The Ultimate Guide on Roasted Radishes (2024)

Roasting radishes transforms their assertively pungent and spicy raw flavor into slightly sweet, caramelized and melt-in-your mouth, turnip-tasting-like juicy jewels!

That's why I'm a roasted radish advocate!

Sliced, diced, quartered, whole, n’shaved, I love my roasted radishes each and every way! With all sorts of additions too (looking fondly at ya: bacon, garlic, anchovies, citrus and more)!

It's a whole roasted radish world out there so..... LET'S GET OUR ROASTED RADISH GAME ON!

Benefits to Roasting Radishes

• Transforms their flavor! Roasting radishes transforms their assertive, spicy, pungent raw flavor into slightly sweet, caramelized, melt-in-your mouth, turnip-like juicy jewels.
• Quick! Compared to the average root veggie (looking at ya potatoes, winter squash and brussels sprouts) radishes roast in a fairly quick time!
• Roasting radishes spread out in a single layer! Allows the radishes to give off moisture while they roast
• Versatile! Sliced, diced, quartered, whole, n’shaved, we can roast our radishes so very many ways! And spruce them up with spices, alliums, anchovies, citrus and more!
• Seasonal year round! It's a go-to side dish that can be made throughout the seasons.
• Edible green radish tops! They're delicious and nutritious and can be cooked like other dark leafy greens such as Swiss chard and collard greens.

Leave no radish behind! Cooking tames their flavor so you can easily eat your way through and entire roasted bunch!

Have Ya Been Thinking of Radishes as a Raw-Only Veggie?!?!!

When I started posting cooked radish pics on IG a few years ago (mostly roasted but sometimes sautéed or braised as I’m an equal opportunity cooked radish kinda gal), I received lots of feedback from folks surprised that I cook my radish. Why yes I sure do!

Pre being enlightened to the transformative power of the roasted radish ways, I’d see a stunning bunch at the farmers market. And by thought process would go something like this:

I can shave a few for salads. Maybe for grain dishes too. Perhaps quarter some more and swipe them in butter with flaky salt. And WTF am I gonna do with the rest?! Pickle? Will I be able to eat 'em all before they go bad? Shave 'em all and all the to amp my dishes for the next week?!

Clearly, I was making the classic thinking-of-radishes-as-raw-only-veggie mistake.

Then I tried my very first roasted radish and not to be overly dramatic but it definitely opened up an entirely NEW RADISH WORLD! And I finally realized how I can eat an entire bunch in one sitting… and still want more!

Next time you’re at the farmers market staring at a ravishing radish bunch wondering what the heck to do with them all know ya know: ROAST THEM!

How to Roast Radishes

The idea is simple: cut ‘em, toss ‘em in with olive with salt n’pepper and roast 'em (cut side down) on on a baking sheet. They're done when the cut side has browned and caramelized. YUM! That's the simplest way to roast radishes and they’ll be supremely delicious! Exact time will depend on radish size (re: how ya cut 'em + more on options below).

(Exact timing will depend on your radish cut (shorter roasting time for thinner cuts and longer for thicker cuts). I like serving them warm, straight from the oven, finishing with a sprinkle of flakey sea salt and some fresh minced herbs, a squeeze of lemon pairs wonderfully too.)

Radishes come in all sorts of shapes and sizes; from itty bitty teeny tiny cutie ones to big fatty sexy bad boys. There can even be a range in size within a single radish bunch too. Cause we’re all unique and special in our own way, and that’s true for radishes too!

How to Cut Radishes for Roasting

Based on my rigorous roasted radish research, I’m declaring that:

SIZE & VARIETY MATTER!

Options include: shaved, sliced, diced, quartered and whole.

Shaved: Think making homemade potatoes chips; swap potatoes for radishes. A mandolin or a very sharp knife with decent knife skills is best for this very thin cut.

Check out these shaved radishes:

And yes, they kinda do taste kinda potato-y when I cut them this way and crisped up a bit.

Sliced: Think similar to shaved albeit thicker.

Diced/Chopped: As in cutting them into bite size pieces (technically a dice is smaller than a chop). This can be a good options for the ginormous radishes out there.

Quartered: as in cutting into 4 equal parts. I do this the most with the Cherry Belle radish, which is the typical radish found in most grocery stores.

Halved: Literally to cut in half and I always do this lengthwise. Good option for the long and skinny radish varieties on the smaller size.

Check out these some-are-quarted and some-are-halved roasted radishes:

Whole: No cut at all! Ya best believe they gotta be the smallest, teeny tiniest of radish varieties to entice me to roast 'em whole. But those exist and it does happen!

Once you’ve made your highly strategic though minimally consequential decision (remember it’s all about playing in the kitchen) about how you’re gonna cut 'em it's time to decide... if ya wanna add anything to them!

Side note: If you’d like direct feedback on how to cut your radishes, just DM me a pic of them and I’d happily advice ya!

Roasted Radish Additions

As in ways to spruce ‘em up!

Favorites roasted radish additions include:

• chopped anchovies and garlic
• bacon
• thin lemon slices
• garlic & chili flakes
• miso butter
• all sorts of spices
• serving on top of a green herb butter

Check out these sumac roasted radishes:

See Also

Cooking Radishes Makes Them Mellow and Sweet | Cook's Country

Taste is a personal decision. I suggest you go with whateva combo above sounds best to ya and you do YOU! And if you have a fav roasted radish flavor combo that’s not listed here, I’d absolutely love to hear about it so I can try it too!

If you’ve never roasted radishes before you’re really in for a treat!!! It’s pretty mind-blowing how different the same veggie can taste depending on how you cook it (or don’t at all).

Don’t discard those vibrantly green radish tops! They edible and delicious and nutritious!

They crisp up in the oven with high heat and olive oil; turning kale-chip-like. Please meet the radish top chip! Like in these dishes here:

Or you can use them any way you would any other dark leafy green such as swiss chard and collard greens.

No more radish top tossing out says I!!!

Radish Varieties

There is a whole wide radish world out there! Seriously!!! The number of different radish types is nearly endless (my way of saying I have an exact number but know it’s a LOT!), ranging in all sorts of different sizes, shapes, colors, and on the spicy-mild-sweet spectrum.

This is the ultimate how-to roast radish guide not. Not yet attempting an all-things-everything-radish guide, so I won’t be walking ya threw each and every single radish variety… plus google does an epic job of that already!

I’m really lucky to have direct farm fresh radish hookup and am super stoked on my hot pink and very purple-licious radish varieties! Round radishes are the most common variety you generally see at the grocery store.

Cooks Tips for Roasting Radishes

• When possible, buy local and seasonal radishes.
• To facilitate browning and caramelization, roast your radishes cut side down.
• Choose radishes with vibrant green and crisp leaves.
• Radish tops are edible!!! They’re delicious and nutritious!

Footnote:I eat radishes raw too!

For the record, I don’t want ya thinking I’m a total raw radish hater. Rather… I just wanna be a roasted radish advocate!

Stoked on roasted radishes yet?! Check out these Fresh Peas with Roasted Radishes and Burrata!

Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with @DanielaGerson. You can also follow meon Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!

Let's make waves in the kitchen!