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It often happens that we have a wonderful idea, think that we have all the ingredients and then at the last moment realize that something is missing. In our case, we have to admit, more than once, it was the wine. We like to make sauces, and when we do, we use a well-known Marsala wine. Original Marsala wine comes from the wine grown in magnificent Sicilian vineyards. This wine is a rather special red wine since it is fortified with brandy. It can be sweet or dry. Both versions give a fantastic touch to all dishes. Sweet Marsala is also often served as an aperitif or a digestive, after a meal. Although it is very popular outside Italy as well, sometimes it can be a challenge to find it. That is why we researched to find out substitutes for the delicious wine. In many cases we are talking about other types of wine, so you will still need a wine opener. However, there are also some nonalcoholic options as you will see later in the text. Whichever you decide to use, though, we guarantee that with these marsala wine substitute options, nobody will notice that you changed the recipe. We wanted our test our theory and asked some culinary experts and gourmands to taste our meals made with the substitute. In all honesty, they were completely ecstatic and had no clue that we didn’t use the real thing. Do you want to know the secret? The only thing you need is to pay attention to match the ingredients with the right sub!
How Is Marsala Wine Made?
Marsala wine is made by blending three different sorts of grapes -Grillo, Inzolia, and Catarratto. All these types are grown in small town Marsala in Sicily, province Trapani in Italy. During fermentation, the wine is fortified by adding neural grape brandy and then sweetened. To sweeten it, you can use cooked must or grape juice whose fermentation didn’t finish. The wine can be either sweet or dry.
Marsala Wine Using
You can use Marsala wine for cooking and baking savory meals and desserts. It gives a delicious note to different meat dishes too. Chicken Marsala is a well-known recipe in international and Italian restaurants. With Marsala wine or an adequate Marsala substitute, your culinary skills will reach another dimension. You will notice that difference, and the obvious proof of it are the blessed faces of your family members or guests immediately after the meal. The most famous recipes with this wine are Marsala chicken, panettone, and tiramisu.
Some types, like secco dry, you can use as an aperitif, and it goes perfectly with goat cheese, olives, and dry meat. A sweeter variation of Marsala is perfect for any chocolate dessert.
Alcohol-Based Marsala Substitutes
We know that most of us are too busy to look for a small Italian shop, selling Marsala wine. If your schedule is packed, but you still want to make a small delicious surprise for your family, and you realize that you miss Marsala wine, we have a simple solution. You may ask yourself, but what can I substitute for marsala wine? Don’t worry; we made a list of wines that you can use with great success. Just be careful to choose the best substitute for your meal. Stay with us, and we will discover little culinary tricks that can save your dinner. We guarantee that after you read this advice and implement them in your culinary practice, you will become your family’s chef.
Madeira Wine
Madeira is Portuguese wine that you can easily find in big supermarkets. It is also fortified, and this is what makes it an excellent alternative to Marsala. Because of the similarity of flavor, you can use Madeira cooking wine substitute without any concern.
Sherry and Sweet Vermouth
We suggest using sherry and sweet vermouth as marsala wine substitute for cooking when making desserts like chocolate cupcakes. Sherry has a little bit lighter taste so you can use it for a fruit salad topping. Sweet vermouth can be your choice if you prefer a stronger sweet flavor with a touch of bitterness. Both sherry and sweet vermouth come with a perfect mixture of flavors. Just one professional tip: for savory recipes, use only dry vermouth.
Pinot Noir
If you cook meat dishes with Pinot Noir, you will get extraordinarily soft and delicious meat. Preparing specialties like duck or chicken breasts with Pinot Noir will for sure result in enormous success. We highly recommend roasted veal in Pinot Noir sauce. Preparation is a bit time-consuming, indeed. Nevertheless, if you go for it, we promise that you won’t have any regrets.
Brandy
Marsala is fortified with brandy, so logically it is an excellent marsala wine replacement, and if you combine it with grape juice, you can make it even better. These are the proportions when substituting Marsala wine with brandy: for every ¼ cup of dry white wine and one teaspoon of brandy.
Non-Alcoholic Marsala Wine Substitutes
We know that those who enjoy the taste of alcohol, can’t imagine replacing wine with something nonalcoholic. Believe us, we feel you! Sadly, however, some situations require that we don’t use alcohol. We think about kids’ birthday celebrations, business brunches, or situations when some of your guests must refrain from drinking for certain reasons. In all those situations, you have to think about non-alcoholic replacement. We know how sudden changes can be unpleasant. But don’t worry, with our support, you will be ready for every situation. Let’s dive into a sometimes boring, but necessary non-alcoholic list of substitutes.
White Grape Juice
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For childrens’ desserts, white grape juice is a great, nonalcoholic substitute for marsala wine. Sponge cake, cupcakes, and especially crème can get appealing flavor with just a bit of white grape juice. If you are preparing desserts for older children, professionals recommend you add just one teaspoon of brandy. That way, they will be under the impression that it is a dessert with alcohol. It can make them happy as they will think you are treating them as adults. When you are the mother of adolescents, you are grateful for this kind of trick.
Fruit or Balsamic Vinegar
Balsamic vinegar is not exactly our first choice as a marsala substitute, but you can use it in a small amount when you are out of options. Fruit vinegar is a slightly better option, but be careful to put just a little bit in a cooking dish.
Chicken or Vegetable Stock
You can use chicken or vegetable stock as a substitute for marsala wine, especially for meat dishes. If you have sweet tooth, you should, of course, pick another piece of advice.
Drinking Wines Similar To Marsala
Port wines are a nice, and smooth marsala wine alternative but a little bit pricey. Madeira wine and Port are our favorite choice for drinking smooth wine with a similar tang as Marsala. To make even wine magic moments even more delicious, put it in the wine cooler for some time.
Final Word
We are sure that with so many options for marsala wine substitute, you can pick the right one for your favorite recipe. If you tested other replacements, feel free to share your experiences. Enjoy your meal, wine, and precious moments in life. Whatever wine you choose, the effect is what counts. If it makes you feel like a goddess/god, this is the right wine for you. Have you tried cooking with Marsala wine or some of the substitutes?
