5 radish recipes that put their versatility on display

(Scott Suchman for The Washington Post/food styling by Lisa Cherkasky for The Washington Post)

There’s a wide world of radishes. “In the United States, popular radish varieties include Easter egg — which can be white, pink, purple or crimson — French breakfast, daikon, mammoth white and Spanish black,” my colleague G. Daniela Galarza wrote in a primer on the vegetable. “But there are many more, including: watermelon radishes have a green exterior and pink starburst interior; purple daikon, sometimes called purple ninja, are a deep violet; white icicle are cream-colored and oblong; chonggak are pear-shaped; and lime radishes have a green tint.”

Spicy, crisp, buttery or tender, radishes offer something for every season

Beyond how they look, there’s also variety in how radishes can be cooked (or not) and enjoyed. When raw, radishes can have a crisp pepperiness, or you can cook them to bring out their tender, sweet side. Here are recipes from our archives that give you a glimpse of what radishes can do.

Orange and Radish Salad With Olive Dressing

Above. This simple salad is a delightful combination of flavors: there’s sweet acidity from the oranges, pepperiness from the radishes and briny saltiness from the olives. It would make a great accompaniment to grilled seafood. Get the recipe.

Butter-Braised Radishes and Radish Greens With Farro

Braising is a great way to mellow the peppery bite of radishes. This dish combines them with their own green tops and farro before a drizzle of balsamic vinegar is added along with a sprinkle of feta cheese and parsley. Get the recipe.

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Tang-Guk (Beef and Radish Soup)

This Korean beef and daikon radish soup is traditionally served as part of jesa, a ceremony performed in the Lunar New Year. Get the recipe.

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Roasted Radishes With Green Goddess Butter

Radishes and butter are a classic French pairing. For a more modern take, this version from “Nothing Fancy” by Alison Roman pairs roasted radishes — green tops and all — with a green goddess butter that’s chock-full of herbs. Get the recipe.

Gem Lettuce Boats With Feta, Radish and Scallion

“The [lettuce] boats are smeared generously with a creamy yogurt-based lemon-and-feta-laced dressing, then showered simply and brightly with chopped radishes, scallion and lemon zest,” Nourish columnist Ellie Krieger wrote. Get the recipe.

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