Substitutions
A fibrous rhizome with thin pale skin and a bright, juicy heat. Grated it disappears into a sauce; sliced it perfumes a broth and can be lifted out.
What it does in a recipe: A pungent, warming aromatic that brings both fresh citrusy heat and moisture to a dish. Pick the swap that covers that job — the ratios below are written so you can act on them without doing any arithmetic.
Also called: Root ginger, Ginger root
Quick answer
Ginger paste
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated = 1 tbsp jarred ginger pasteAll substitutes, best first
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated = 1 tbsp jarred ginger pasteIt is grated fresh ginger with an acid or oil to preserve it, so the strength is close to one for one.
Trade-offA little duller and sometimes faintly sour from the preservative acid, but the closest thing to the real rhizome.
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated = 1/4 tsp ground gingerDrying strips the volatile citrus notes and converts gingerol into shogaol, which is far more concentrated and considerably hotter by weight — hence the very small quantity.
MethodBloom it in the fat or add it with the dry ingredients. Sprinkled into a finished sauce it tastes raw and powdery.
Trade-offThe heat is drier and more peppery, and the bright lemony lift of fresh ginger is simply absent. Ground ginger is right in a gingerbread and wrong in a stir-fry sauce or a fresh dressing.
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated = 1 tbsp crystallised ginger, rinsed and mincedIt is real ginger that has been candied, so the aromatic compounds survive; rinsing off the surface sugar keeps it from sweetening the dish.
MethodRinse under warm water, pat dry, then mince finely. Reduce the recipe's sugar by about a teaspoon to compensate for what remains.
Trade-offSweeter and chewier, with a softer heat. Better in baking than in anything savoury.
1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated = 1 tbsp galangal, gratedA close botanical relative with the same fibrous structure and comparable pungency, used interchangeably by volume in South East Asian cooking.
Trade-offSharper and more medicinal, with a pine and citrus edge that reads as distinctly Thai rather than neutral.
Unpeeled ginger keeps for weeks in the freezer and is easier to grate frozen, straight onto a microplane, than fresh.
At a glance
| Category | Produce |
|---|---|
| Job in a recipe | A pungent, warming aromatic that brings both fresh citrusy heat and moisture to a dish |
| Suits | Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free, Nut-free, Soy-free, Alcohol-free |
| Swaps available for | Alcohol-freeDairy-freeEgg-freeGluten-freeNut-freeSoy-freeVeganVegetarian |
| Number of substitutes | 4 |
Related
Cooking around an allergy? Diet tags here describe the ingredient itself, not any particular brand. Processed products change formulation without notice and shared production lines are common, so read the label on everything you use. A severe allergy is a medical matter — confirm with the manufacturer or your clinician rather than relying on a substitution chart.