It only takes 5 minutes to freeze minced or sliced ginger, and you’ll be ready to enjoy it in your favorite recipes year round. Learn how to freeze fresh ginger using this easy method!
Why We Freeze Ginger
Ginger is a popular ingredient in cooking, known as much for its unique and zesty flavor as it is for its health benefits.
Because it’s so bold and powerful, most recipes call for only a small amount of it at a time. You may find yourself with leftover ginger, or you may just like to prep in advance to save time later. The solution? Freezing ginger!
Freezing is the best way to preserve both the flavor and texture of fresh ginger, so it’s my preferred method to preserve it.
It’s also my preferred method of preserving bell peppers, pineapple, strawberries, and more!
It’s very straightforward to freeze minced or sliced ginger, even easier than you might think! It only takes about 5 minutes of hands on time in total.
It also cuts down on food waste, which is always important! And best of all, this method allows you to use exactly the right amount whenever you need it.
What You Need
- Fresh Ginger Root
- Spoon, for peeling
- Sharp Knife
👉 How to choose ginger: Choose knobs of ginger root that are firm, plump and fragrant. Avoid ginger that looks shriveled or wrinkly or any pieces that have lots of grayish soft spots.
👉 How to store fresh ginger: Store ginger in the refrigerator. Cut off pieces as you need them for cooking, but for best quality and freshest taste, use or freeze it within 2-3 weeks.
🔪 Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Peel the ginger (optional step). Use the side of a spoon to scrape away the thin ginger skin. I don’t recommend using a vegetable peeler or knife to peel the skin.
Don’t worry if tiny bits of skin remain. Ginger skin is edible, so you actually leave it all and can skip this step entirely if you’d prefer. If you do peel the skin, save the scraps to make vegetable stock!
Step 2: Slice or mince the ginger, depending on your preference and how you plan to use the ginger.
👉 Sliced ginger is great for infused waters and teas, or anything that will eventually be blended or pureed, like smoothies or sauces.
Use a sharp knife to slice the ginger into thin slices. For extra thin, uniform slices, use a mandoline.
👉Minced ginger is best for cooking, like stir fry recipes or non-blended soups and dressings.
Mince into tiny pieces with a sharp knife.
Alternately, you could mince the ginger in a food processor. Ginger is very stringy, though, so chop the ginger roughly before adding it to the food processor, then pulse just until it’s broken down.
Step 3: Transfer the ginger to freezer safe bag.
Flatten the bag into a thin layer of ginger, squeezing all the air out. Use a chop stick or pen to press lines into the bag, creating small sections of minced ginger. This will make it much easier to remove the right amount of ginger later on. Set it flat in the freezer.
Break off pieces as needed and cook straight from frozen. You do not need to defrost the ginger first.
Alternately, you can press the minced ginger into small cube trays, freeze for 3-4 hours, then remove the cubes and store in a freezer safe bag. There’s an extra step involved, but some people prefer it this way!
👉 Be sure to use my freezer inventory chart to keep track of your frozen ginger and all the other freezer contents!
ℹ️ FAQ & Info
Ginger skin is edible, so it isn’t entirely necessary to peel ginger, although many people do prefer it. If you leave it unpeeled, wash the skin well and cut away any soft or shriveled spots.
Ginger can be used directly from frozen. You may defrost it if you’d like by setting it on a plate in the refrigerator overnight, however, it is not necessary.
Yes, it’s possible to freeze whole ginger! If you’re pressed for time or simply prefer whole pieces of ginger, then wash and dry the ginger root. Place it in an airtight bag or container and freeze. You can cut pieces off from the frozen piece later or even grate it while it’s still frozen.
Yes! Ginger is often used to help with nausea, and it has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. So not only is ginger delicious for cooking, but it has been used for its health benefits for centuries!
Recipes that Use Frozen Ginger
Use frozen ginger in place of fresh ginger in any recipe that calls for it.
👉 Important Tip: Many recipes call for ginger in units of inches. For every 1 inch of ginger a recipe calls for, use 1 Tablespoon of minced ginger.
Using this method? I’d love to hear about your experience.
Please leave a comment below!
How to Freeze Fresh Ginger
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 oz. fresh ginger root
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to finely mince the ginger, or slice it into thin slices.
- Transfer the ginger to a freezer safe bag. Flatten the bag into a thin layer of ginger, squeezing all the air out. Use a chop stick or pen to press lines into the bag, creating small sections of minced ginger. Set the bag flat in the freezer. As needed, break off pieces and remove from the bag to use in your favorite recipes!
Video
Notes
- For best taste, use frozen ginger within 3-4 months.
- Many recipes call for ginger in units of inches. For every 1 inch of ginger a recipe calls for, use 1 Tablespoon of minced ginger.
- Ginger skin is edible, so it isn’t entirely necessary to peel ginger, although many people do prefer it. If you leave it unpeeled, wash the skin well and cut away any soft or shriveled spots.
