Is mirin vegan? The answer is yes!

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Mirin is a rice wine that is used in many Japanese dishes. Since it only contains ingredients that aren’t animal-derived, it is vegan.

Is mirin vegan? The answer is yes!

Mirin is made by fermenting rice, and pure mirin does not have any added ingredients. Mirin you get at the grocery store may contain additives and preservatives, however, it is still vegan.

This article describes what mirin is, the ingredients in mirin, different kinds of mirin, and vegan recipes with mirin.

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What is mirin?

Mirin is a rice wine that is used for cooking in Japanese cuisine. It adds a sweet and tangy flavor that is standard in Japanese dishes.

What are the ingredients in mirin?

Pure mirin (hon mirin) ingredients include:

If your hon mirin contains ingredients other than these, it is not pure mirin. It is most likely a mirin-type condiment.

Mirin-type condiments have less alcohol, added ingredients, and are available at many grocery stores.

The ingredients that may be added to mirin include starch syrup, rice-brewed seasoning, and brewed vinegar, among other ingredients.

Is mirin healthy?

Mirin is a naturally fermented wine that is high in natural sugar. Since pure mirin can be high in alcohol, you should consume it in moderation if you are not cooking it.

Aji-mirin, or the mirin you can get at the grocery store, most often contains added sugar, corn syrup, and salt.

Too much sugar can be bad for your health. Authentic mirin will be healthier than aji-mirin (which translates to “tastes like mirin”).

Also read how sake (drinkable & cooking) compares to mirin (& how to know which to use)

What are vegan dishes you can make with mirin?

There are many vegan dishes you can make with mirin, sake or both.

Here is a list of some vegan recipes that include mirin:

Conclusion

Mirin is a naturally fermented rice wine that is common in Japanese dishes. This vegan ingredient is a versatile addition to any homemade meal.

Since the ingredients in mirin are not derived from animals, both pure mirin and mirin-type condiments and seasoning are considered vegan. Try mirin in homemade vegan recipes for an extra kick.

Want to get cooking? Check out this Healthy Vegan Stir Fry Sauce with No Sugar recipe

Check out our new cookbook

Bitemybun's family recipes with complete meal planner and recipe guide.

Try it out for free with Kindle Unlimited:

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Joost Nusselder, the founder of Bite My Bun is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with Japanese food at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.