How To Easily Make (and use) Turmeric Paste
Learn how to prepare Turmeric Paste the right way to fully reap the benefits of turmeric. Use turmeric paste to make golden milk, smoothies, muffins and more!
Turmeric, known in Sanskrit as the “Golden Goddess” has been used in India for thousands of years as a spice and medicinal herb to boost immunity because it has powerful anti-inflammatory effects and is a very strong antioxidant.
How to make turmeric paste
Essential ingredients
Turmeric paste is pretty easy to make however to fully reap the healing potential of this spice you need to combine it with two essential ingredients.
- Oil – turmeric is fat soluble, the added fat from the coconut oil aids our bodies ability to absorb turmeric. Use cold pressed virgin or Extra Virgin Coconut , Olive or Linseed oils.
- Freshly ground black pepper – Peppercorns contain the enzyme Piperine which slows the digestion of turmeric and increases curcumin’s absorption by 2000%
Optional but highly recommended ingredients
For their added anti-inflammatory benefits and to improve the taste I also add
Equipment needed
- glass jar for storing the paste
- small saucepan for cooking the paste
- spoon for mixing the paste
The process
Making turmeric paste could not be easier! Here’s how you’d go about in in a nutshell :
Step 1) Water and turmeric are added to a small saucepan over medium heat.
Step 2) Stir the mixture constantly until you have a smooth paste after which you will remove the saucepan from heat and whisk in virgin coconut oil, black pepper, ground ginger and cinnamon.
Step 3) Place the paste in a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Tip!
Turmeric stains! Wear gloves if you can and be careful to wipe up any spillage straight away.
5 easy ways to use turmeric paste
Turmeric comes from the root of the Curcuma Longa plant and is a member of the ginger family which is probably why it pairs beautifully with spices such as ginger, cardamom and galangal in dishes.
Turmeric paste can then be added to numerous recipes to enhance both the flavour and health benefits.
1) Make Golden Milk
2) Make Turmeric Coconut Muffins
3) Add to Chicken & Pumpkin Rice
4) Add to Pumpkin Pie Fertility Smoothie
5) Make a Golden Pumpkin Spice Latte
Turmeric and pumpkin are a match made in heaven. Why not add a teaspoon of this golden paste to your homemade pumpkin spice latte to up its anti-inflammatory benefits?!
How to preserve turmeric paste
Carolyn of @practically.sustainable on Instagram makes her very own turmeric ‘pills’ from this recipe. This is such a wonderful way to preserve your paste is you feel like you would not use it all within two weeks.
Here’s how she does it:
- Follow @dishingupbalance turmeric paste recipe
- Distribute the paste in silicon coffee bean molds
- Place silicon molds in the freezer
- Once the pills are frozen remove them to a large glass jar and store in the freezer
Learn more about Carolyn and follow her adventures in chasing that sustainable dream on Instagram @practically.sustainable
Turmeric Paste
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- mixing spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup filtered water
- 1/2 cup organic ground turmeric root
- ⅓ cup organic extra virgin coconut oil
- 1½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon organic ground ginger root anti inflammatory
- 1 teaspoon organic ground cinnamon anti inflammatory
Instructions
- Place water and turmeric in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir constantly until you have a thick paste, approximately 7 to 8 minutes
- Remove from heat and whisk in virgin coconut oil, black pepper, ground ginger and cinnamon..
- Cool and put into a glass jar.
- Store in the fridge.
- Lasts up to 2 weeks.
Hi Krystal,
I enjoyed your healthy turmeric paste recipe as well as your helpful insights. I use turmeric quite a bit in my cooking but this paste is going to take my turmeric absorption to a higher level. I can’t wait to see your recipe for golden milk! Happy 2016! All the best, Deborah
Thanks Deborah! The turmeric paste is just so convenient. Happy New Year to you !!
Love this!
Thanks Chris!
I finally did it! This is thanks to you. Thank you.
Hi Krystal, I’ve just recently started the health benefits of turmeric and am definitely going to be making the turmeric paste. Thank you for the recipe.
Eva
http://www.mypaperrosegarden.wordpress.com
Glad to hear! Enjoy Eva :)
How would you use this paste, recipes?
This is great, I love it! Thank you, Krystal. And it’s vegan :)
How do I use this to make golden milk?
Loved this…just went and made it, easy but wonderful…I added some honey and essential oils to boost it. Thank you! Have a fab 2017!
Glad you enjoyed it Linda! Essential oils sounds like a great addition.
Hi- this looks amazing. How much of the paste should I consume each day? I want to use it for medicinal/anti-inflammatory purposes. Thanks
Hi, I don’t think there is a limit as to how much you can take daily . As with all things I would say take it slow . Start with a couple tablespoons a day and see how your body reacts ?
Thanks so much! If all goes well I’ve even heard this stuff is beneficial for dogs and cats :) I love your recipes- keep them coming!
Hi Krystal, I’ve had gerd attacks before but this last year was monsterous!!
I couldn’t hardly eat anything and not feel horrible. My stomach was bloating up like a summer beach ball. In three years I gained from improperly eating to no eating. The gerd got so bad I had to sleep like I was in a chair ,otherwise I would choke on the foods/acids I had consumed – absolute nightmares. A church told me about the exlisor and I’ve had a glass every morning. Her recipe as 1/2 t. Turmeric, 1 1/2 t. ginger, 1 t. 100% pure maple syrup, a dash salt & pepper with a cup of milk, stir, warm in micro, and drink warm. The ginger was too spicy but I drank it anyway. I’m laying down sleeping again. Would it be better to take at bedtime?
Krystal, I was told to use 1/2 t. turmeric, 1 1/2 ginger, 1 t 100% pure maple syrup, dash salt/pepper, 1 glass/cup milk, warm and drink. My GERD and inflammation are down and I can sleep lying flat now!! The ginger really gives it a spicy back-throat kick. I’ve been trying to eat more healthy and less meds. Thank you for site/pin board.
Hi Elvera I’m happy to hear that you’ve gotten relief. I too suffered from GERD. If you want to reap the full benefits of this amazing spice I advise you to make this turmeric paste . Turmeric becomes more bio available to our bodies when combined with fat, hence the reason for the coconut oil.
I read at the end that the paste could be used as a facial. How would it not stain the face as it does countertops? I experimented on the top of my hand and now have a golden hand. Love the recipe and we use it every night in golden milk. I give it 5 stars!
Glad you like the recipe Sue. To make a mask you would add some yogurt and perhaps rice flour as I do for my hibiscus mask recipe. Indian brides have been using turmeric to brighten their skin before the big day for centuries so it should be alright ? I imagine you could start with a very thin layer and not leave it in for too long
how much of this should i add to a cup of almond milk for golden milk?
1 teaspoon Sonya :)
Could I substitute the dry powdered turmeric for fresh? I have so much organic fresh turmeric!!! :)
Hi Heidi I’m sure you can but I haven’t tried it yet. My guess is you’d have to peel and chop up the fresh turmeric roots , add them to a blender with just enough water to allow it to blend until smooth then add that to the other ingredients on the stovetop . If you try it please let me know how it goes. Good luck!
I’m gonna try it.
Awesome! Let me know how it goes :)
Hi, I’ve just made a double batch of your Golden Paste recipe and was wondering if you have a problem sharing the link to this page? I get asked all the time for the recipe I use and usually give them the link to the page I found the recipe. I don’t want to claim it as my own. I usually say this is the recipe I use and paste the link to the recipe. Golden Paste has done wonders for me.
Hi Kerrie, I’m so happy to hear that the turmeric golden paste works well for you. If you share a link to my blog post that’s totally fine. Copying the full recipe with instructions and posting to another site is not. :) Thanks a lot for spreading the word, so many can benefit from golden paste.
Hi! This sounds wonderful! I was wondering could I just mix the turmeric, ginger and cinnamon with day 1 teaspoon coconut oil and consume that moment without making the paste ahead of time? Do I need to boil the powder? Thank you!!
You can certainly make a daily serving of the turmeric paste if you like Darrah. Don’t forget the black pepper!
Without the pepper your absorption would not be very high. It only takes 15 minutes to make this up and store in a jar in the fridge. I make it for my husband and myself. I store half in the freezer because it should be tossed out after 2 weeks in the fridge.
That’s right! Pepper is needed for bio availability. How long does the turmeric paste keep in the freezer Michele? We usually use up a whole batch in two weeks so I’ve never frozen any.
I am having my PT inr values slightly higher. Can I take turmeric or will it make my blood even more thinner?
I am not a medical doctor so I cannot say.
Thank you for this recipe! I added a couple drops of stevia and it’s like a yummy dessert :) Greatly appreciated!
That sounds delightful Andrea! So happy you enjoyed this turmeric paste recipe.
Wondering if anybody knows where the idea of adding fat comes from. I have spoken to several natives from India and they all agree that in the traditional recipe that is not included. It is also true that in India whole cow milk is used to prepare the golden milk. Hence, fat addition may not be necessary. I have decided to prepare it without the coconut oil since I am using Whole cow milk.
Whole milk is very fatty, hence why they use it for the day content.
Hi Yudy, If you’re using the turmeric paste solely for preparing golden milk and you already know you will be using whole cow’s milk then you can skip the coconut oil. As I understand from my Indian friends ghee (healthy fat source) is traditionally used in the preparation of golden milk as well. As long as you have some form of fat in there for better absorption of the nutrients it’s good.
I’m curious as to weather or not anyone has seen success with leaky gut issues with the paste recipe ???
Turmeric is well known for its anti-inflammatory benefits so give it a go, can’t hurt :)
Can I use already ground pepper or does it have to be freshly ground?
Hi Zee if that’s what you’ve got use it.
Hi Krystal,
Recipe looks amazing. I have been suffering with psoriasis since many years. I am tired of all the medicines intake and now want to go all the natural way. I have already started controlling my diet. Looking for some paste solution to apply externally on the body.Can you please let me know if the exact recipe to follow for Psoriasis.
If you are to apply externally then a bit of turmeric mixed with water should do.
I have been using this for a few months now and I love it! I have a heaped teaspoon in a cup of warm milk before bed.
Thanks for making the use of turmeric so simple and healthy too.
Regards
Ann
So happy to hear this Ann!
Have been drinking Turmeric milk since 8 years now during winters and it is such a charm elixir! Helps boost my immune system.