As someone who regularly cooks Haitian and international dishes at home, ginger garlic paste is a staple in my kitchen.
It’s the secret to building flavor in so many meals—especially stews, sauces, and marinades. While you can buy it at most grocery stores, homemade paste is fresher, more flavorful, and free from preservatives.
In fact, it’s a great way of tenderizing meat. The ginger garlic paste is readily available in grocery stores and supermarkets but making it at home is an absolute breeze.
What Is Ginger Garlic Paste?
Ginger garlic paste is a blend that’s made from fresh garlic cloves and ginger roots. In some cases, others may add vinegar, oil, salt, water, and turmeric to improve the texture and consistency.
This flavorful blend is a mix of fresh garlic and ginger roots, traditionally used in Indian, Asian, and Haitian cuisines. Beyond flavor, it supports digestion and helps tenderize meat—making it both practical and nutritious.
I use this paste almost daily in Haitian Black Rice, Poulet en Sauce (Haitian Chicken Stew), and even some soups. After trying store-bought versions, I always return to homemade—it gives me full control over taste and quality.
Plus, it stores well and makes meal prep so much easier.
It is extremely easy to prepare the paste at home, and it takes only fifteen minutes or less from start to finish.
With our measurements listed in the recipe card below, the paste will be enough to cook for over six weeks.
In most cases, home cooks make smaller batches of the garlic paste to prevent spoilage, but if you want to make a bigger batch, make sure you preserve and store it properly.
This recipe won’t take more than ten minutes to make, and it will make your cooking incredibly easy. The garlic paste can be stored in a bottle, but make sure you use a dry spoon to scoop out the paste.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can last up to 4–6 weeks in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. For longer use, freeze it in ice cube trays and store the cubes in a zip-top bag.
Absolutely. A blender creates a smoother texture, while a food processor gives a slightly chunkier paste—use whichever you prefer.
Yes. A small amount of olive oil and water helps the ingredients blend smoothly and also supports longer shelf life.
Yes, both are optional. However, they do help preserve the paste and add subtle flavor notes. Adjust based on your recipe needs and personal preference.
How I Use This Paste
The ginger garlic paste can be used in any Haitian recipes.
Some of the recipes that go well with this paste include Haitian Black rice, Haitian Legume, Poulet en Sauce, veggie Manchurian, zucchini, vegan chicken masala, biryani, and many other savory recipes.
Homemade ginger garlic paste isn’t just easy—it transforms your meals. Give it a try and let me know how it turns out. Share your dishes with me on Instagram or Facebook. I’d love to see them!
Also, we would appreciate it if you could give it a star rating below.
Homemade Ginger Garlic Paste – Easy, Flavorful & Long-Lasting!
Equipment
- 1 Blender Optional
- 1 Food Processor Optional
Ingredients
- 5 oz Cloves Garlic or more if needed
- 5 oz Ginger Roots or more if needed
- ½ cup Olive Oil;
- ½ cup Water
Instructions
- Peel & Chop your garlic and ginger. Wash thoroughly.Blend them with olive oil until coarse.
- Add Water and blend to a smooth paste.Store in a clean jar and refrigerate.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips From My Kitchen
- For non-hybrid (spicier) ginger, use more garlic to balance the flavor.
- If bitterness is a concern, start with a 2:1 garlic-to-ginger ratio.
- Add turmeric and salt for natural preservation.
- Avoid garlic with shoots to prevent discoloration.
- For tools, I use a high-powered blender like my Vitamix—it makes a silky, smooth paste. A food processor also works if you prefer more texture.
- If you are worrying about the sharpness from the ginger, always start by adding less ginger to make sure it doesn’t make the paste too bitter
- Make sure you peel the ginger because the skin is too tough and bitter, which damages the paste’s flavor
- Never use garlic with the shoot because it can cause discoloration in the paste (it creates blue or green hues).
- To cut down on time and effort, you can also purchase the already peeled ginger from the local grocery store.
- Instead of adding water, you can add more oil. If you want to add tanginess to the ginger garlic paste, it’s recommended that you add vinegar rather than olive oil
Jacqueline says
I like the idea of freezing it in an ice cube tray.
nancy says
omg this is perfect and what i need in life! i love garlic!! this Ginger Garlic Paste is amazing!
Mirlene says
Thank you, Nancy.
Gina Abernathy says
I always try to use garlic and ginger in as many dishes as possible. This ginger garlic paste is great to have on hand for those dishes.
Sara Welch says
This is such a rich and flavorful recipe; looking forward to trying it with so many more dishes! Delicious and easy too!
Carrie Robinson says
Ooooooo…. yum! I bet this would be fantastic to use in a stir fry. 🙂
Christie Gagnon says
So healthy and delicious!
Krissy Allori says
This sounds amazing. I am sitting here wondering where this has been my whole life. I’m going to be making it very soon. Thank you!
Emily says
This is something I need to add to so many dishes! Yum!
Anita says
I cook a lot of Chinese dishes at home, and most of the dishes need both minced garlic and thinly sliced ginger. I read your post and it finally dawned on me that I need this in my life. Thanks for sharing this simple but useful recipe. 🙂
Mirlene says
I am glad you found it to be helpful. Thank you, Anita.
Priya Shiva says
awesome recipe and a life saver. I’m going to try it out and stup on ginger garlic paste!
Dannii says
We use this paste a lot when making curries. It is so easy to make.
Nart | Cooking with Nart says
Wow, this is very interesting. I love both ginger and garlic. I like the taste and also the health benefits. Will be trying this!
Marlynn says
I love cooking with ginger and garlic but have never made a paste before. This is brilliant!