Homemade ginger garlic paste is a meal prep essential for Indian and Asian cooking. It cuts down prep time significantly, especially during weeknight cooking. Here's an easy three-ingredient blender recipe that freezes well for months.
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Ground or minced ginger and garlic are a staple in Indian cooking. They form the flavor foundation in so many Indian curries, lentils, beans, and stir-fries. Apart from flavor, they have medicinal properties and aid in digestion. We'll discuss that in detail below.
These days, you can easily find store-ready, shelf-stable jars of ginger and garlic paste, but the flavor and aroma are nothing compared to fresh.
The closest substitutes I have found are frozen cubes of ginger and garlic in the frozen produce aisles of grocery stores like Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.
Let me tell you why I prefer to make my own ginger garlic paste, and then show you how easy it is to prepare it!
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Why Make Ginger Garlic Paste at Home
I discovered the magic of freezing homemade ginger garlic paste almost two decades ago, which changed my life. I love making a big batch in my blender and then freezing it in ice cube trays. Here's why:
- It is a meal prep essential for Indian and Asian cooking.
- Homemade paste retains more nutrients that get lost in jarred preparations, which also contain some preservatives.
- It provides the convenience of always having it on hand.
- It's easy to use. You can add a frozen cube while sautéing and it melts away in seconds, no prior thawing needed.
- It stays good for months in the freezer.
Ginger Garlic Paste Ratio: I use a 1:1 ratio for ginger and garlic by weight, which means ½ or 1 pound of each.
Ingredients
Here are the three ingredients you need to make homemade ginger and garlic paste:
- Ginger root: Look for firm ginger root and check for mold or mildew. Wash and dry. If the skin looks clean, simply wipe off any visible dirt. If it looks bruised, scrape it off using a teaspoon or a vegetable peeler.
- Garlic Cloves: I prefer to buy peeled garlic from the refrigerated section of Trader Joe's or Indian stores. It adds a little to the cost of garlic but saves me much time and effort. You can use a head of garlic and peel the cloves (instructions included below).
- Olive oil: Any clear oil, like canola or avocado oil work work well here. Oil helps bring the paste together and extends its life.
How To Make Ginger Garlic Paste
Let's see how to make the best ginger garlic paste in a food processor.:
- Wash and dry ginger: If the skin looks clean, simply wipe off any visible dirt. If it looks bruised, scrape it off using a teaspoon or a vegetable peeler. Check out this recipe for tips on how to peel and cut ginger.
- Prepare the garlic cloves: If buying garlic head, place it root side down on the counter and smash it with the heel of your hand to loosen the cloves. Add the cloves to an empty mason jar, close the lid, and shake it vigorously until the peels separate from the cloves. See more ways to peel and cut garlic.
- Blend together: Add chopped ginger, garlic, and oil to the blender and blend for a few seconds until you reach the desired consistency. Alternatively, add the ginger and garlic to a mini food chopper and press the pulse button till you reach your desired consistency.
- Store: Store in small containers or ice cube trays for freezing. See detailed notes below.
Storage and Freezing Tips
- For immediate use, I store ginger garlic paste in ½ cup measure in an air-tight container in the refrigerator. It stays good for 10 days, and I always make sure to use a clean, dry spoon to scoop out the quantity needed.
- For extended storage, I add the paste to silicone ice-cube trays, cover them with a lid, or seal them well with plastic wrap and pop them in the freezer. The following day, I pop out the cubes and transfer them to freezer-safe food-storage bags (ziplock), squeeze the air out, and seal them. These cubes stay good for up to 3 months.
How to Use Ginger Garlic Paste
Let's check out some ginger garlic paste uses. The following quantities are based on a dish serving 4-5 people.
- For Indian Dishes, 1- 1.5 tablespoons for Dals (lentils), vegetable Side dishes, and Fish entrees. If freezing it in ice cube trays, use 1-2 cubes depending on the cube size; 2 tablespoons for beans & legumes, chicken, and meat curries. ( 2-3 cubes)
- 1 tablespoon for Asian Dishes like Chili Paneer, Thai Curry paste, Chowmein, Fried rice,e etc. (1 cube)
Tips & Notes
- Ginger: Wash to rinse off any dirt. Dry completely before using. Scrape or peel off any bruised skin. You can leave the skin intact or peel it based on personal preference. Chop it in chunks to give your food processor/blender a head start.
- Garlic: Buy peeled garlic to save time and effort. If processing a whole garlic head, add it to an empty mason jar, close the lid, and shake it vigorously until the peels separate from the cloves.
- Oil: Adding oil to the blend helps increase the shelf life of the paste. A little goes a long way. Use any clear oil like olive, canola, or avocado to keep the flavors neutral.
- Use silicone ice cube trays for ease of extracting frozen cubes. They are flexible and work much better the the plastic trays. I love these trays.
FAQs
Ginger garlic paste is used to build flavors in curries, lentils, and most gravy dishes.
It lasts for up to 10 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Look for frozen cubed trays of garlic and ginger in the frozen produce aisle of large grocery stores. Those cubes typically come in 1 teaspoon measure. It takes 3 teaspoons to make 1 tablespoon of minced garlic or ginger. If a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of ginger garlic paste, use 2 cubes each. If it calls for 2 tablespoons, use 3 cubes each.
Yes. 1 teaspoon of minced fresh ginger equals ½ teaspoon of ground ginger.
Recipes Using Ginger Garlic Paste
Check out a variety of Indian Recipes using Ginger Garlic paste. These include step-by-step instructions showing when to add ginger garlic paste while cooking.
More Ginger Garlic Prep Recipes
📖 Recipe
Ginger Garlic Paste
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Equipment
Instructions
- If the skin looks clean, simply wipe off any visible dirt. If it looks bruised, scrape it off using a teaspoon, or a vegetable peeler.
- If buying garlic head, place it root side down on the counter and smash it with the heel of your hand to loosen the cloves. Add the cloves to an empty mason jar, close the lid and shake it vigorously until the peels separate from the cloves.For added convenience, buy peeled cloves from the refrigerated produce aisle of your grocery store.
- Add chopped ginger, garlic and oil to the blender and blend for a few seconds, until you reach the desired consistency. Alternatively, add the ginger and garlic to a mini food chopper and press the pulse button till you reach your desired consistency
- Store in small containers or ice cube trays for freezing. See detailed notes in the recipe above.
Notes
- Ginger: Wash to rinse off any dirt. Dry completely before using. Scrape or peel off any bruised skin. You can leave the skin intact or peel it based on personal preference. Chop it in chunks to give your food processor/blender a head start.
- Garlic: Buy peeled garlic for saving time and effort. If processing a whole garlic head, add it to an empty mason jar, close the lid and shake it vigorously until the peels separate from the cloves.
- Oil: Adding oil to the blend helps increase shelf life of the paste. A little goes a long way. Use any clear oil like olive, canola, avocado to keep the flavors neutral.
- Use silicone ice cube trays for ease of extracting frozen cubes. They are flexible and work much better the the plastic trays. I love these trays.
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