Ground Ginger Substitute

Most of us associate ginger with the golden-colored powder that sits in the back of the spice cupboard until we need it for a recipe like Almond Shortbread Cookies or Misoyaki Salmon Recipe. However, this aromatic, spicy ingredient has long been used in classic Asian cuisines such as Baked Salmon Sushi Rolls and Outback Salmon Recipe, and Indian Spinach Curry Andhra Recipe has a lot of potential outside of baked goods. Its strong, pepper, and pungent flavor can add heat to meats and vegetables or be used in sauces and dips. If you don’t have any ground ginger on hand, here are some suggestions for when you urgently require a ground ginger substitute.

Candied Ginger

This substitute, sometimes known as crystallized ginger, is most likely found in your grocery shop near the dried fruit section. Candied Ginger is produced by simmering ginger root in sugar water and then rolling it in sugar, making it much sweeter than the raw version. Of course, that means you’ll need a lot of it to give your recipe the same punch as ground ginger—but if that’s all you have, make do, especially if you’re doing some baking. Substitute ground ginger with ½ cup of chopped candied ginger. You can also substitute three tablespoons of candied ginger with one tablespoon of fresh ginger.

Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Or Allspice

Allspice is a great replacement for ground or fresh ginger in recipes. Because of its somewhat sweet and spicy flavor, Allspice is a popular dry spice substitute. If you don’t have any Allspice, substitute cinnamon, nutmeg, or even ground cloves. A two-inch cinnamon stick is roughly comparable to 14 teaspoons of ground cinnamon if you only have cinnamon sticks. Replace every tablespoon of ground ginger with a quarter teaspoon of Allspice, cinnamon, or nutmeg. You can use Allspice to replace fresh ginger in equal amounts.

Mace

If you’ve never heard of it, don’t worry. The lace-like coating found on nutmeg seeds makes this aromatic spice, which has an earthy, spicy, sweet, and peppery flavor. If your recipe calls for ground ginger, use 14 tsp of mace for every tablespoon of ground ginger. You can use mace to replace fresh ginger in equal amounts.

Cardamom or Turmeric

These two miraculous spices have close links with ginger root. Turmeric has a warm, bitter, and earthy flavor rather than being spicy and pungent. On the other hand, cardamom has a savory, herbaceous, lemony, and nutty flavor. They aren’t exact substitutions, but they will provide a particular flavor and aroma to your dish that you won’t get if you leave the ginger out entirely. If you use turmeric, keep in mind that its bright yellow color may not suit the recipe you’re creating, so keep that in mind before making the switch. You can replace ground ginger with equal amounts of turmeric powder or ground cardamom.

Galangal

Galangal is an uncanny substitute for ground ginger, though it’s a little difficult to find. It is a root that’s prominent in Southeast Asian cuisines. It offers a hybrid flavor of turmeric and ginger. It’s easiest to look for it in an Asian supermarket or on the internet. Because galangal is more aromatic than ginger, you can use 1 to ¼  more when substituting (for example, if the recipe asks for one tablespoon ginger, use 1 to ¼ more galangal). Replace ground ginger with equal parts chopped or grated galangal, and adjust the amount if you like it stronger. When using galangal powder instead of fresh ginger, follow the same steps.

Ginger (fresh)

In our everyday cooking, we frequently opt to use ground ginger. However, you can use fresh ginger in case this item is out of stock. Use ¼ of fresh ginger to replace with an equal amount of ground ginger. However, if you don’t have fresh ginger at hand either, use the spices mentioned above, and you’ll be good to go.

Although nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, and mace are all delicious ground ginger substitutes, their flavor differs. Regardless of which substitution you pick, you can expect a very close flavor. You don’t have to replace the exact same quantity, but you should ideally use any of the substitutes as per the recipe requirement. Simply substituting half of the required amount of ginger may be sufficient to achieve the desired flavor.

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin spice contains ginger and cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice in its making. Keep in mind that using this spice may have a minor impact on the color and flavor of your recipe. Use half the amount of ginger called for, or adjust the recipe as per your liking.