Mirin is a sweet Japanese rice wine commonly used in Japanese dishes to create a more complex meal. It is overall a very powerful ingredient to have in your kitchen.
As most rice wines are, mirin is made by fermenting rice. However, it is not left to ferment for long which means that it has a significantly higher sugar content (roughly 40%) compared to other types of rice wines.
Unless you have a big enough grocery budget or live close to a large Asian store, you are probably going to have a hard time finding a decently priced mirin outside of Japan.
Our 4 Substitutes for Mirin
It is the mild acidity and rich umami notes that makes mirin a commonly used ingredient in sauces and marinades. Unlike other rice wines, it has a significantly low alcohol content but is sweet.
Here are our top 4 substitutes for mirin:
1) Sake
As another variety of rice wine, sake also shares many of the same qualities as mirin.
It is sweet enough to pair well with rice dishes and marinades, especially if you buy the unfiltered version. However, sake can also be used as a low carb alternative to mirin.
Though it will still taste sweet, filtered sake is allowed to ferment for longer and therefore has a lower sugar content.
In terms of flavour, you won’t be able to tell much of a difference between the two sakes when used in excess. But you may be able to taste the lack of sugar if drank or used in small amounts.
How to Sweeten Sake
If you do want a sweeter sake but only have the filtered kind available, add honey to make it sweeter. The sugar crystals within honey will absorb in the rice wine easier than regular sugar and will make your sauce or marinade smoother.
2) Shao Xing Cooking Wine
Also known as Chinese rice wine, Shao Xing cooking wine is essentially the same ingredient as mirin but with a Chinese twist.
The main difference between the two is that Shao Xing cooking wine has a higher salt content than mirin, which is already pretty salty.
Shao Xing cooking wine also tastes significantly more alcoholic. With it, you can create richer sauces, but they may be too harsh for chicken and vegetable dishes.
Use Sugar to Balance Out Sourness
Unlike mirin rice wine, rice vinegar has a much tarter flavour which translates sharply into your dish.
Depending on which type you buy, rice vinegar can already have some sweetness. Or, if you prefer, then you can buy the unsweetened version which is just as widely available.
The main thing to remember with rice vinegar is that it is still vinegar. Not in the same way that distilled white vinegar is, but it may taste more acidic than mirin depending on how long it has been fermented.
3) Rice Vinegar
Unlike mirin rice wine, rice vinegar has a much tarter flavour which translates sharply into your dish.
Depending on which type you buy, rice vinegar can already have some sweetness. Or, if you prefer, then you can buy the unsweetened version which is just as widely available.
The main thing to remember with rice vinegar is that it is still vinegar. Not in the same way that distilled white vinegar is, but it may taste more acidic than mirin depending on how long it has been fermented.
Dilute Tart Rice Vinegar
Even if you buy the sweetened version of rice vinegar, you will still be able to taste its tartness more than its sweetness.
This can be diluted using sugar and honey. Just add a little bit of sweetness a teaspoon at a time until the tart flavour has reached a level more palatable for you.
4) Sherry
If you happen to have it to hand, then sherry can help to create a complex dish in a similar way to mirin.
Sherry is a type of white wine mixed in with a spot of brandy, giving it a very acidic taste and matching alcohol content.
It is typically sweeter than mirin but still has a sharp flavour. This can often be overpowering if not moderated, so only use half as much sherry than is needed.
As it is a type of white wine, sherry is made using grapes rather than rice, which is what gives it such a hard-hitting flavour.
Consider Sherry’s Aesthetics
Sherry is mostly a substitute for mirin in marinading recipes due to its significantly darker colour. If you do not care about your dishes finished colour, then you can use sherry in a sauce too.
Other Substitutes for Mirin
Some of the above-mentioned substitutes can be difficult to get if you are under the drinking age or do not live close to a supermarket that supplies Asian ingredients.
So instead, use these:
- Kombucha – It won’t have as much sweetness when brought commercially but kombucha will have the acidity and flour to make your dish taste delicious as mirin does.
- Water – Okay, so water will have no flavour effect on your dish at all, but it will work fine to make marinades or sauces thinner / to bulk them out and is a free alternative to mirin.
- Aji-Mirin – Also known as fake mirin, it is significantly cheaper to source than regular mirin. Though it is not actually mirin at all, it will still offer the same authentic Japanese flavours.
Summary
If you can get your hands on a bottle of mirin, then its sweet and umami tones will work together to create one deliciously sweet dish.
But if you need substitutes for mirin then other rice wines like sake and Shao Xing cooking wine are just as effective in Japanese cooking and will not cost as much as mirin.