Pickled Ginger “Gari” Recipe

As a professional food blogger, I’m sharing an authentic pickled ginger recipe, known as Gari or sushi ginger, with step-by-step photos and a video and a clear, home-friendly approach to pickled ginger for sushi that makes the technique approachable.

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I love how a simple jar can flip your idea of sushi condiments. Using fresh young ginger and a splash of rice vinegar, I found a bright, tangy bite that actually cleanses the palate.

I shot step by step photos and a short video so you can see the thin ribbons, the color shift, and the little mistakes I made along the way. This is the kind of thing that turns beginners into addicts, whether you wanted Pickled Ginger For Sushi or were just exploring Fermented Vegetables Recipes out of curiosity.

Give it a try, you might end up making jars for friends.

Ingredients

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Fresh young ginger, zesty and crunchy, anti-inflammatory, low in calories, gives pickles bright spicy kick.
Rice vinegar, mild tang that soothes heat, low calories, preserves, gives gari its sour bite.
Granulated sugar, sweetens and balances vinegar, adds carbohydrates and body, makes slices tender and pleasant.
Salt, essential for curing, draws out moisture, concentrates flavor, helps texture and safety during pickling.
Mirin optional, sweet rice wine, rounds flavor and adds gentle sweetness plus subtle umami.
Red shiso optional, stains ginger pink naturally, gives herbal tang and antioxidant boost.

Ingredient Quantities

Fresh young ginger 500 g (about 1 lb 2 oz)

Granulated sugar 3/4 cup (150 g)

Rice vinegar 1 cup (240 ml)

Salt 1 1/2 teaspoons

Mirin 1 tablespoon optional

Red shiso leaves 3 to 5 optional for pink color

How to Make this

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1. Sterilize a jar and lid by boiling them 5 minutes or pouring boiling water over them, set aside to dry, while you prep the ginger.

2. Peel 500 g fresh young ginger with the edge of a spoon, its fastest and keeps more flesh, then slice as thin as you can (1 mm to 2 mm) with a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice against the grain so it isnt stringy.

3. Put the sliced ginger in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, toss and rub a bit, let sit 30 minutes to draw out bitterness and moisture, then rinse quickly and pat dry with paper towels.

4. Blanch the ginger slices in boiling water 20 to 45 seconds just until they soften a bit, plunge into ice water to stop cooking, drain and squeeze gently to remove excess water.

5. In a small saucepan combine 1 cup (240 ml) rice vinegar, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon mirin if using, heat just to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves, dont boil long, taste and it should be bright sweet and sharp.

6. If you want the classic pink color add 3 to 5 red shiso leaves, bruise them with a spoon to release color, or tear them a bit; put the shiso in the bottom of the jar or in with the ginger.

7. Pack the drained ginger into the sterilized jar, pour the hot pickling liquid over the ginger making sure its completely covered, press down to remove air pockets, close the lid while still warm.

8. Let the jar cool to room temp then refrigerate; you can eat some after 6 hours but its best after 24 to 48 hours when flavors settle, it will mellow and the slices get tender.

9. Keep refrigerated, use clean utensils, it keeps well about 2 to 3 weeks, and if the ginger turns a deeper pink thats normal, if it smells off or molds discard it.

10. Tips: use very young ginger for pale tender slices, older ginger needs extra peeling; a mandoline or sharp knife gives the best thin ribbons; if you want extra sweet add a little more sugar, if too sharp add a splash more rice vinegar, experiment but keep proportions close for authentic taste.

Equipment Needed

1. Sterilized glass jar with lid, about 500–700 ml
2. Large pot for boiling and a heatproof bowl for an ice water bath
3. Small saucepan for the vinegar and sugar syrup
4. Mandoline or a very sharp knife plus a sturdy cutting board
5. Metal spoon for scraping ginger skin and a pair of kitchen tongs or slotted spoon to handle hot slices
6. Mixing bowl to toss the ginger with salt and a colander or fine mesh sieve to drain
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the slices dry
9. Funnel (optional but handy) to pour the hot pickling liquid into the jar without spills, dont skip it if you hate messes

FAQ

Q: How thin should I slice the ginger?

A: Paper thin is best, about 1 to 2 mm. Use a mandoline or a sharp knife or even a vegetable peeler to get very thin ribbons. If slices are too thick they stay fibrous and wont pickle evenly.

Q: Do I have to use young ginger?

A: Young ginger is preferred because it's tender, less fibrous and often turns slightly pink when pickled. You can use mature ginger but peel it, slice extra thin and expect a stronger, more fibrous result.

Q: How do I get that pale pink color?

A: Add 3 to 5 red shiso leaves, bruise them and steep in the hot pickling liquid until it turns pink, then strain. If you dont have shiso the gari will be pale yellow, and thats totally fine — young ginger can go pale pink on its own too.

Q: Can I substitute the rice vinegar or mirin?

A: Use rice vinegar for the classic mild sweet-tart flavor. If you must substitute, apple cider vinegar will work but the taste will change, avoid harsh white distilled vinegars. Mirin adds round sweetness, you can skip it or replace with a splash of sake plus a little extra sugar.

Q: How long before I can eat it and how long will it keep?

A: You can eat quick-pickled slices after a few hours but they taste best after 24 hours. Store refrigerated in a clean jar, it will keep 2 to 3 months, best within the first few weeks when the texture is still crisp.

Q: Do I need to salt or blanch the ginger first?

A: Light salting for 20 to 30 minutes draws out moisture and keeps the slices crisper, then rinse and squeeze before adding the hot vinegar syrup. You dont need to fully blanch in water, the hot vinegar is enough to mellow the bite and slightly cook the slices.

Pickled Ginger “Gari” Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Fresh young ginger: use regular mature ginger, peeled and sliced very thin (same weight), or frozen grated ginger thawed and squeezed dry; texture will be a bit firmer with older ginger, but flavor is fine.
Granulated sugar: use caster sugar 1:1 for easier dissolving, or honey/agave about 2/3 cup (reduce vinegar by 1 to 2 tablespoons since honey adds liquid and sweetness), or light brown sugar 1:1 for a warmer flavor.
Rice vinegar: swap with apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar at the same amount, or use seasoned rice vinegar (skip extra sugar/salt), or dilute plain white vinegar 3 parts vinegar to 1 part water to mellow it out.
Red shiso leaves (for pink color): use a few thin cooked beet slices or 1 to 2 tablespoons beet juice for color, or steeped hibiscus tea cooled for a bright pink, or omit and keep the ginger pale — taste stays basically the same.

Pro Tips

1) Use the youngest, smoothest knobs you can find, they slice tender and wont be stringy. If a piece looks fibrous peel it deeper and slice across the grain, and chill the ginger in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes first so it firms up and is waaaay easier to get super thin slices.

2) If you use a mandoline wear a cut-resistant glove or use the hand guard, those things are deadly otherwise. A very sharp knife works fine too, just thin slices not thick chips, and take your time.

3) Don’t skip the salt rest and the ice bath, they’re what keeps the bite from being harsh and the texture snappy. Rinse and squeeze gently so the pickling liquid can actually penetrate, but dont overdo the squeezing or the slices will go floppy.

4) For color and extra aroma use red shiso if you can, if not a tiny slug of beet juice will give the same pink without changing flavor much. Always pour hot brine to remove air pockets, seal while warm, use clean utensils, and eat within a few weeks for best flavor and safety.

Pickled Ginger "Gari" Recipe

Recipe by Pho Tsventichi

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

servings

Calories

133

kcal

Equipment: 1. Sterilized glass jar with lid, about 500–700 ml
2. Large pot for boiling and a heatproof bowl for an ice water bath
3. Small saucepan for the vinegar and sugar syrup
4. Mandoline or a very sharp knife plus a sturdy cutting board
5. Metal spoon for scraping ginger skin and a pair of kitchen tongs or slotted spoon to handle hot slices
6. Mixing bowl to toss the ginger with salt and a colander or fine mesh sieve to drain
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Paper towels or a clean kitchen towel to pat the slices dry
9. Funnel (optional but handy) to pour the hot pickling liquid into the jar without spills, dont skip it if you hate messes

Ingredients

Fresh young ginger 500 g (about 1 lb 2 oz)
Granulated sugar 3/4 cup (150 g)
Rice vinegar 1 cup (240 ml)
Salt 1 1/2 teaspoons
Mirin 1 tablespoon optional
Red shiso leaves 3 to 5 optional for pink color

Directions

Sterilize a jar and lid by boiling them 5 minutes or pouring boiling water over them, set aside to dry, while you prep the ginger.
Peel 500 g fresh young ginger with the edge of a spoon, its fastest and keeps more flesh, then slice as thin as you can (1 mm to 2 mm) with a mandoline or a very sharp knife, slice against the grain so it isnt stringy.
Put the sliced ginger in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, toss and rub a bit, let sit 30 minutes to draw out bitterness and moisture, then rinse quickly and pat dry with paper towels.
Blanch the ginger slices in boiling water 20 to 45 seconds just until they soften a bit, plunge into ice water to stop cooking, drain and squeeze gently to remove excess water.
In a small saucepan combine 1 cup (240 ml) rice vinegar, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon mirin if using, heat just to a simmer and stir until the sugar dissolves, dont boil long, taste and it should be bright sweet and sharp.
If you want the classic pink color add 3 to 5 red shiso leaves, bruise them with a spoon to release color, or tear them a bit; put the shiso in the bottom of the jar or in with the ginger.
Pack the drained ginger into the sterilized jar, pour the hot pickling liquid over the ginger making sure its completely covered, press down to remove air pockets, close the lid while still warm.
Let the jar cool to room temp then refrigerate; you can eat some after 6 hours but its best after 24 to 48 hours when flavors settle, it will mellow and the slices get tender.
Keep refrigerated, use clean utensils, it keeps well about 2 to 3 weeks, and if the ginger turns a deeper pink thats normal, if it smells off or molds discard it.
Tips: use very young ginger for pale tender slices, older ginger needs extra peeling; a mandoline or sharp knife gives the best thin ribbons; if you want extra sweet add a little more sugar, if too sharp add a splash more rice vinegar, experiment but keep proportions close for authentic taste.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.