What Type of Vinegar Should I Add to a Bland Meal?

Kelli Foster
Kelli FosterSenior Contributing Food Editor
Kelli is a Senior Contributing Food Editor for Kitchn. She's a graduate of the French Culinary Institute and author of the cookbooks, Plant-Based Buddha Bowls, The Probiotic Kitchen, Buddha Bowls, and Everyday Freekeh Meals. She lives in New Jersey.
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updated May 1, 2019
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Q: Sometimes after making a recipe, I can tell that it needs some sort of acid.

My question is, how do I know what type of acid to add? I don’t normally keep lemons on hand, so I mainly use vinegar.

Is there some trick to know what type of vinegar or citrus works best with various types of recipes?

Sent by Megan

Editor: Adding acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, is a great way to brighten up an otherwise bland dish. It rounds out the flavors in the dish and counterbalances overly sweet or salty flavors. Citrus also cuts through fat nicely, making heavy, bland sauces more flavorful.

Cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, and fresh lemons (both zest and juice) are good all-purpose acids to keep on hand.

Kitchn readers, what types of citrus or vinegar do you use with different recipes?

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