How To’s

Easy Pickled Ginger & Gut Health Benefits

A bowl of thinly sliced ginger sits on a kitchen counter beside cut limes, a wooden citrus juicer, a glass jar, a teapot, and small dishes of salt and red spice. The background shows more kitchen items. - 1

Prep

10 minutes

Yield

1 cup

This easy Pickled Ginger recipe is so flavorful and easy-to-make. It’ll last in your fridge for weeks to months and you’ll want to put it on EVERYTHING for an extra kick and flavor.

I LOVE pickled everything but Pickled Ginger adds such a freshness to sushi and poke bowls. Pickled Ginger is one of those quietly brilliant foods that does way more than just look pretty next to your sushi and wasabi. It’s sharp, slightly sweet, and refreshing, it’s designed to wake up your taste buds, cleanse your palate, and keep every bite tasting as good as the first. The best part is that it’s really easy to make at home!

A top-down view of thin yellow mango slices in a glass jar, with a white background. - 2

❤️ Why You’ll Love Pickled Ginger

Quick & Easy: Pickled Ginger comes together fast with just a handful of pantry staples. No fancy equipment, and no long fermenting timelines.
Adds Flavor: A little goes a long way! The punchy combo of tangy, sweet and spicy can brighten up sushi, bowls, salads, sandwiches, and even cocktails. It’s a flavor booster you’ll want to add into everything!
Versatile: When you make it yourself you can control how sweet it is, how acidic, and the spice level. I also find the homemade stuff tastes so much cleaner and brighter than what you get in the store.

🍲 Ingredients

Ginger : Fresh ginger brings a bold, zippy heat that instantly wakes up a dish without overpowering it. It’s also known for being gentle on digestion, which makes it as functional as it is flavorful.

Turmeric : Turmeric adds a warm, earthy depth to your recipe. It’s been used for centuries for its anti-inflammatory properties, so when mixed with the functional properties of ginger it’s the perfect combination.

👩‍🍳 How to Make Pickled Ginger

You’ll need a glass jar with a lid that will fit a cup of sliced ginger.
Add the peeled and sliced ginger to a glass jar along with the grated fresh turmeric.
Squeeze the juices of 4 limes over top and then add the salt. Stir and make sure most of the sliced ginger is covered by the lime juice.
Close the container with a lid and store in the fridge for up to 3-4 weeks.

A bowl of thinly sliced ginger sits on a counter beside a cutting board with halved limes, a knife, a citrus juicer, and small spice dishes. - 4

🪄 Tips and Tricks

Slice it super thin : Use a sharp knife or mandoline so the ginger pickles evenly and softens nicely instead of staying fibrous.
Peel smarter: A spoon works beautifully for peeling ginger and turmeric, especially around the knobby bits.
Protect your hands (and counters) : Fresh turmeric stains like nobody’s business. Wear gloves and use a cutting board you don’t love.
Massage: After adding the lime juice and salt, give everything a gentle stir or light massage to help the ginger release its juices and soften faster.
Keep it submerged : Make sure the ginger stays mostly covered in lime juice to keep it fresh and crisp; press it down before sealing if needed.

🗒 Variations

If you love making your own Pickled Ginger, here are some of my other easy quick pickle recipes:

Pickled Watermelon Rind
How to Make Pickled Jalapenos
Pickled Red Onions
How to Quick Pickle any Vegetable at Home

🍽️ Best served with

Watermelon Poke Bowl
Quick Ice Cube Tray Sushi
Honey Glazed Salmon Bowls

👝 How to Store Leftovers

Homemade Pickled Ginger should be stored in a clean, airtight glass jar in the fridge (plastic can absorb flavors and stains). Make sure the ginger stays mostly submerged in the pickling liquid, always use a clean utensil when scooping, and it’ll keep happily for about 3–4 weeks while the flavor continues to deepen.

🤔 Common Questions

Yes! It’s tasty almost immediately, but the flavor really mellows and develops after 24–48 hours in the fridge.

Stored in a sealed glass jar in the fridge and kept submerged, it’ll last about 3–4 weeks.

Nope! Turmeric is optional. Turmeric adds color and earthy depth, but the recipe works without it.

Totally normal. Thin slices soften faster; thicker slices stay punchier and more crisp.