Can You Freeze Ginger? How to Freeze Ginger

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These days, I am continually working toward preparing food and ingredients in a less wasteful and more conscientious way. Freezing food and ingredients is a popular method used when trying to reduce waste–the freezing process keeps fresh ingredients from going bad quickly. It also does not alter the taste of the ingredient unlike other types of preserving methods such as canning and pickling. 

Previously, I wrote an article explaining how to freeze garlic cloves, minced garlic, and garlic paste. Like bulbs of garlic, when we purchase a large piece of ginger root, we most likely will not use the whole thing within a few days. While it is true that ginger root can keep in the fridge for an extremely long time, we often forget about it as it gets shoved further and further behind leftovers and other ingredients. 

Here, we will discuss whether or not you can freeze ginger. Then, I will give helpful tips and tricks for freezing ginger. Finally, I will give you step-by-step instructions on how to freeze ginger! 

Can You Freeze Ginger Root?

Have you noticed that a little bit of ginger goes a long way? The flavor of ginger is strong! subsequently, most recipes only require a bit of ginger. Often, by the time you cook another recipe requiring ginger, it has already withered and potentially molded in the back of the fridge. 

For this reason, many people question if you can freeze ginger. Thankfully, the answer is yes, you can freeze ginger root! While ginger stays fresh in the fridge for up to a few weeks, frozen ginger can keep in the freezer for months. Not only that, but it also cuts down on the cooking time of any recipe you are prepping. 

In most cuisines requiring ginger, such as Korea, Chinese, India, recipes typically require sliced or grated ginger. In this post, we will teach you how to freeze whole ginger roots, as well as sliced and grated ginger.

But, before we get started, let me answer some questions and give you some helpful tips for prepping and freezing this spicy and fragrant tuber. 

Can You Eat the Peel of Ginger Root?

Like removing the garlic peel, removing the outer skin of ginger root can be a pain. Thankfully, you can actually eat the peel! If you do not wish to remove the outer skin, always make sure to wash the ginger root thoroughly to remove any dirt and grime. Also, if consuming the skin, try to buy organic if it is financially feasible–Different pesticides are used depending on where the ginger was grown or imported from. 

How Should I Prepare the Ginger Root Before Slicing or Grating?

Like I stated above, make sure to thoroughly wash any produce before preparing and consuming it. 

Then, to prepare ginger root before grating or slicing, you should remove any dried out and exposed flesh as well as any hard knots. I either use a spoon or a paring knife to remove any blemishes. 

Further, if you prefer to fully remove the peel, do so after soaking and washing the ginger. You can remove the peeling using a spoon to grate it off, a vegetable peeler, or a paring knife to cut it off. 

How Long Can You Keep Frozen Ginger in the Freezer? 

In an airtight container, you can keep frozen ginger in the freezer for up to 6 months. So, if you buy and prepare ginger in blunk, you can save time and energy every time you need ginger in a recipe.

What Do You Need to Freeze Ginger?

Below, we list some things you may need to prepare and freeze ginger.

• Paring Knife: You can use this knife to remove any tough knots and bad spots.
• Food Processor: To prepare grated ginger in bulk you can use a food processor. It makes preparing the ginger much easier.
• Microplane Hand Grater: For smaller amounts of grated ginger, I recommend using these hand graters.
• Freezer-Safe Ziploc: I recommend using a freezer-safe Ziploc for the whole ginger and sliced ginger.
• Ice Tray: Ice trays make it easy to measure out the bulk grated ginger. This way, you can know exactly how much is in an individual ice tray slot.

How to Freeze Ginger Root: 

Now that we answered some common questions about preparing ginger, let’s learn how to freeze it! Below, we will teach you how to freeze:

• Whole Ginger Root
• Sliced Ginger Root; and
• Grated Ginger Root

If you have any further questions about how to freeze ginger, feel free to leave a comment below or email us at [email protected]

How to Freeze Whole Ginger Root: 

1. First, rinse and scrub the ginger to remove any dirt and grime. Then, using either a spoon or a paring knife, remove any dried out and exposed flesh as well as any hard knots. Once finished, thoroughly dry with a paper towel.
2. Place the ginger into a moisture-resistant and freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. Then, using masking tape and a sharpie, write the date and place it onto the freezer-safe container. 
3. Directly place the bag of whole ginger roots in the freezer. Store up to six months! 

Note: I find that finely grating small amounts of ginger with a handheld grater is easier when the ginger is frozen. If you wish to prepare large amounts of grated ginger in advance, see the instructions below! 

How to Freeze Sliced Ginger:

1. Once again, start by rinsing and scrubbing the ginger to remove any dirt and grime. Then, using either a spoon or a paring knife, remove any dried out and exposed flesh as well as any hard knots. Or, if you wish to remove the entire peel, cut it off using a paring knife, vegetable peeler, or the back of a spoon. 
2. Then, thoroughly dry the ginger with a paper towel.
3. Using a paring or chef’s knife, slice the ginger to desired size and thickness. 
4. Place the sliced ginger into a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container. If slicing a large amount, separate each layer of sliced ginger with a sheet of parchment. 
5. Finally, place the bag or freezer container filled with sliced ginger into the freezer. Make sure the ginger is laying flat until fully frozen. Store up to six months!

How to Freeze Grated Ginger: 

1. Once again, start by rinsing and scrubbing the ginger to remove any dirt and grime.
2. Then, using either a spoon or a paring knife, remove any dried out and exposed flesh as well as any hard knots. Or, if you wish to remove the entire peel, cut it off using a paring knife, vegetable peeler, or the back of a spoon. 
3. Next, chop ginger into a few large chunks. Then, place the pieces into a food processor.
4. Pulse the food processor until you achieve the desired size. 
5. Transfer the grated ginger to a freezer-safe container–I recommend using a Ziploc bag or an ice tray. If using a Ziploc bag, press the bag filled with the ginger into a thin flat sheet. When frozen, the thin layer allows you to easily break off clumps of grated ginger. Or, use an ice tray–An ice tray allows you to easily pop out a measured amount. 
6. Finally, place the bag or freezer container filled with grated ginger into the freezer. Make sure the ginger is laying flat until fully frozen. Store up to six months!

We Hope You Enjoyed Learning About How to Freeze Ginger!

In the end, we hope you enjoyed learning about how to freeze ginger. If so, let us know in the comment section below. Also, how do you use ginger in your household?

If you would like to read more about cooking, you can find further recipes on our blog. We listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by our blended Korean and Southern heritage.

Further Carving A Journey Recipes:

• Maneul Jangajji (Korean Pickled Garlic)
• Garlic and Rosemary Butternut Squash Soup
• Greek Momo Recipe (Korean Breakfast Trend)
• Tteokkochi (Korean Rice Cake Skewers); and
• Jumeokbap (Handmade Korean Rice Balls)

If you have any questions or comments, you can also email us at [email protected].

And, finally, we would love to hear from you through our social media as well! You can follow us at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to our blog by joining our mailing list. We hope you enjoyed learning about how to freeze ginger! Thank you so much for stopping by!

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