Find out here: Does ginger go bad? We have a full FAQ with storage tips and more.
While ginger comes in many forms—dried, ground, paste—fresh ginger is still part of a living plant and will usually go bad sooner than other forms of ginger.
Ginger is a popular ingredient in Chinese cooking but may also be commonly used in Thai, Japanese, and Indian dishes.
It’s also used frequently in baked goods in the U.S., especially during fall and winter holidays.
Gingerbread cookies, ginger snaps, spice cake, flavored coffees, and warm ginger tea are part of the fabric of holiday cuisine here.
How could we make gingerbread houses, in fact, without ginger?
Ginger is a prominent ingredient in pumpkin pie spice, and as most of us know, it’s what makes all the coffee-lovers scramble to Starbux for PSLs.
I won’t comment on how much I miss the Gingerbread Lattes that they discontinued, but I digress.
Adding ginger to any meal provides a fragrant zest to savory and sweet foods, with this spicy kick being a unique flavor that’s quite notable.
Ginger is remarkably pungent, with a flavor that’s spicy and sweet, leaving a mild peppery sensation on the tongue.
Known for its intense flavors, ginger can be added to many food recipes and as a flavor enhancer to many drinks and desserts.
So if you’re including ginger in your list of ingredients and stocking lots of it in your pantry, fridge, or freezer, you might be wondering, does ginger go bad?
To understand how to properly handle and store ginger to maintain its flavor, let’s get down to the nitty gritty so you can start planning your meal prep!
Yes, fresh ginger root does go bad.
Ground ginger is dried, and unless it gets wet or bugs find it, it should only lose potency and not necessarily decompose or rot the way fresh ginger will.
Like any other food, herb or vegetable, ginger will lose its potency or go bad eventually.
Ginger root (fresh ginger) is 78% water, and moisture greatly influences how fast any biological product will break down, grow mold, rot, or lose flavor.
There are various factors that can influence this.
On the other hand, ground dried ginger may last up to several years.
Tips for storing ginger root
- Ginger root stays fresh for about a week sitting out on the counter, unpeeled and uncovered.
- Store ginger root in the fridge unpeeled and loosely covered (not in plastic) for up to a month.
- Ginger root that’s processed (peeled, chopped, grated, etc.) can be kept for three months in the freezer. The flesh will be less firm, but the flavor should still be good as when it went into the freezer.
Tips for storing ground ginger
- Keep canisters and bottles of dried, ground ginger in the pantry, tightly covered and away from direct sun.
- Moisture isn’t good for the ground ginger powder, so don’t keep it in the refrigerator.
- Ground ginger (typically sold on shelves at the store) kept properly, should provide a year of good taste. If in doubt, or if you are seeing unexpected lumps in the ginger, throw it away. Use the expiration date on the package as a guideline.
Tips for storing ground ginger
- Store-bought ginger paste keeps 3 months in the fridge capped and tightly closed. Keep these tubes of wet ground ginger chilled in the refrigerator at all times, whether opened or unopened.
- You can freeze ginger paste to keep it fresh for longer. From the Gourmet Garden FAQ:
Many of Gourmet Garden products can be used directly from the freezer. If the frozen tube is not an easy squeeze, it will be after 5 minutes on the counter. You can put the tube back in the freezer after use. If stored in the freezer, the tube will remain good for 6 months.
Moreover, the type of ginger you have will also dictate its shelf life.
Ginger can come in many different types and have varying shelf lives.
Crystallized ginger can last for three years and won’t spoil, but the longer it sits around, it also loses its potency and flavor.
Another type is ground ginger, which can last for up to four years.
Finally, fresh ginger can last up to 3 months if stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Candied ginger (unless otherwise stated on packaging) uses the fresh ginger root, which is peeled, boiled, soaked in syrup, and then rolled in sugar.
How to tell if ginger has gone bad
Here are several factors to keep an eye out for to gauge if fresh ginger is going bad, such as texture, loss of flavor, color, or if it is dark and bruised with soft spots.
To sum up: Look for the usual signs of freshness in your fresh ginger that you might look for in other kinds of fresh produce:
Avoid using ginger that has bruising, signs of rot, a foul smell, has green, black or white mold on the bark or on the flesh or outside bark, or mushy texture on the bark.
Texture
Fresh ginger is usually hard and has bark-like on the surface.
Ginger, after all, is a root by-product that has a bark and stays firm if kept properly.
If you press on the root and it feels soft to touch, the flesh underneath the bark is breaking down.
Check for signs of bruising, mold, and rot, and discard if you see any.
Note: Ginger that has been frozen will thaw and be soft, but if frozen while still fresh, should be good to use if processed right after thawing. Best to be chopped or minced into paste.
Cut around and discard any soft spots in your fresh ginger.
Smell
If your ginger root still has its bark, you may need to peel it to get the aroma of ginger, especially if it’s been refrigerated for some time.
Thawed, processed ginger should still retain some smell.
Fresh ginger usually has an exquisite taste and smell, but even then usually needs to have the bark cut away before you can get its full aroma.
If your peeled or processed ginger doesn’t have a sweet and spicy aroma, smells sour, fermented, old, moldy or “off”, discard it all.
You can test this by crushing or cutting some ginger, smelling if there is still that sweet and spicy aroma, and doing a little taste test.
Taste
If your ginger has no taste or the peppery, pungent taste you are used to is very faded, or if the taste is sour, rotten, tastes of mold or yeast, discard and don’t continue to eat it.
Appearance
Another thing to monitor is the ginger’s color.
If ginger is still okay for use, it should be light yellow in color.
But if it is more on the darker side, it could be rotting.
If the ginger has turned gray, then it is likely in the danger zone and should not be used.
The last thing to check is if you find wrinkled or dark spots on it.
It may be a cue that something is wrong if wrinkles and fuzzy spots are present on the ginger.
How to store ginger
There are many options for storing ginger properly, such as in your refrigerator, freezer or preserved in alcohol or vinegar.
The easiest and most suitable way would be to store it in the refrigerator.
The cool temperatures in the fridge help ginger to stay fresh.
From the University of Kentucky Ag Dept.:
Mature fresh ginger … can be stored for about two weeks … at 55 F or above … Be advised to freeze … mature ginger, grating only the amount needed and then refreezing the rest of the root.
Leaving the peel on ginger also helps to maintain maximum flavor.
Remember, though, that storing ginger in the fridge means it may dry out due to the circulated air, but don’t completely seal cut ginger root in plastic.
To help solve this problem, you may wrap ginger in slightly moist paper towels or place them in a paper bag to avoid having the ginger drying out completely.
Another option would be storing it in the freezer.
Storing ginger in the freezer will help ensure longer storage times and maintain its usability for longer durations.
Make sure to wrap ginger in bags that are freezer-safe, while also pushing the air out or vacuum sealing to avoid freezer burn.
Keeping ginger in the freezer may make it easier to grate and peel, especially when coming directly from the freezer.
Take note, though, that freezing ginger means the water inside the root may expand and freeze.
This action breaks down the cell walls of ginger, which may change its aroma and flavor.
It may also provide a mushier texture compared to refrigerator-stored ginger.
If you have a lot of ginger and don’t have space to store them in your refrigerator and freezer, however, you may choose the third option of keeping them in preserved alcohol or vinegar.
Preserving ginger in vinegar may act as a preservative for the ginger, and the liquid will have a great flavor and aroma.
You can then use it as an ingredient for your salad dressing.
Storing it in alcohol also acts as a preservative and can quickly extract the flavor of ginger into the liquid.
Doing this will give you a concentrated tincture or spicy tonic beverage.
To do these preservation techniques, you must chop the ginger, add it to your liquid, and seal them securely in an airtight jar.
This process takes days to weeks before the ingredient can be used, so enjoy the time it takes to acquire all that flavor!
How long does ginger last?
In this context, ginger’s shelf life depends on a few factors.
How long ginger lasts may also vary on whether ginger is fresh, frozen, ground/powdered, crystallized, paste or something else. In general, ginger will lose its sharp pungent “bite” gradually.
- Frozen ginger may last up to three months; up to a year if kept tightly wrapped so air doesn’t get to it.
- Dried, ground ginger that’s kept closed, away from moisture, heat, and bugs, can last indefinitely—years, with the caveat that it will lose flavor.
- Ginger paste may last 3 months capped in the fridge.
- Crystallized ginger can last for three years and won’t spoil, but the longer it sits around, it also loses its potency and flavor.
- Fresh ginger, when stored properly, may last up to a month or longer:
Cured ginger will store 60 to 90 days at 54 to 57°F and 85 to 90% relative humidity; or 4 to 6 months at 55°F and 65 to 75% relative humidity.
The bigger the ginger pieces you store, the longer those pieces will last in the refrigerator.
If you want to help maintain ginger, keep them whole and unpeeled to retain its flavor.
Vacuum sealing keeps most air away from foods, which helps to retain freshness for longer.
Can you freeze ginger?
Yes, ginger can be frozen. While you can freeze ginger paste in ice cube trays for individual use, you can also just cut up fresh ginger root quickly and then place in freezer bags.
- Wash and pat dry your whole ginger root.
- If desired, peel the bark from the fresh, whole ginger as thoroughly as possible.
- Since most recipes don’t call for an entire root of ginger, cut the root up into a dozen pieces and divide them between small freezer bags.
- Press out as much air as possible from each bag.
- Seal completely and use the marker to label each bag with the date.
- Transfer the zipper bags with ginger to the freezer immediately.
- To use, remove frozen ginger and shred frozen with a zester or dice finely with a small knife, cutting away the bark if it hasn’t been peeled. You can also thaw on the counter for 15 minutes and grind into a paste or chop.
- I’ve had plenty of good ginger even years after freezing, but it will have its best flavor if used within 3 months.
Defrosting frozen ginger can be done by placing it in a bowl full of water until it thaws, but even just left out on the counter, pieces should be thawed enough to cut in ten minutes.
You can also shred frozen ginger with a zester or a grater.
Thawed-from-frozen ginger root flesh is less firm than its unfrozen counterparts, but it can still be peeled and chopped or grated and the flavor is mostly intact as before freezing.
The bottom line
Ginger is an all-around ingredient that can be used in many recipes.
It’s a highly regarded ingredient due to its unique and intense flavor profile that can elevate any dish.
As a root by-product cultivated mainly in China, India, Nepal and Thailand, it is quick and easy to prepare while also being convenient to store.
Storing ginger properly is essential to maintaining its delicious flavors and aromas.
It may not expire or go bad quickly, just like other ingredients, but it will be a huge waste if you end up using expired ginger with a significantly reduced flavor.
By storing ginger correctly, you can utilize the ingredient for your food and drink options for longer durations to help you map out your recipe plan in the immediate to near future.
How To Freeze Fresh Ginger Root Quickly
These steps will help you process fresh ginger and get it into the freezer fast, no ice cube trays needed.
Ingredients
- Fresh, whole ginger
- Vegetable peeler
- Paring knife
- Cutting board
- Freezer zipper bags
- Permanent marker
Instructions
- Wash and pat dry the ginger root.
- If desired, peel the bark from the fresh, whole ginger as thoroughly as possible.
- Since most recipes don’t call for an entire root of ginger, cut the root up into a dozen pieces and divide them between small freezer bags.
- Press out as much air as possible from each bag.
- Seal completely and use the marker to label each bag with the date.
- Transfer the zipper bags with ginger to the freezer immediately.
- To use, remove frozen ginger and shred frozen with a zester or dice finely with a small knife, cutting away the bark if it hasn’t been peeled. You can also thaw on the counter for 15 minutes and grind into a paste or chop.
- I’ve had plenty of good ginger even years after freezing, but it will have its best flavor if used within 3 months.