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Published 10/07/2021 Updated 02/27/2025
In the kitchen, I am constantly working toward preparing food and ingredients in a less wasteful and more conscientious way. Using the freezer to preserve fruits, vegetables, stocks, meats, etc is a popular method used when trying to reduce waste– Not only does freezing keep fresh ingredients from going bad quickly, it does not alter the taste. This cannot be said for other preserving methods such as canning, pickling, and fermenting.
When purchasing a large piece of ginger root, I rarely use the whole thing right away. While it is true that ginger root can stay fresh in the fridge for an extremely long time, I often forget about it as it gets shoved further and further behind leftovers and other ingredients.
In this article, we will discuss the pros and cons of freezing ginger root. Then, I will answer some questions you may have about freezing ginger. Finally, I will give you step-by-step instructions on freezing whole ginger, ginger slices, mince ginger paste, and grated ginger paste.
If you would like to learn more about freezing ingredients as a preserving method, I wrote an article explaining how to freeze garlic cloves, minced garlic, and garlic paste. You can check out the article here!
Can You Freeze Ginger Root?
A little bit of ginger goes a long way in recipes! The flavor of ginger is strong! As a result, most recipes only require a bit of ginger. Often, by the time you cook another recipe requiring this ingredient, 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 Korean, Chinese, and Indian, their recipes typically require sliced or minced ginger. In this post, I will teach you how to freeze whole pieces of ginger root, as well as sliced and minced ginger. Finally, I will teach you how to freeze ginger paste.
But, before I get started, let me answer some questions and give you some helpful tips for prepping and freezing this spicy and fragrant tuber.
Frozen Ginger Frequently Asked Questions:
Now that we learned about some tips & tricks, I want to answer some questions you may have about how to freeze ginger. If I do not answer your question, feel free to leave a comment in the section below or email me at [email protected].
Can You Eat the Peel of Ginger Root?
Removing the outer skin of ginger root can be a pain and take forever. Thankfully, you can eat the peel! If you decide not 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 to Freeze Ginger Root?
As I stated above, make sure to thoroughly wash any produce before preparing and consuming it.
Then, you should remove any dried-out areas, exposed flesh, bruised spots, and 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 peel using a spoon (to rub it off), a vegetable peeler, or a paring knife.
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.
How to Freeze Ginger Root:
Now that I answered some common questions about preparing ginger, let’s learn how to freeze it! Below, I will teach you how to freeze:
- Whole Ginger
- Sliced Ginger
- Minced Ginger
- Grated Ginger Paste
If you have any further questions about how to freeze ginger, feel free to leave a comment below or email me at [email protected]
Freezing Whole Ginger Root:
- First, rinse and scrub the ginger to remove any dirt and grime. Then, using a spoon, vegetable peeler, or paring knife, remove any dried-out areas, exposed flesh, bruised spots, and hard knots. Once finished, let the ginger air dry or wipe off with a paper towel.
- 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 on the outside of your freezer-safe container.
- Directly place the bag of whole ginger roots in the freezer. Store for up to six months!
Note: I find that finely grating small amounts of ginger with a handheld grater is easier when your ginger is frozen.
Freezing Sliced Ginger Root:
- Once again, rinse and scrub the ginger to remove any dirt and grime. Then, using a spoon, vegetable peeler, or paring knife, remove any dried-out areas, exposed flesh, bruised spots, and hard knots. Or, you can remove the entire peel if you would prefer not to eat it!
- Then, thoroughly air-dry the ginger or wipe it down with a paper towel.
- Using a paring or chef’s knife, slice the ginger to the desired size and thickness.
- Place the sliced ginger into a Ziploc bag or freezer-safe container.
- Finally, using masking tape and a Sharpie, write the date and place it on the outside of your freezer-safe container. Make sure the ginger is lying flat until fully frozen. Store for up to six months!
Note: If you are slicing a large amount of ginger, layer the sliced ginger on parchment paper in a tray and slide it into the freezer. If you need to do so, you can layer the parchment paper. This keeps the slices from sticking to one another. Then, once you let the ginger freeze overnight, place the slices into your airtight freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag.
Freezing Minced Ginger Root:
- As always, rinse and scrub the ginger to remove any dirt and grime. Then, using a spoon, vegetable peeler, or paring knife, remove any dried-out areas, exposed flesh, bruised spots, and hard knots. Or, you can remove the entire peel if you would prefer not to eat it!
- Next, chop ginger into a few large chunks. Then, place the pieces into a food processor.
- Pulse the food processor until you achieve your desired minced size.
- Transfer the minced ginger to a freezer-safe container–I recommend using a Ziploc bag or a cube 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 minced ginger. Or, use an ice tray–An ice tray allows you to easily pop out a measured amount.
- Finally, place the bag or freezer container filled with grated ginger into the freezer. If you are using an ice cube tray, you can remove the ginger after it is frozen and place it into your storage container. Store for up to six months!
- Make sure to mark your container using masking tape and a Sharpie! Write the date and place it on the outside of your freezer-safe container!
Freezing Grated Ginger Paste:
- Rinse and scrub the ginger to remove any dirt and grime. Then, using a spoon, vegetable peeler, or paring knife, remove any dried-out areas, exposed flesh, bruised spots, and hard knots. Or, you can remove the entire peel if you would prefer not to eat it!
- Next, chop ginger into a few large chunks. Then, place the pieces into a food processor or blender.
- Pulse the food processor or blender until the ginger turns into a paste.
- Transfer the ginger paste to a freezer-safe container–I recommend using a Ziploc bag or a cube 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 ginger paste. Or, use an ice tray–An ice tray allows you to easily pop out a measured amount.
- Finally, place the bag or freezer container filled with ginger paste into the freezer. If you are using an ice cube tray, you can remove the ginger after it is frozen and place it into your storage container. Store for up to six months!
- Make sure to mark your container using masking tape and a Sharpie! Write the date and place it on the outside of your freezer-safe container!
I Hope You Enjoyed Learning How to Freeze Ginger!
In the end, I hope you enjoyed learning how to freeze ginger. If so, let me know in the comment section!
If you would like to read more about cooking, you can find recipes as well as further Korean ingredient articles on my blog. I listed some of our favorite Carving A Journey recipes below! For reference, many recipes are influenced by my family’s blended Korean and Southern heritage.
Further Carving A Journey Recipes:
- Greek Momo Recipe (Korean Breakfast Trend)
- Tteokkochi (Korean Rice Cake Skewers)
- Jumeokbap (Handmade Korean Rice Balls)
If you have any questions or comments, email me at [email protected]. And, finally, I would love to hear from you through my social media as well! You can follow me at @carvingajourney on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. I also started a vlog YouTube channel with my husband! Or, if you would like more articles like these, you can subscribe to the blog by joining the mailing list. Once again, let me know if you try freezing ginger for later use. Thank you so much for stopping by!
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