Best Rice Cooking Wines of 2026
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Rice cooking wines are a staple ingredient in many Asian cuisines, especially Chinese and Japanese. These wines are made from fermented rice and are used to add flavor and aroma to various dishes, such as stir-fries, marinades, and sauces. Unlike regular drinking wines, rice cooking wines are not meant to be consumed on their own, as they are high in salt and often contain added spices or herbs. Some popular brands of rice cooking wines include Shaoxing, Mirin, and Sake, each with their own unique taste profile and cooking applications. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or a beginner, adding rice cooking wine to your pantry can elevate your Asian-inspired dishes to the next level.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Rice Cooking Wines
Soeos Shaoxing Rice Wine, 21.64 fl oz
Soeos Shaoxing Rice Wine is widely used in every Chinese restaurant to add authentic flavor to any Asian dish. It can bring out the full flavors of stir-fries, soups, marinades, and elevate pan-fried dumplings with just a few splashes. The wine should be used when the temperature in the pot is the highest during the cooking process. SOEOS is a well-known spice and herb brand that ensures expertly produced fresher ingredients for every kitchen.
Soeos Mirin Rice Cooking Wine
Soeos Mirin is an essential ingredient for your Japanese cooking needs. This rice wine, sweeter than sake, enhances a variety of dishes, from marinades to sauces. Made with premium short-grain rice and all-natural sugar, it guarantees high quality in every drop. The beautiful, BPA-free plastic bottle not only protects the flavors but also makes pouring and resealing easy. With Soeos, your satisfaction is a priority, so you can feel confident in your purchase and cooking adventures.
52USA Mirin Cooking Wine 16.9 OZ
The 52USA Mirin Cooking Wine is a great addition to your kitchen if you enjoy Japanese cuisine. It brings an authentic taste to your dishes, making sauces, marinades, and glazes more flavorful. You can also use it to enhance salad dressings, sushi rice, or ramen noodles, adding a special touch to everyday meals. Made with natural sugar, this mirin offers a healthier option with less sugar and fewer calories, helping you cook with better ingredients. Plus, the convenient 16.9-ounce bottle size fits perfectly in your kitchen for easy access whenever you need it.
52USA Shaoxing Cooking Wine
52USA Shaoxing Cooking Wine is an authentic Chinese rice wine that adds a distinct flavor and aroma to dishes. It is a famous variety of huangjiu, fermented from rice, and originates from the Shaoxing region in China. 52USA Shaoxing wine is commonly used in Chinese restaurants for almost every savory dish. However, it contains wheat.
Soeos Shaoxing Cooking Wine 51.24oz (1500ml)
Soeos Shaoxing Wine is a versatile Chinese cooking rice wine widely used in savory dishes. It adds an authentic flavor to Asian stir-frys, soups, and marinades. This cooking wine enhances pan-fried dumplings and is essential in Asian dumpling fillings, marinades for roasted meats like char siu pork, seasonings for stir-fries, and red-cooked dishes. Expertly produced by Soeos, this rice cooking wine is favored by chefs for bringing fresher ingredients to every kitchen. Soeos values customer satisfaction, ensuring your questions and concerns are addressed promptly.
Eden Mirin Rice Cooking Wine, 10.1 fl oz
Eden Mirin Rice Cooking Wine is made of U.S.A. Lundberg organic short grain brown rice. It is an essential ingredient in dashi noodle broth, teriyaki sauce, marinades, and sushi rice. Eden Mirin is mildly sweet with a hint of sour and salty flavors. It is low in sodium and carbohydrate, fat-free and cholesterol-free. Mirin is a source of naturally occurring amino acids, organic acids, and enzymes. Eden Foods is a principled natural food company, providing healthy and nutrient-rich mirin.
Soeos Mirin Japanese Cooking Wine
Soeos Mirin Japanese Cooking Wine, made with premium short-grain rice and granulated sugar, is a versatile ingredient used in a variety of foods and culinary preparations. It adds a sweet and acidic taste to food and gives it a glossy finish. The BPA-free plastic bottle is designed to protect the delicate flavors of the mirin while being easy to pour and re-seal. It can be used as a marinade for meats, fish, poultry, and tofu, as well as a salad dressing. Soeos offers a satisfaction guarantee.
Qian Hu Shaoxing Rice Cooking Wine
Qian Hu Cooking Wine is an essential ingredient for anyone looking to elevate their Asian dishes. This rice cooking wine brings a distinct umami flavor that can transform your meals, making them taste just like those from your favorite Chinese restaurant. It's a traditional staple in many recipes, perfect for stir-fries, marinades, and braised dishes, giving you versatility in your cooking. Whether you're preparing savory meats or sweet sauces, this wine adds depth and a delightful aroma to your food, enhancing the overall taste experience for you and your guests.
Premium Shaoxing Cooking Wine 33.81 Fl Oz
The Premium Shaoxing Cooking Wine is a value-sized red cooking wine used in Asian cuisine. Made of water, rice, wheat, salt, and caramel, a bottle of 33.81 FL OZ (1000ml) is 50% more than regular red cooking wine. It's a widely used ingredient in Chinese restaurants and can remove the fishy smell of the food, making dishes appetizing. It is better in marinade, richer in flavor, and has a fragrant aroma than other brands. Shaoxing Wine is a great alternative to Mirin Japanese cooking wine, which is sweeter.
Eden Mirin Rice Cooking Wine 10.1 oz
The Eden Mirin Cooking Wine is a great choice if you want a natural and healthy option for your cooking. It contains no hydrogenated fats or high fructose corn syrup, which means you can avoid unhealthy additives that some foods have. You also won’t find bleached or bromated flour in this product, so it stays closer to its natural form. Plus, it is free from synthetic nitrates or nitrites, which are chemicals often added to processed foods. This makes the Eden Mirin Cooking Wine a cleaner and safer choice for enhancing your dishes with authentic flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is rice cooking wine the same as cooking wine?
No, rice cooking wine is not the same as cooking wine sold in local supermarkets. Rice cooking wine, especially Chinese rice wine, has a different flavor profile and is not overly salted like cooking wine. Additionally, rice cooking wine should not be confused with rice wine vinegar, as they are different products with distinct flavors.
2. What is rice cooking wine good for?
Rice cooking wine, like other types of wine, is a versatile ingredient in cooking. It is commonly used for tenderizing meat, deglazing pans, and adding flavor to dishes like sushi, sashimi, and various Asian recipes. It can enhance the taste of soups, sauces, and noodle bowls, making it a key ingredient in many delicious recipes.
3. Is rice cooking wine the same as rice wine vinegar?
No, rice cooking wine and rice wine vinegar are different products and should not be used interchangeably. While both are made from rice, rice cooking wine is used for cooking and adding flavor to dishes, while rice wine vinegar is a vinegar with an acidic taste. If you need a substitute, pale dry sherry or dry white wine can replace rice wine, and apple cider vinegar can be used instead of rice vinegar.
4. Can I drink rice cooking wine?
Technically, you could drink rice cooking wine, but it is not intended for consumption as a beverage. It is considered undrinkable due to its salty, acidic, and even metallic flavors. Drinking rice cooking wine may not be an enjoyable experience, and it is primarily used as a cooking ingredient rather than for drinking purposes.
5. What flavor does rice wine add?
Rice wine, particularly mirin in Japanese cooking, adds a tangy sweet flavor to dishes. It is commonly used to enhance flavors in soy and teriyaki sauces, as well as to add complexity to fish or rice dishes. The unique taste of rice wine, with its sweet and tangy notes, makes it a popular choice for marinades, glazes, and noodle-based stir-fry dishes.
During our rice cooking wine research, we found 24 rice cooking wine products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 66,590 customer reviews through our big data system to write the rice cooking wines list. We found that most customers choose rice cooking wines with an average price of $15.56.
The rice cooking wines are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of rice cooking wines, including Soeos, 52USA, Eden, Qian Hu, NPG. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 384 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.
Ashley Abels is a former restaurant executive and has worked in the restaurant industry for 15 years. She is also a gourmet who loves tasting different cuisines and trying out all kinds of cooking methods. The food she writes about will make you want to try it!
Rice Cooking Wines Comparison Table
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| Brand | Soeos | Soeos | 52USA | 52USA | Soeos | Eden | Soeos | Qian Hu | NPG | Eden |
| Flavor | Regular | Mirin | Mirin | Regular | Shao Xing Huadiao Rice Wine | Mirin Rice | Mirin | Premium Cooking Wine | Shaoxing | Mirin Rice |
| Units | 21.64 Fluid Ounces | - | 16.9 Fluid Ounces | - | 51.24 Fluid Ounces | 10.1 Fluid Ounces | - | 25.36 Fluid Ounces | 1.00 Liters | 10.1 Fluid Ounces |
| Body Description | Rice wine with a typical flavor of Shaoxing wine, made from rice, water, wheat, and salt. | - | - | Light | Medium | - | Full | - | Premium Shaoxing Cooking Wine with richer flavor and larger volume than regular brands | - |
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