It is no secret that my husband and I have been on a turmeric kick lately. Prior to moving to Vermont, my warm beverage of choice was always coffee. However, since last winter, we have been hooked on turmeric-based drinks.
It actually started with this Turmeric Ginger Tea. It was the perfect drink to sip on all day long in front of the fireplace. We still enjoy that quite often, but lately, we are also making Turmeric Golden Milk. It is especially great when you get a cold or have a cough that is hard to get rid of.
I recently wrote a recipe for my favorite Turmeric milk recipe and talked about different ways of making it. One of those ways was with using turmeric paste.
Nowadays, you can find jarred turmeric paste in health food stores, but I make my own so I thought I can share that recipe here with you.
If you are like us, find comfort in a cup of hot turmeric milk latte in these cold winter days and want to be able to make it quickly, this post is for you.
What is Turmeric Paste
Turmeric paste (also known as turmeric powder paste) is a combination of ground turmeric, oil (this could be coconut oil, ghee, or other neutral oils), water, ground black pepper, and other spices (like ground cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger) heated until melted and turned into a paste for the purpose of using it in turmeric milk, smoothies, curries, etc.
Although turmeric can be effective on its own, by mixing it with other good-for-you ingredients like cinnamon and ginger we get to enhance its healing properties. With that being said, you can make this paste just by using turmeric powder, coconut oil, black pepper, and water.
This turmeric paste can be kept in a jar in the fridge to use in various recipes. More on that below.
How To Make Turmeric Paste (aka Golden Paste)
I make my turmeric paste by mixing ground turmeric spice with grated (or zested) fresh ginger, ground cinnamon, coconut oil, black pepper, and water in a small saucepan in medium heat. I whisk it constantly until the oil fully melts.
I use fresh ginger because it is widely available, but you can also use a teaspoon ground ginger instead of its fresh version.
It is important that you do not overheat it as the primary compound in turmeric, curcumin, loses its benefits when it is cooked for longer periods.
Here you might ask, what is the best ratio of turmeric to black pepper and turmeric to coconut oil? Below is the formula that I follow:
- ½ cup ground turmeric spice
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 1 cup water
Once the oil fully melts and everything is fully mixed, I transfer it to a medium-sized airtight jar and keep in the fridge to use whenever I want.
This turmeric paste recipe makes just a little more than a cup of turmeric paste.
Wondering why we are adding black pepper and oil into the mixture?You can read all about it in this Turmeric Golden Milk post.
How To Make Turmeric Milk Using Golden Paste
The best thing about turmeric golden paste is that you can make turmeric golden milk in just a few minutes without having to get any other ingredients out. All you have to do is to mix a small amount of it with some hot milk.
I think how much of it you use is a personal choice, but I usually like it best when I mix 1 teaspoon of turmeric golden paste with 1 ¼ cups of milk. In terms of milk, I prefer either unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk or a combination of both.
My favorite sweetener is maple syrup, but you can use honey as well.
Here is a quick how-to video showing you how I make this turmeric paste and use it to make a cup of golden milk for myself:
Turmeric Paste Benefits
I don’t know about you, but I do my best to avoid taking pills if I can find a natural way to treat my health issues.
For centuries turmeric has been a staple and a go-to spice in Indian and Chinese cuisines and used for a variety of health problems. Nowadays, it is very popular in Western cultures due to its antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory properties.
And turmeric is one of those great natural remedies. Studies show that the primary compound in turmeric, curcumin, is known to help reduce inflammation, prevent skin-related issues and allergies, reduce joint pain, and help our bodies build stronger immune systems. (SOURCE)
I personally consume turmeric golden milk when I have a terrible cough that I just can’t get rid of. Drinking a cup of turmeric golden milk right before bed magically soothes my chest and gives me a relief from coughing, which later helps me get a good night sleep.
You can read more about the benefits of turmeric in detail in this Turmeric Golden Milk recipe post.
How Long Does Turmeric Paste Last
As long as it is kept in an airtight jar (or container) in the fridge, it will last up to 2 weeks.
What Are Some Other Ways to Use
I usually use golden paste to make golden milk, here are some other ideas to put it to good use:
- Mix ½ teaspoon of turmeric paste into yogurt, top it off with your favorite granola for breakfast
- Add a teaspoon (or less) in your favorite smoothies for an additional boost of nutrition
- Mix it with plain yogurt and drizzle it over roasted vegetables
- Blend it in your salad dressings
- Mix a small amount of it with your favorite nut butter (i.e. almond or peanut butter) and spread it on toast.
How Much Turmeric Per Day
While its benefits are a mile long, you might want to stay away from consuming excessive amounts of turmeric. Because, overuse of turmeric may result in an allergic reaction on skin, nausea, risk of kidney stones, diarrhea, and upset stomach.
Additionally, you should stay away from turmeric if you have kidney stones, gall bladder diseases, iron deficiencies, and diabetes. (SOURCE)
But how much turmeric should you take in a day? According to this article, you should limit your ground turmeric intake to 1 teaspoon a day and fresh turmeric root intake to 1.5 to 3 grams a day.
Can’t get enough of turmeric recipes? Try my delicious Turmeric Smoothies.
Turmeric Paste Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup ground turmeric spice
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or minced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- 1 cup water
- optional maple syrup or honey to taste
Instructions
- Place ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, fresh ginger, black pepper, coconut oil, and water in a small saucepan and place over medium low heat.
- Whisk to combine and cook until it forms a paste and coconut oil is fully melted.
- Transfer to a jar with a lid. Let it cool to room temperature and store in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
- When ready to make turmeric golden milk, place a teaspoon of turmeric paste in a mug and add in hot milk of your choice. Taste for sweetness and add in maple syrup or honey. Give it a stir and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- The calorie information does not include any calories coming from optional sweeteners.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this recipe for the first time last year, 2023. I do not use oils, so I keep it out. The only thing that turmeric needs is the pepper.
Thank you for the recipe.
Happy to hear that Chicky. Thanks for coming by.
Love this with soy milk on a cold evening :0)
Would it work if I used olive oil or avocado oil in place of coconut oil? I’m trying to cut down on saturated fat
Thank you
Hello Tracie,
It would surely work. However, when using olive oil, I would pick a brand that has a mild taste.
Hope this helps.
Yummy. The Prefect drink for drink for a cold relaxing day. I made it this morning and enjoyed a cup in front of my fireplace. I added 1/2 tsp of powered Cardamom and 1/2 tsp of Nutmeg. Oh yeah….life is good.
YAY! This is music to my ears Cecilia.
Thanks for coming by, sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.
Delicious! I’ve been wanting to make turmeric milk for a very long time and finally followed this recipe… I am so impressed! I sweeten with maple syrup and it is incredibly good. I used olive oil instead of coconut (didn’t have any), and only about 1/8 cup – it turned out PERFECTLY!
Thank you!!
This makes me so happy.
Thanks for coming by, sharing your experience and taking the time to leave a review.
Do U recommend, leaving the oil out if a person has diabetes,
but has lots of inflammation
Hello Nana,
Before I share my advice please know that I am not a medical professional so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. I know nothing about treating a person with diabetes so it would be best if you get advise from your doctor about your diet.
However, the oil you use in this recipe is such a little amount that I think it shouldn’t be eliminated, especially because it is needed for your body to absorb curcumin.
I hope this helps.
I am going to make the tumeric paste and I noticed that you have black pepper in the ingredients. Did you use pepper corns or regular crushed pepper. It’s hard to chew pepper corns. (Joke)
I would recommend using crushed pepper. Like you said, it would be difficult to chew peppercorns. Also, please keep in mind that you need a very small amount.
Hope this helps, Rita.
I like your ratio. It came together nicely. I often put a spoonful into veggies, scrambled eggs or sauteed potatoes so I didn’t add the cinnamon. Sometime though I’m going to make a batch with the cinnamon as well as cardamom and honey to make a pre-sweetened golden paste to use in cakes or ice cream or rice pudding.
I also wanted to add that golden paste is a blood thinner so if you are on blood thinners don’t take too much.
Hi Laura,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience and expertise.
I appreciate you listing a few great examples of how to use turmeric paste in your daily cooking. I took some notes to try with the batch I have in my fridge.
And thanks for the information on blood thinners. Good to know!
Cheers,
Ice