconds, and an hour of simmering removes more. Short marinades, dumpling fillings and barely cooked dishes such as drunken chicken keep a noticeable amount, so use chicken stock if you are cooking for someone who avoids alcohol.

Where Shaoxing Wine comes from

Shaoxing wine comes from the city of Shaoxing in Zhejiang province in eastern China. It is brewed from glutinous rice and water with a wheat-based starter, then aged, which gives it its amber colour and nutty flavour. Huadiao is a name used for aged grades of Shaoxing wine.

Shaoxing Wine is usually dairy-free, vegan, nut-free — check the label, and see the disclaimer.