Curious about how to cook with lemongrass but have been intimidated by how to prepare it? Below is the ultimate how-to guide on how to pick and prepare lemongrass.
Recipe by Lisa Lin on March 5, 2021
Prep time: PT10M
Total time: PT10M
Rating
5 stars (16 reviews)
Keywords
how to cook with lemongrass
Ingredients
fresh lemongrass stalks
Categories
Asian Pantry
Cuisine
Asian
Steps
Slice off about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the stalk. Then, slice off the top of the stalk to trim away the thin leaves. Although they retain some flavor, I find them to be too much of a hassle to deal with, so I toss them away.
Next, peel off 1 or 2 of the outer layers of the stalk. The amount of layers that you peel depends on the freshness of the lemongrass. If you are working with stalks that aren’t as fresh, you may need to peel off an extra layer or more. Since lemongrass is grown in the ground, there’s often dirt that’s clinging to the stalk. Rinse the lemongrass with water if you see visible dirt.
Lemongrass Batons: If you’re making a soup or broth, slice the stalk into 3-inch sections. Then, bash each section with a kitchen mallet or meat tenderizer, until you see the stalk split open slightly. This technique releases the oils from the stalks. Most of my lemongrass recipes are soups or jook (congee/rice porridge), so this is my preferred method of preparing lemongrass.
Sliced Lemongrass: You can slice the stalk into thin rings. I’ve seen them sliced into 1/2-inch rings for soups in some Thai restaurants. If you want to use them for stir fries, you may want to slice them very thinly (almost paper thin) so that they’re easier to eat. Otherwise, the lemongrass will seem tough and fibrous.
Grated Lemongrass: If you want to infuse a sauce or marinade with lemongrass, I recommend grating the lemongrass with a microplane zester/grater. That way, the lemongrass will be easy to combine with the other ingredients and it’ll be easy to eat. Keep in mind that the preparation method used depends on the recipe.
Reviews
Jeanine on 2026-04-12 (5 stars): Very helpful for someone who did not grow up eating or cooking with lemongrass. Thanks!
DON on 2025-12-05 (5 stars): I've grown lemongrass for years but never cooked with it. I am going to give it a try. Wish I could post a picture of my plants.
Marcus Killion on 2025-08-29 (5 stars): Thanks Lisa.
I've tried dehydrating and air dying. Always loses all flavor. I just today tried freezing. Glad I ran across your page. Now I know it will work.
Kay on 2024-12-30 (5 stars): Thank you so much for this information. Very clear, easy to follow and straightforward.
Greg on 2024-11-05 (5 stars): Honor the food !
I just got a big ass vegetable juicer off of Amazon and purchased Many organic vegetables including lemongrass.
Weather is getting colder now so I will start making gumbo and maybe I should add lemongrass for health benefits.
... Remind me of the health benefits?
Melody on 2023-08-01 (5 stars): Thank you for the videos…very helpful for sure
Valia Kriston on 2022-09-06 (5 stars): I did not make this recipe - yet. But I wanted to thank you for your comprehensive tutorial on lemongrass. I have had it may times in Thai food, but just recently wanted to add an Asian twist to a chicken stew with coconut cream. Your information was so thorough that I did not feel the need to consult multiple sources as I usually do. Thank you so much.
tony on 2022-03-13 (5 stars): cool idea!!!
Ellen on 2022-02-10 (5 stars): Thank you for the information, I'm growing it and wasn't sure how to use it.
