Last updated: January 31, 2024
This practical guide shares six storage tips to help keep your ginger fresh, including methods for whole, peeled, sliced, and grated ginger.
Ginger is a favorite spice that has many uses in the kitchen and home, but storing the root, or rhizome, for later use must be done in the right way to extend its shelf life.
The best method to store ginger depends on if the ginger is whole, peeled, sliced, or grated. Whole and unpeeled is the easiest and best way to store ginger; it can be kept in a pantry, refrigerated, or frozen. Peeled, sliced, or grated ginger must be protected from air contact and refrigerated.
Try out some of the below ginger storage methods to extend its shelf life and have ginger on hand when you need it!
6 Methods to Store Fresh Ginger
Whether you grow your own ginger at home or buy the root from a store, it is unlikely that you will use the entire root at once.
Storing ginger the right way can help the excess ginger last for a long time and ensure you always have some available to use in your kitchen.
If you’d like to learn more about different ways of preparing ginger, read my guide to peeling and cutting ginger with practical tips.
1. Store Whole Ginger Root at Room Temperature
If you buy a whole ginger root from the store or harvest one from your garden, it is not always necessary to take special steps to make it last.
If the root is not too large, you can wash it and dry it thoroughly and simply place it in a cool, dry place on your kitchen counter or in your pantry.
If your ambient temperatures are cool, the root can last up to 2 weeks, and if your temperatures are a bit warmer, it will last up to 1 week when stored this way.
You can also store the root this way if you use ginger regularly, and you are sure you will use the root within the 1 to 2-week timeframe.
2. Refrigerate Whole Ginger Root to Keep It Fresh
To extend the quality and freshness of whole ginger, you can refrigerate the entire root. If the ginger is unpeeled, the skin helps to protect the rhizome from spoiling due to contact with the air.
You can help to further protect the ginger by placing it in a zip-lock bag, squeezing the air from the bag, and sealing the top. Place the ginger in the bag in the crisper of your fridge to keep it chilled.
When stored in this way, the ginger can last up to 2 months and still taste fresh when you need to use it.
If you do not have zip-lock bags, you can substitute them with a plastic container with an air-tight seal. This method works, but not as well as the zip-lock bags since you can squeeze the air out of the bags.
3. Freeze Ginger for Long-Term Storage
If you only use ginger infrequently but still like to keep some on hand, freezing is a good method to store your whole ginger.
If the root is large, break it up into smaller knobs and freeze the knobs individually. Wrap the ginger in cling-wrap plastic or place them in a zip-lock plastic bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible before sealing, and then place the ginger in the freezer.
Another freezing method involves chopping the ginger into smaller pieces and placing them into the ice tray in the freezer, ideally with a bit of water. Once frozen, place the cubes in a small zip-lock plastic bag.
The ginger will remain usable for up to 6 months when stored in the freezer. To use the ginger, take out one of the frozen knobs and grate it while it is still frozen. Any excess can be wrapped up again and placed back in the freezer.
4. Storing Sliced Ginger
Sliced (or peeled) ginger is a little more challenging to store and keep fresh because the root’s flesh is exposed to the air, which causes oxidation and can result in mold developing on the ginger.
Sliced ginger can be wrapped in cling-wrap plastic to reduce contact with the air, or stored in a zip-lock plastic bag with the air squeezed out. Place the wrapped ginger in the fridge, where it will last up to 1 week.
Another popular method for storing sliced or peeled ginger is to store it in a glass jar and pour vodka or brandy over the ginger. Ensure the vodka covers the ginger entirely, and then place the jar in the refrigerator.
The sliced or peeled ginger will last up to 8 weeks in the fridge when stored in vodka or brandy.
5. Storing Grated Ginger
Grated ginger can be stored in a zip-lock bag in the fridge, where it will last up to 1 week. Squeeze as much air out of the zip-lock bag as you can before placing it in the fridge.
The best method to store grated ginger is to freeze it. Place the grated ginger into an ice tray and place the ice tray in the freezer. Once the ginger has frozen, remove the cubes from the ice tray and put them in a zip-lock bag.
Place the zip-lock bag in the freezer where the grated ginger ice cubes will last up to 3 months.
This method is similar to how you can freeze whole ginger (cut into smaller pieces), as explained further above at number three.
6. Pickle Your Ginger
Another method to make your ginger last longer in the refrigerator is to pickle it and store it in a jar.
Use the following method for best results:
- Peel the ginger.
- Thinly slice the ginger.
- Pack the sliced ginger in a glass jar.
- Fill the jar with a pickling solution made from equal parts vinegar, water, and sugar.
- Place the lid tightly on the jar and place it in the refrigerator.
Ginger pickled in this way will store for up to 2 months in the fridge.
