Radishes: The Best Ways to Choose Them, Cook Them, and Eat Them

If you’ve only eaten radishes somewhat reluctantly in salads, I need to ask you to try again. Radishes are a little spicy, a little juicy, and oh-so-crunchy, and they’re one of the best vegetables that people quite frankly don’t eat enough. They’re my favorite roasted vegetable, and their spectacular color makes them one of my favorites to put on a veggie board, too. Here’s your basic guide to the not-so-basic radish, from how to pick it to how to eat it.

Some of our favorite radish ideas.

1. Radishes make amazingly pink pickles.
2. Radish too spicy for you? Try this.
3. The CUTEST radish tool (it makes your radishes look like a video game!).
4. The best afternoon snack.
5. The sweetest radish art for your walls.

Radishes have a spicy, peppery kick and a crunchy texture. They’re very good eaten fresh and raw, dipped in something rich. The classic French appetizer with radishes is radishes with butter and salt. (So fancy yet simple!) We especially love the long and skinny French breakfast radishes for eating raw.

• Try an updated take on this classic appetizer: Brown Butter and Tahini Dipped Radishes + 3 Clever Ways to Snack on Radishes with Butter

But they can also be cooked and roasted or braised like other root vegetables. This is a great way to do a side dish since you don’t have to cut up radishes like you do potatoes or turnips.

The most common radishes you find in the store are the common red radishes, small and bright red. These often have quite a peppery kick.

Other radish types include black radishes, and French breakfast radishes. There are also the following radishes:

• Watermelon Radishes: So colorful!
• Daikon Radish: Often used in braised dishes and stir-fries.

More about types of radishes and the best ways to use them by Cara Mangini, the Vegetable Butcher.

• The Vegetable Butcher Wants to Guide You to Your Radish Soul Mate

Yes! They are a pungent, peppery green that can be sliced fine in salads or braised like other greens.

• More about radish greens: Don’t Toss Those Radish Greens!

One hundred grams of radishes have about 16 calories and about a quarter of your daily Vitamin C. They are relatively nutritious and very low-calorie (if that is important to you and your health goals).

In 100 grams of radishes there are less than 2 grams of net carbs, which makes radishes very conducive indeed to low-carb and keto-friendly eating. Radishes and butter may be the most keto-friendly veggie snack of all!

The keto and low-carb eating practices rely on eating lower amounts of net carbs (carbs minus the fiber). Depending on one’s carb budget, radishes can be a refreshing and satisfying way to eat nutritiously while following this eating practice. 

• More about net carbs here.

Radishes are most frequently eaten raw in salads and other dishes, but don’t overlook how amazing they can be when roasted! They come out super crunchy and juicy.

• How To Make Roasted Radishes

You can also braise them like other root vegetables. These braised radishes are absolutely delicious.

• Braised Radishes with Shallots & Bacon

More on cooking radishes here.

• Yes, You Can Cook Radishes! Here Are 5 Tasty Ways.

Like other root vegetables, radishes can be stored for up to a couple of weeks in the fridge. But there is one very important thing to know: Remove the tops first so they don’t sap the radish veggie of their moisture.

• More on storing radishes and other root vegetables: This Is Why to Store Root Veggies and Their Tops Separately

Have too many radishes? Slice them thin and toss them in any salad! Eat them with melted butter or ranch dip. Or throw them into these great savory muffins.

1. Asparagus & Radishes with Mint
2. Brown Butter Radishes
3. Pretty-in-Pink Pickled Radishes
4. Braised Radishes with Shallots & Bacon
5. Matt & Ted Lee’s Radish Butter
6. Creamy Roasted Radish Dip
7. Rozanne Gold’s Bucatini with French Breakfast Radishes, Bacon & Greens
8. Radish and Turnip Hash with Fried Eggs
9. Radish Toast
10. Minty Snap Pea Salad
11. Farro Salad with Arugula, Radishes & Goat Cheese
12. Grilled Broccoli and Radish Salad with Garlicky Miso Dressing
13. Red Potato Salad with Scallions & Radishes
14. Roasted Potatoes, Radishes & Fennel with Lemon Brown Butter Sauce
15. Quinoa Salad with Spring Radishes and Greens

What’s your favorite recipe or use for radishes? Any favorite way to cook them?

31 Days of Vegetables: How to fall in love with vegetables in 31 days. How many of these splendid veg have you eaten this month? Take a look at the whole list and take our July challenge to eat every single one!