A simple, timesaving recipe for ginger garlic paste, an ingredient widely used in Indian cooking. The paste is easy to make ahead and store for weeks or even months, and it adds delicious, savory notes and a heavenly aroma to curries, dals and vegetable sides.
![Ginger garlic paste in glass bowl.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-4.jpg)
Cooking Indian food on weekdays can be easy, especially if you take some time to meal prep. This can include making curry bases and sauces that can be frozen or refrigerated, like a basic tomato onion sauce, a tikka masala sauce and curry paste.
A more basic recipe that can also save you time in the kitchen is this ginger garlic paste.
Many Indian recipes call for both ginger and garlic or a ginger garlic paste, and making the paste from scratch for every dish you cook takes up precious minutes. You have to peel the garlic, wash the ginger, chop it, and then crush all of it with a mortar and pestle or in a blender or food processor. Which you then have to wash.
If you could save the five minutes or so of doing that everytime you cook Indian food, why wouldn't you?
Making a large batch of ginger garlic paste is incredibly easy. You can do it on a weekend or whenever you have a few minutes to spare, and voila, you will have it ready to go whenever the mood for some Indian food strikes!
Table of Contents
Why make ginger garlic paste?
Indian and Asian stores sell ginger garlic paste in jars and I have, in the past, used them. But they never tasted quite right and the ingredient list, long with emulsifiers and preservatives, made me uneasy. Both ginger and garlic are healthy ingredients, so why spoil them with all of those additives? That's why I started to make my own, much healthier version and I recommend you do that too. You can even tweak the taste to your liking and include more ingredients, like cilantro and green chilli peppers, to add even more flavor to the paste and to the dish.
Some Indian cooks swear that nothing can equal the flavor and aroma of freshly made ginger garlic paste, but to that I say, not really.
Made right, a homemade ginger-garlic paste that has been stored for a few weeks in the fridge or freezer will result in no discernible flavor difference whatsoever. The key is to use natural ingredients to preserve the freshness, aroma and flavor of the ginger and garlic: oil and a touch of vinegar.
Vinegar is not an ingredient widely used in Indian cuisine (except by some Christian communities around the country). But you won't be adding any significant amount of it to the ginger garlic paste -- just two tablespoons -- which is not going to make any difference to the flavor of the dishes you'll make with the paste. Vinegar is a powerful, natural preservative and, along with the oil, it will keep the flavors and freshness of the ginger garlic paste sealed in.
The vinegar and oil also help blend the ginger and garlic into a coarse paste without the need to add water. The presence of water can quickly cause the ginger garlic paste to deteriorate, so don't add any to the recipe.
Ingredients
![Photo showing ingredients used to make ginger garlic paste, including gingerroot, garlic, vegetable oil and vinegar.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-ingredients.jpg)
- Ginger. If you use organic ginger you don't need to peel it. If using ginger that's not organic do peel it. A spoon is a great tool for peeling ginger.
- Garlic. You need lots of garlic for this recipe, and there's no shame in using pre-peeled garlic. I often do. Or use your favorite technique to get the papery skins off the garlic. I like whacking the garlic with a pestle or a flat knife, which makes it easy to pop out the garlic cloves.
- Vinegar. Just plain white vinegar. Save your apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar for something else.
- Oil. I use avocado oil. Use that or any neutral oil in this recipe. I'd recommend not using olive oil or coconut oil because both would add their strong flavor to the paste, which may not work with some Indian recipes.
- Optional ingredients: Cilantro adds amazing freshness and more flavor to the recipe. Green chilli peppers, like jalapeno, add spice, which means you already have one more ingredient on hand when you are cooking an Indian dish (most Indian dishes will call for some chilli). Cumin seeds add wonderful flavor and are great in all savory Indian dishes. You can add one or all of these three ingredients to the ginger garlic paste.
How to make ginger garlic paste
![Ingredients for ginger garlic paste in blender.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-blender-ingredients.jpg)
Place the ginger and garlic in the blender. Add any or all of the optional add-ins, if using. Blitz on low speed for a minute or so until the ginger and garlic are broken down into small bits. Scrape down the bowl a couple of times if needed to keep the ingredients moving.
![Blended ginger garlic paste in blender jar.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-blended.jpg)
Add the oil and vinegar and process again, first at low speed and then at a higher speed until you have a coarse but homogeneous paste. Again, scrape down the bowl with a spatula as needed if the ingredients don't move.
Top tips
- Use a high-powered blender or food processor to make the paste. You aren't adding a lot of liquid here and a weaker blender will have trouble blending up the ginger and garlic.
- I use a 1:1 proportion of ginger and garlic, but you can tweak these quantities to your taste. If you find the ginger overwhelming, cut down on the ginger and use more garlic, and vice versa.
Storage instructions
- Refrigerate: The paste can be stored in the fridge for up to four weeks in an airtight jar. While cooking take as much as you need and return the rest to the refrigerator.
- Freeze: Freeze one-tablespoon-size servings of the ginger-garlic paste in an ice cube tray. Place the frozen cubes in a freezer safe bag and take one or more as needed. The frozen ginger-garlic paste can be stored for up to six months. No need to thaw the paste before cooking--it will thaw quickly enough once you add it to the pot while cooking.
![Ginger garlic paste in glass bowl.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-1.jpg)
How to cook with ginger garlic paste
- You can use this homemade ginger garlic paste in any Indian recipe that calls for it. You can also substitute it in recipes that call for using ginger and garlic separately. For instance, if a recipe says to add three cloves of garlic and an inch-size knob of ginger, you can replace it with a tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste.
- Ginger garlic paste is typically added to the recipe right after you saute the onions and, sometimes, before or along with the onions. In recipes that don't call for onions saute the ginger-garlic paste with other tadka ingredients in a bit of oil. Remember, the ginger and garlic are raw and they need to be cooked for their flavors to mellow down and complement other ingredients in the recipe.
Recipes to make with ginger garlic paste
![Ginger garlic paste in bowl.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-3.jpg)
![Ginger garlic paste for Indian food in glass bowl.](https://holycowvegan.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/ginger-garlic-paste-11-360x360.jpg)
Ginger Garlic Paste
Equipment
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1½ cups ginger (chopped into ½-inch pieces. Measure after chopping. No need to peel the ginger if using organic)
- 1½ cups garlic cloves (peeled)
- ¼ cup avocado oil or any neutral oil
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
Optional add-ins
- 2 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 6 green chilli peppers (like jalapeno or serrano. You can tweak the number of peppers used to your preference for heat in food. Chop the peppers roughly.)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (stems and leaves, roughly chopped)
Instructions
- Place the ginger and garlic in the blender. Add any or all of the optional add-ins, if using. Blitz on low speed for a minute or so until the ginger and garlic are broken down into small bits. Scrape down the bowl a couple of times if needed to keep the ingredients moving.
- Add the oil and vinegar and process again, first at low speed and then at a higher speed until you have a coarse but homogeneous paste. Again, scrape down the bowl with a spatula as needed if the ingredients don't move.
- Store the ginger garlic paste in fridge or freezer (see storage instructions above).
Notes
- Nutrition info includes the optional add-ins.
Ramaa
Hi Vaishali, long time reader, first time commenter :-). I love your tweak of adding vinegar and oil to the g-g paste to preserve naturally. I usually make it fresh, 'cos I don't like the preservatives in the store bought. But, I would appreciate the time saved by having this on hand. I have tried the Trader Joe's frozen cubes, but while they are preservative free, they are not very flavorful. This is great! Thanks for all the experimentation and all the great recipes.
Michaelene
Vaishali! I love your recipes. I've made so many. Thank you especially for the rhubarb recipes. To point: I have made your earlier ginger garlic paste many times. This one also looks grand, but I'm wondering about adding fresh turmeric root. (Trying to incorporate more into my diet.) Still a 1:1:1 ratio? Thank you!
Vaishali
Hi Michaelene, so happy you’ve been making the paste and the rhubarb recipes!❤️
You can definitely add turmeric root but don’t add that much. I’d recommend adding no more than 1/4 cup of chopped fresh turmeric root to this recipe. Turmeric is bitter and too much will change the flavor of the recipes you make with this paste. You also don’t need large quantities of turmeric to reap its health benefits.🙂 A little goes a long way!
Michaelene
Hi, Vaishali.
Another question, two years later! I know you said turmeric (powder?) can be added as a preservative; could I added turmeric root for its health benefits, and how much?
Thank you for all of the wonderful recipes. 🙂
Vaishali
Hi Michaelene, you can add up to a 2-inch knob of fresh turmeric to the ginger garlic paste.
Neerali Parag
Hi Vaishali
Is it possible to use lemon instead of vinegar?
Sue Kendzierski
Hi I’m going to try this recipe tonight can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil
Vaishali
Yes, sure. Keep in mind the coconut oil might solidify in the fridge giving the paste a whitish hue but otherwise it should not be a problem. It will melt like any oil once you add it to the pot while cooking.
Michaelene
Vaishali, I love every recipe of yours that I have tried. I am making the garlic ginger paste right now and wondering, can I use coconut oil instead of veg oil? I don't know why not, but thought I'd ask...
Vaishali
Hi Michaelene, you can use coconut oil but it could solidify in the refrigerator. It should be fine once you add it to the pan.
Charlie
This ginger garlic paste is fantastic. I make a jar and it usually lasts me about a month, making it easy to make my favorite foods. Thanks for the recipe!
Vaishali
Charlie, so happy to hear!
Darlene
Hi.yes i am going healthy.love your recipes hope to try them very soon.very very happy to have them.truly a Godsend
Darlene
YUM, some of my favourite flavours. I'm so happy to get this recipe. Ginger paste is not available here in Nova Scotia. I had to drive 100km to get it recently.
Vaishali do I need the vinegar or turmeric if I make a batch and freeze immediately and then vacuum seal?
Thank you. Have a wonderful day
Vaishali
Hi Darlene, you can skip the vinegar and/or turmeric if you freeze immediately!
Darlene
Hi.yes thank you for the quick reply.i know assuredly i am going to love your recipes.thaks keep tjem coming.also my youngest daughter i sent some to through texts is very excited to get th.my oldest daughter also finds it all so exciting.will be making them this week.thanks a million have a great day.
Ayoub yazbeck
Sounds like it's pretty easy to make. Can I use olive oil instead? I don't normally keep vegetable oil at home.
Thanks!
Vaishali
Yes, olive oil is fine!