Ginger Garlic Paste

This homemade Ginger Garlic Paste is a flavorful all-purpose staple to have ready and available to use in so many great recipes! So much better than store-bought jarred varieties and incredibly easy-to-make paste, you'll never want to be without it again!

The Perfect Blend of Ginger & Garlic!

This blend of garlic and ginger is an absolute essential staple in many Indian dishes - and it's a spectacular addition to a lot of Asian recipes too!. However, you can use ginger garlic paste in any dish where you want that slightly spicy, peppery flavor.

My recipe for ginger garlic paste is super easy and incredibly versatile! It can be used as the base of any dish, a marinade, a meat rub, and even in a batter for frying! I use it liberally in my Indo-Chinese recipe, Chicken Manchurian, as well as in my Yemeni recipe, Chicken Mandi!

Jump to:

• 🥘 Ingredients
• 🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
• 🥡 Storing & Reheating
• 📋 Recipe

In order to make this paste really authentic, be sure to use raw, fresh garlic and ginger!  Of course, there are powdered or jarred versions of both, but the taste does not compare.

You can also buy this paste pre-packaged, but both ginger and garlic tend to lose their flavor quite quickly (if not frozen). Also, preservatives are added when packaged. This means you may end up noticing that they can give off a slightly metallic taste.

🥘 Ingredients

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This delectable paste is SO quick and easy to make, you only need a few ingredients and a food processor or blender!

• Ginger - Fresh ginger root does not even have to be peeled for this paste, especially if you find an organic version. The skin breaks down nicely while processing.
• Garlic - Try to find big cloves of fresh garlic, as you need a lot and the small cloves are difficult to peel. 
• Coconut Oil - You can substitute with another neutral-flavored oil like avocado or grapeseed oil. This acts as a natural preservative and helps give some smoothness to the paste. Water can also be used instead of oil, but the paste may turn slightly green from the sulfur in the garlic.  It is still very edible though as long as the ginger-garlic smell is strong! *Oil also aids in keeping your ginger garlic paste white, fresh, and available for use!
  
• Salt (optional) - Just a pinch, or to taste!

🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

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This recipe is as simple as grabbing your few ingredients and a blender or food processor! It takes just a few minutes to work the sliced, cubed, minced, or crushed ginger and garlic into a delicious paste!

1. Peel the ginger root if desired, but remember,  it’s fine to leave the peel intact and it saves an extra step! Wash the ginger well, dry it thoroughly, and slice it thinly or mince by hand. 
2. Peel the large cloves of garlic - I like to crush mine too.
3. Place both the garlic and ginger in your food processor (or blender) and add the first tablespoon portion of coconut oil.
4. Blend all ingredients together until completely broken down into a consistency that resembles a paste. While combining the ginger and garlic, you can periodically add a drizzle of oil as needed for your ginger and garlic to make a nice smooth texture.
5. You don’t need much more than a pinch of salt to season, however, you can omit the salt or add more to taste. Adding a bit of the optional turmeric will give a surge of earthy, peppery flavor.  Plus, it also has a gorgeous mustard yellow color!

Because this ginger garlic paste is so versatile and can be used in a wide variety of dishes, you'll find yourself reaching for it all the time! Say 'hello!' to your new favorite cooking staple!!

🥡 Storing & Reheating

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Always use a clean airtight container that seals very securely for your fresh paste. If you follow these tips, your ginger garlic paste can stay usable for up to two months:

1. Make sure that the ginger root was clean and dried before blending. *You want to keep water out of the paste for best results in long-term storage.
2. Refrigerate the paste (in your airtight container or jar) immediately after blending.
3. Only remove the ginger garlic paste from the refrigerator long enough to get your needed portion.
4. Use a clean, dry spoon or measuring spoon to remove your portion of paste from the container.

The addition of salt and/or turmeric also acts as preservatives. Both can help your ginger garlic paste to store exceptionally well, just be aware of the salt and spice content when using in recipes!

📋 Recipe