Ground Ginger

part of: Ginger

Ground ginger is made from dried ginger rhizome, milled to a fine powder. It has a warm, sharp, slightly sweet flavour that is more concentrated and less bright than fresh ginger, with a dry heat that works differently in recipes.

It is a cornerstone spice in baking — essential for gingerbread, gingernut biscuits, and spice cakes — and features prominently in spice blends like garam masala, curry powder, and Chinese five-spice. In savoury cooking, it adds warmth to marinades, stir-fries, and soups, though it is not a direct substitute for fresh ginger, as the drying process changes its flavour profile significantly.

Ground ginger is a pantry staple in Australian kitchens, inexpensive and long-lasting when stored in a cool, dark place.

Farmed
photograph to come — from twenty years of markets, farms and kitchens

How it's made

Ginger rhizomes are harvested from mature plants, washed, and peeled or scraped to remove the outer skin. The rhizomes are then sliced and dried — traditionally in the sun, or commercially using hot-air driers — until the moisture content is very low. The dried pieces are ground in a spice mill to a fine powder, then sieved to ensure a uniform texture before packaging.

Nutrition (per 100g)

Energy 335kcal
Protein 9g
Carbs 57.5g
Fat 4.2g
Fibre 14.1g Sugar 3.4g
Mass Distribution

1 tsp is about 1.8 g — roughly 10 kcal of this.

What it costs the planet (per kilo)

Carbon ≈2.47kg
Freshwater ≈155.81L
Land ≈1.92m²

≈ Estimated — worked out from a category-typical value further up its supply chain. Where this comes from →

Where it comes from

In the kitchen

Used as

warm baking spice

Classic dishes
  • Gingerbread
  • Ginger snaps
  • Pumpkin pie
  • Chai tea

Keeping one at home? Track yours in your cubud →

Where this data comes from

Nutrition data from

USDA

How it was calculated

SR Legacy

Full credits, licences, and methods: the sources page →

Where to next

made fromGinger, rhizome goes well withcinnamon goes well withmolasses goes well withnutmeg goes well withlemon goes well withhoney shares a sourceFresh Ginger shares a sourceGinger Ale & Ginger Beer shares a sourcePickled Ginger
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