Food Ingredients Seasonings Ginger 28 Great Ginger-Forward Recipes By Food & Wine Editors Food & Wine Editors This is collaborative content from Food & Wine's team of experts, including staff, recipe developers, chefs, and contributors. Many of our galleries curate recipes or guides from a variety of sources which we credit throughout the content and at each link. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on June 29, 2023 Trending Videos Photo: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen "Ginger adds a foundational layer of piquancy, warmth, and peppery sweetness to whatever it touches," writes former F&W food editor Kelsey Jane Youngman. Indeed, that gorgeous foundational layer of ginger has seemingly infinite applications. We love it in baked goods like gingerbread and with squashes throughout the fall and winter, especially during the holidays (it's second to only cinnamon in traditional pumpkin pie spice blends). While it flavors dishes all around the globe, ginger originated in Asia, so it's especially prevalent in cuisines from that continent — in curries, soups, sauces, noodle dishes, and more. Fresh, dried, or candied, intense and spicy or mild and aromatic, this group of ginger-forward recipes runs the gamut of the root's delicious culinary possibilities. 01 of 28 Mushroom Dumplings in Toasted Ginger and Garlic Broth Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis Make-ahead mushroom duxelles is a rich filling for these tender, satisfying dumplings. The broth, infused with toasted ginger and garlic, gets an extra layer of rich mushroom flavor from dried white flower shiitake mushrooms, which have a bolder flavor than regular dried shiitakes (though you can use either). Get the Recipe 02 of 28 Chicken Soup with Ginger and Cilantro Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Thom Driver This seasonal rendition of a classic is loaded with summer market finds like tomatoes, zucchini, and bell peppers. Quick-cooking boneless chicken pieces are gently simmered in a ginger and cilantro-infused broth with a dash of soy sauce. The eye-catching garnish tray doubles as a colorful centerpiece, allowing guests to pile their bowls with aromatic fresh herbs, spicy chiles, and juicy citrus. Get the Recipe 03 of 28 Tempered Curry-Ginger Sweet Potatoes Antonis Achilleos "Tempering is one of the most valuable tenets of Sri Lankan cooking I learned from my mother," writes chef Sam Fore. "Whole spices, like cumin and mustard seeds, get a quick swirl in hot oil, toasting them just enough to impart big flavor in minimal time. These tempered sweet potatoes illustrate how transformative the technique is." Get the Recipe 04 of 28 Soy-Ginger Salmon Pasta Bowls Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen The soy-ginger marinade for the salmon doubles as a sauce for the pasta in these hearty bowls topped with avocado, cucumber, chiles, and cilantro. Get the Recipe 05 of 28 Shaky Pete's Ginger Brew Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon What's more refreshing than a chilled citrus and ginger cocktail? The Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew is a semi-frozen, sweet, sour, and slightly spicy ginger drink that's topped with beer and served in an ice-cold mug. Get the Recipe 06 of 28 Restorative Ginger and Turmeric Noodle Soup Jennifer Causey F&W Cooks contributor Hetty McKinnon says this soup is “like a hug” in winter. Garlic oil and ginger-turmeric curry paste add flavor — the paste can keep in the refrigerator for up to seven days and can be frozen, too, so it’s easy to prepare in advance. Get the Recipe 07 of 28 Skillet Apple-Ginger Crisp Antonis Achilleos Cookbook author Susan Spungen's apple crisp gets a zingy, bright flavor from candied ginger in the topping, and it's pretty easy to riff on. Swap in different apples if you don't have Granny Smith, try it with pears, or go for peaches or nectarines in the summer — you can throw some berries in, too. Get the Recipe 08 of 28 Triple-Ginger Rye Cookies Greg DuPree Hearty rye flour paired with three types of ginger — powdered, candied, and fresh — lends an earthy, lightly spicy flavor to these delicious cookies. Get the Recipe 09 of 28 Ginger Dipping Sauce Greg DuPree The tangy heat of this sauce cuts richness and enlivens whatever it touches. Try it with grilled, poached, or fried chicken or seafood. Employ it to amp up a slaw. Get the Recipe 10 of 28 Vegan Coconut-Ginger Caramels Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Christine Keely For these ginger and chile-spiked caramels, plant-based fat from coconut replaces the typical butter, resulting in creamy, chewy treats anyone can enjoy. Thai chile brings complex, fruity heat to these fragrant caramels; substitute a pinch of crushed red pepper, if desired. Get the Recipe 11 of 28 Ginger & Bourbon Carey Jones This simple, soothing wintertime cocktail is a favorite for good reason. To make it, fresh ginger root is peeled and sliced before being simmered in water, blooming the flavors to create a slightly spicy bite that gets balanced with the addition of sweet honey and citrusy Angostura bitters. The inherent sweetness in bourbon adds a subtle backbone of warmth and comfort. Get the Recipe 12 of 28 Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Ginger Cream © Quentin Bacon Chef Hosea Rosenberg created this quickly seared tuna recipe in 2001, when he was head chef at Boulder's Dandelion restaurant. It immediately became his dad's favorite dish. He spikes the ginger cream with sriracha, the spicy red Thai chile sauce. Get the Recipe 13 of 28 Gingered Butternut Squash Soup with Spicy Pecan Cream © John Kernick Chef Dean Fearing loves the holiday feel of butternut squash, especially when it's combined with ginger, as it is for his smooth, gently sweet soup. He tops it with lightly spiced whipped cream flecked with chopped pecans for contrast, flavor, and some all-important crunch. "I think everything should have a little bit of crunch to it," he says. Get the Recipe 14 of 28 Crispy Tofu Steaks with Ginger Vinaigrette © Eva Kolenko For this recipe, slabs of tofu are coated in panko, then pan-fried until they're crispy outside and creamy within. A simple vinaigrette with ginger and scallions provides a big pop of flavor. Get the Recipe 15 of 28 Zucchini Noodles with Chicken and Ginger Dressing © Con Poulos Former F&W editor Kay Chun creates a fresh alternative to pasta by tossing spiralized zucchini and roast chicken with an aromatic Asian-inspired dressing. You'll need a superfine grater, such as a Microplane, to prep the fresh ginger and garlic. Get the Recipe 16 of 28 Beef Stir-Fry with Fresh and Pickled Ginger © Anson Smart Stanley Cheng, owner of Hestan Vineyards and CEO of Meyer Corporation, loves to eat his favorite beef stir-fry with blackberry-rich Napa Valley Cabernet: The firm tannins in the wine pair well with the gingery hoisin and oyster sauces. Get the Recipe 17 of 28 Ginger-Roasted Winter Squash © Frances Janisch For winter squash that's crispy on the outside and moist within, chef Melissa Perello halves each one, roasts it until soft, then cuts it into wedges and roasts it some more. Get the Recipe 18 of 28 Ginger-Garlic Shrimp with Tangy Tomato Sauce © Matthew Hranek The marinade for these shrimp — a piquant mix of lemon juice, garlic, ginger, basil, and parsley — would be equally good with pork or chicken. The dipping sauce is almost chutney-like with chunks of whole tomatoes; lemongrass and lime juice add tang. Get the Recipe 19 of 28 Glazed Lemon-Ginger Scones © Con Poulos Restaurateur Aimee Olexy’s lemony cream-based scones are light, moist, and laced with pieces of chewy candied ginger. Get the Recipe 20 of 28 Ginger-Miso Sweet Pea Spread © David Malosh As a dairy-free alternative to creamy dips, the recipe here calls for pureeing sweet peas with scallions, ginger, and jalapeño, then seasoning the mix with yellow miso. Serve the spread with different kinds of crackers and breads, or sugar snap peas and celery for dipping. Get the Recipe 21 of 28 Lamb Pita Pockets with Tomato-Ginger Compote © Cedric Angeles Chef Andres Barrera slow-roasts lamb until tender, then stuffs it into warm pitas along with pickled red onions, feta cheese, and a bright-flavored tomato-ginger compote (also great on a burger or cheese plate). Get the Recipe 22 of 28 Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Raisin-Ginger Pan Sauce © Stephanie Foley Cookbook author Pam Anderson likes to serve sliced tenderloin — a very lean cut of pork — with a tangy raisin and ginger-flavored sauce that tastes much more decadent than it actually is, thanks to a secret ingredient: cornstarch, which gives the sauce body while avoiding added fat. Get the Recipe 23 of 28 Molasses-Gingerbread Cake with Mascarpone Cream © Con Poulos Pastry chef Katie Rosenhouse makes gingerbread year-round, not just at Christmastime. Her super-moist cake, flavored with molasses for a mellow sweetness, is excellent with wine-poached pears or a topping of whipped mascarpone and sugary, slightly bitter confited orange peel. Get the Recipe 24 of 28 Lemon-Ginger Mousse © Con Poulos This mousse is a terrific way to end Thanksgiving dinner because it's appropriately indulgent, but also light and tangy. It uses ginger in three forms — fresh, ground, and candied — for layers of heat and flavor. Get the Recipe 25 of 28 Ginger-Marinated Chicken with Onions and Peppers © Lucy Schaeffer To give this simple dish another layer of flavor without adding much fat, chef Jacques Torres glazes chicken and vegetables with a bit of honey and cooks them until they're deeply caramelized. Get the Recipe 26 of 28 Ginger-Lemongrass Soda © Quentin Bacon This refreshing soda leans on a syrup made with herbaceous lemongrass and ever-so-slightly spicy ginger to balance out tart lemon. To make the syrup, steep crushed lemongrass and sliced ginger in a simple syrup. Be sure to cool the syrup to room before adding the freshly squeezed lemon juice, and top with club soda when you’re ready to serve. Get the Recipe 27 of 28 Ginger Vinaigrette © Tina Rupp Recipe developer Melissa Rubel Jacobson says the easiest way to peel fresh ginger for this punchy Asian-inspired vinaigrette is to scrape it with the edge of a spoon. She then grates it on a Microplane zester (other fine graters work well, too) before using it in the dressing. Get the Recipe 28 of 28 Sizzled-Ginger Rice © Tina Rupp This simple base relies on julienned fresh ginger for its punchy flavor. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit