Ginger paste is a wonderful complement to a variety of foods, including spicy curries, party dips, and zesty drinks. Ginger flavor offers a robust, spicy flavour to many recipes that would be bland without these ingredients. There’s no need to fear if you notice your ginger paste container is almost empty at the last minute.

This post will provide you with the five finest ginger paste substitutions so that you can still prepare a pleasing, tasty meal or drink.

There are more alternatives to ginger garlic paste, but this article discusses the best ones and when to use them.

You don’t have to abandon your favorite recipe because you’re out of ginger paste if you have any of these items on hand.

Top 5 Ginger Paste Alternatives

Ginger paste seems to be a one-of-a-kind item that cannot be substituted for other condiments or spices, but there are various alternatives that may work well depending on what you’re preparing. Some of these substitutes work well in savory dishes, while others work best in baked goods or other treats. Read the explanations below to determine which choice you should choose the next time you cook.

1. Citrus Zest

Citrus zest serves as a mild alternative for ginger paste, providing comparable sharpness with a touch of sweetness.

Lemon is the finest fruit to use, followed by oranges and limes. If you don’t have any other options, use lime. Whatever fruit you choose, a tablespoon or two will enough for a big batch.

To keep the flavor profile of the meal from changing too much, use roughly half the quantity of zest as you would for ginger paste.

To be clear, citrus juice is not an acceptable alternative for ginger paste and will drastically alter the taste, leaning on the sour side rather than the bitter side. You should utilize the zest on the exterior of the fruit as a substitute.

Keep in mind that the rind’s texture is preferable in baked or prepared recipes that reduce the gritty texture. The zest will also work well in recipes that employ ginger paste to sweeten the meal somewhat.

When cooking a sweet dish, people often add white sugar to their ginger paste. Citrus zest may be used in recipes such as ginger cakes, sweet curries, and ginger martinis.

Citrus zest made the top five alternatives because it is readily available, and many individuals have lemons, oranges, or limes on hand.

The zest taste misses some of the strong bitterness that you would anticipate from a ginger-forward dish, but the brightness of the citrus helps to contribute some flavor.

2. Ginger Candies

Ginger candies are a popular snack all around the globe. Sugared ginger has a unique blend of sweetness and bitterness that many people appreciate.

If you have a bag of candied ginger on hand, crush it down and cut it up to get a similar flavor and texture to ginger paste.

This alternative, once again, works best in recipes that already employ ginger to enhance the sweetness of a dish. When crafting a ginger-forward drink or a ginger treat, candied ginger is an excellent replacement.

If you want to construct a gingerbread home, this, along with the following alternative on our list, is one of your best choices.

To obtain as near to ginger paste as possible, finely chop the candied ginger and gently heat it in the microwave or on the stove. When it’s warm, crush or ground it up.

A mortar and pestle is the finest technique to grind it. At this stage, it should resemble a sticky ginger paste. Blending the crystallized ginger may also work, but it’s a messy process.

Ginger candies are a fantastic alternative for ginger paste in a ginger soup or even for marinating ginger chicken, but be prepared for a higher degree of sweetness than ordinary ginger paste provides.

If you like ginger and use it often, buy a bag of candied ginger to have on hand, and you could fall in love with the sweet snack.

3. Allspice

This spice is the ideal ginger paste alternative for sweets, particularly gingerbread, which is one of the most popular ginger delicacies.

Allspice is the greatest spice to add because of its sharp and unique flavor, which complements the strong flavor that ginger imparts to a meal.

Cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, mace, and cloves, on the other hand, have a similar bitter taste. Because most individuals have one, several, or all of these spices in their kitchen, they are a practical replacement.

You don’t need to use a lot of any of these spices to have the appropriate taste; just a teaspoon or two everytime you add the ginger paste. These spices may be used in place of ginger paste in most ginger recipes, whether sweet or savory.

Ginger salads, stir-frys, drinks, poultry, and pastries are just a few dishes that use allspice instead of ginger garlic paste. If you want the meal to be garlic-forward, add a dash of garlic powder.

Because you just use a tiny quantity of spice as a replacement, it will not significantly dry up the texture of the dish. However, if you feel the cuisine is lacking in moisture without the paste, you may add extra oil or water.

4. Lemongrass

Lemongrass is not the ideal ginger paste alternative, but it will do in a hurry, particularly in Asian recipes. If you require a substitution for a sweet dessert, lemongrass is a no-go since it will contaminate the taste of the meal.

Lemongrass has a mild citrus and lemon flavor with a touch of mint. When cooking tea or Asian meals like curry, party dip, soup, or stir-fry, lemongrass works well as a replacement for ginger paste.

Lemongrass is a vegetable, therefore it will be visible in your meal, while a paste dissolves and melds with the other liquids. Keep this in mind since you may experience stronger lemongrass bites and then bites without the lemongrass.

Some folks make a simple syrup out of lemongrass. To accomplish this, fill a saucepot halfway with water and sugar and add a good quantity of lemongrass.

You may also add a sprinkle of salt to the dish to improve the taste and tone down the sweetness. The end product will be a lemongrass syrup that may be used in drinks or teas.

Having trouble finding lemongrass at the grocery store? Examine the produce section.

5. Galangal

While galangal paste is one of the closest alternatives for ginger paste, it is also one of the most difficult to find. Ginger and galangal are both members of the Rhizomes plant family. Because the two components are so similar, galangal is often known as Thai ginger or Siamese ginger.

Galangal paste is best used in Indonesian or Thai dishes such Tom Kha Gai, Gai Pad King, Pad Thai, Indonesian Tea, Jammu, Soba Noodle Soup, and others. If you have galangal, you may simply make a paste out of it.

To prepare galangal paste, peel the root and then cut it up as small as possible. Blend the galangal pieces into a paste in a blender or food processor. A dash of water or olive oil will assist to get the desired texture.

Although the texture is virtually same, the flavor of galangal is more akin to a strong lemony taste with a tinge of pine. Remember that you won’t receive the bitter punch of flavor that a ginger garlic paste does.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out these commonly asked questions about ginger paste and garlic paste to learn more about this common ingredient.

Is ginger paste the same as fresh ginger?

Yes, ginger paste and fresh ginger are virtually interchangeable. Ginger root is crushed and combined with a tiny quantity of oil to give moisture and form a paste consistency to make ginger paste.

Is crushed garlic the same as garlic paste?

Yes, a garlic clove that has been roasted and mashed is now garlic paste. The garlic is softened by the moisture and heat. The heat facilitates the transformation into a paste.

Can we use garlic ginger powder instead of paste?

This may serve as a good alternative for ginger garlic paste. The taste should be spot on, but the consistency might be a little off. Because there is no moisture in the powder, it may cause the food or drink to dry out.

This may not be a problem in a meal like a curry or a dip, particularly if you used a dab of oil. If the paste was intended for a drink or baked product, the powder may alter the consistency too much, spoiling the texture totally.