Lemongrass Paste

This quick and easy recipe for Lemongrass Paste creates a fragrant, flavorful base that can be added to soups, stir-fries, marinades, and so much more. To whip it up, first you simmer the aromatic ingredients, including minced shallots, fresh ginger, garlic, and, of course, lemongrass, with a small amount of water until softened. After a quick spin in the food processor, the punchy paste will be ready to use.

What is Lemongrass?

As it's name suggests, lemongrass is a type of grass with a woody, dense root and a fragrant, citrusy flavor. It's typically found in Southeast Asian cuisines, most notably Cambodian, Thai, and Vietnamese, where it's often paired with other aromatics like ginger and garlic,

How to Buy and Prep Lemongrass

You can find fresh lemongrass at Asian markets or, sometimes, in the produce section of grocery stores. Typically, the root portion is what is sold since it packs more flavor than the leaves, which are commonly used for tea. (You can also use dried lemongrass for this recipe, which you can find in specialty markets and online.)

To release the flavorful oils from the tough, woody root, the lemongrass will need to be sliced, chopped, pounded, or puréed. To do so, peel off any stiff outer leaves, then use a sharp knife to slice or chop the lemongrass into smaller pieces. To pound it, use a mortar and pestle or meat mallet to pound on the root until it's smashed and fragrant. For this lemongrass paste recipe we do it a little differently: first pound the lemongrass, then cut it into smaller pieces before cooking and puréeing.