How to Store Ginger: Fridge, Freezer and Peeling

Hello lovelies,

fresh ginger goes into my soups, curries, smoothies and jam, and ginger powder even into cookies. And since I almost never need a whole piece at once, keeping it fresh is a constant topic in our kitchen.

In this guide I show you how to store ginger, how long it lasts, whether you need to peel it, how to freeze and preserve it, and which of my recipes call for fresh or ground ginger.

How to store ginger: counter or fridge?

Both work. Fresh, unpeeled ginger keeps 1 to 2 weeks on the counter, but in an airtight container or bag in the crisper drawer it stays fresh for 4 to 6 weeks, according to Iowa State University Extension.

The Iowa State University AnswerLine article on storing ginger gives a separate time for each way of storing it. Leftover peeled ginger keeps 2 to 3 weeks if you wrap it tightly and refrigerate it.

University of Minnesota Extension keeps ginger in the fridge too: wrapped tightly in a paper towel or plastic wrap, it keeps for 2 to 3 weeks there. Tomatoes, on the other hand, never go in my fridge, and my guide to storing tomatoes explains why.

So this is what I do: a piece I will use in the next few days stays in the kitchen, and the rest goes into the crisper drawer in an airtight container.

How long does fresh ginger last?

It depends on where and how you store it: from 1 to 2 weeks on the counter up to 3 months at best quality in the freezer.

Unless you have long-term plans for fresh ginger, Iowa State suggests buying only as much as you need. If a recipe calls for a thumb of ginger, it usually means a piece about 5 cm (2 inches) long that weighs about 15 g (0.5 ounces) and yields one tablespoon of minced ginger, according to Iowa State.

Properly stored, dried ginger even keeps for a year. The table sums up all the times.

How can you tell if ginger is fresh?

Fresh ginger is firm, smells spicy and has smooth skin, according to University of Minnesota Extension. Leave cracked or withered pieces at the store.

According to the University of Minnesota Extension guide to ginger, ginger can also be cut into slices, matchsticks or a fine dice. Whether young or mature, the rhizome should be firm with light brown skin, says Iowa State. With ginger that has been sitting for a while, Iowa State says to watch for mold, softness, discoloration or an off smell.

Young ginger, also called spring ginger, has a very thin skin and is juicy, mild and tender, according to Iowa State. As ginger matures, it gets hotter, more fibrous and drier, according to the University of Wisconsin article on ginger. Inside, it is pale yellow with a spicy, almost lemony scent. The new sprouts are edible too and milder in flavor than the rhizome, says Clemson University Extension.

Do you need to peel ginger?

No. Peeling is optional, according to Iowa State University Extension, and if you do remove the skin, scraping is recommended over peeling.

The Clemson Extension article on growing ginger suggests sliding the thin skin off with a spoon, so you don't waste any of the flavorful flesh underneath. University of Minnesota Extension uses a vegetable peeler, and a spoon for the grooves. In some of my recipes the ginger is grated, for example in the smoothie, the aloo gobi and the soba noodles with asparagus.

For tea, you don't need to peel ginger at all, according to University of Minnesota: cut off a chunk of fresh ginger and pour boiling water over it, then add a little honey and lemon. How long other teas should steep is in my guide with steeping times and water temperatures for tea.

How to freeze ginger: sliced or grated

Frozen fresh ginger keeps its best quality for 3 months, according to Iowa State University Extension. Kept constantly frozen at -18 °C (0 °F), it keeps indefinitely.

For slices, Iowa State says to scrape off the skin, slice the ginger and put the slices in a freezer bag, removing as much air as possible. Grated and finely chopped ginger is best frozen in small piles on parchment paper or in ice cube trays.

Three of my dishes with ginger can be frozen, too. The blended pumpkin mango soup freezes well in portions, mango chutney lasts for several months frozen in portions, and my gyoza keep for around 3 months in the freezer. How to go about freezing vegetables in portions without freezer burn is in my step-by-step guide.

Fresh or ground ginger?

Both have their place. According to Clemson University Extension, ginger is dried and powdered for uses like baking, while fresh ginger is sliced or diced for sautés, pickles and stews.

Candied, it also goes into desserts and treats, says Clemson. University of Wisconsin lists fruit salads, teas, curries, preserves and baked goods as dishes that ginger adds a spicy punch to. And for Clemson University Extension, ginger is the star of gingerbread.

My vegan nut cookies made with ginger powder also get gingerbread spice and aquafaba. Really do plan in the overnight rest: the next day the loaf slices much more cleanly into thin pieces of about 0.5 cm (0.2 inches). Fully cooled and stored airtight, they keep for several weeks, perfect for baking ahead before Christmas.

Ginger powder works in savory dishes too. It goes into my vegetarian miso sweet potato mash together with light miso and freshly grated nutmeg, and into my summer rolls together with garlic powder and curcuma powder.

How to use fresh ginger: raw, in soups and curries

Fresh ginger brings a hot, pungent flavor, according to University of Wisconsin. In my beetroot soup, it adds a gentle heat.

For my vegan carrot smoothie with orange and fresh ginger, you grate the ginger fresh and add apple, orange juice, turmeric and cinnamon. Let the blender run longer than you think: carrots are fibrous, and it takes a good minute before the smoothie turns velvety rather than grainy. Airtight, it keeps in the fridge for about a day. Freshly grated ginger also goes into my mango pineapple protein smoothie, together with coconut water, mango, pineapple and banana.

In my vegetarian red cabbage salad with ginger, lime and peanuts, ginger joins red cabbage, carrots, bell pepper and cilantro. I always shred the red cabbage on a mandoline, it turns out paper-thin and soaks up the dressing much better. After 30 minutes in the fridge the cabbage is tender and full of flavor.

Almost every stir fry could use a little grated or minced ginger, says University of Minnesota Extension, and it recommends ginger for soups too. In my vegan soup with pumpkin, mango and fresh ginger, the ginger goes in with onion, garlic, coconut milk and mango. Really cut the pumpkin small, then it is soft in 20 minutes and the soup turns velvety without effort.

The blended soup keeps for 3 days in the fridge. My pumpkin soup also gets a small piece of fresh ginger, and a small splash of orange juice after puréeing lifts the sweet pumpkin. For the beetroot soup with orange for Christmas, season patiently at the end: orange juice brings freshness, ginger adds a gentle heat. It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the fridge and often tastes even better the next day.

My curry soup with lemongrass and coconut tofu gets fresh ginger, garlic and red curry paste. Start with a little curry paste and season at the very end, so it doesn't get too spicy and my kids happily eat along. In a sealed container, the soup keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

Grated ginger goes into my vegan aloo gobi, together with red onion, garlic, cumin, tomatoes, potatoes and cauliflower. For the little ones I leave out the chili powder entirely and stir in an extra dollop of coconut yogurt at the end, which makes it lovely, mild and creamy.

Fresh ginger is also in my stir fry noodles from the wok, along with pepper, cabbage, leek and carrots. I keep the noodles mild so the girls will eat them, and put the sambal oelek and chili on the table separately. For the vegan gyoza with tempeh, the filling with fresh ginger really has to be cold before you start folding: warm filling gives off steam, and the wrapper goes damp from the inside and tears as you fold.

More recipes with ginger:

Rice Paper Dumplings with Tofu and Shiitake

Soba Noodles with Green Asparagus and Sesame

Creamy Miso Sweet Potato Mash with Chives

How to preserve ginger: jam, chutney and pickles

Preserved, pickled or dried, ginger keeps longer than fresh. According to Iowa State University Extension, pickled ginger goes into the fridge for at least 1 week and keeps for up to 3 months.

Iowa State lists even more ways to preserve ginger: drying, pickling, fermenting, candying and storing it in alcohol. Pickled ginger is served with sushi as a side called gari, while fermented ginger is more common in Chinese cooking, says Iowa State. Fermented ginger first sits at room temperature for 5 to 10 days and then keeps for up to 3 months in the fridge. Covered with vodka or another alcohol, it keeps for 1 to 2 months in the fridge and works well in stir fries, sauces, soups and marinades afterwards. Dried ginger can also be made into ginger powder.

Apples, carrots and ginger go into my vegan jam made from apples, carrots and ginger. I make it in the bread maker, and it was often done a touch faster than the program suggested, so check on it now and then. Fill it hot into sterilised jars and seal them straight away, that way it keeps for months; once opened, store it in the fridge and use it within 1 to 2 weeks.

Fresh ginger also goes into my mango chutney, together with onion, garlic, mustard seeds and spices of your choice. Rinse the jars with boiling water beforehand and fill in the chutney while it is really hot; it then keeps for about a week in the fridge, or several months if you can it or freeze it in portions. Prettily labeled, it turns into a last-minute gift, and you'll find more ideas among my homemade edible gifts from the kitchen.

What do I cook with ginger?

I use ginger in smoothies, a salad, soups, curries, cookies, jam and chutney. The table shows 9 of my recipes, how the ginger goes in, and one tip from each recipe.

And what do I pair ginger with? In my recipes it often meets citrus: orange in the smoothie and the beetroot soup, lime in the red cabbage salad and lemon in the jam. Mango joins it in the pumpkin mango soup and the chutney, coconut milk in the pumpkin mango soup and the curry soup.

With the right spot in your kitchen and a few portions in the freezer, you will always have fresh ginger on hand, without any withered leftovers. Try out which way to store ginger suits your everyday life. Now it's your turn: where do you keep your ginger, on the counter, in the fridge or in the freezer?

Yours, Verena

Recipes to try

Mango Chutney

Pumpkin Soup

Summer rolls with peanut dip

Vegetarian Sushi Bake with Tofu and Avocado