Plants on Your Plate: Radishes

by Denise Sullivan, Nutrition & Health Education Specialist, University of Missouri-Extension

Radishes are one of the cool season vegetables that I looked forward to as a child. I wasn’t always excited to eat them, but I did like to ‘help’ pick them in the garden-maybe it was the opportunity to get dirty without getting into trouble. I did enjoy eating the bright red globes from a relish tray, especially early season pickings, as they were not as ‘spicy’ as those that grew in the warmer temperatures.

Because radishes are a cool season plant, they are one of the first things to harvest, along with spring onions and greens like lettuce and spinach, providing everything you need for a delicious spring salad. Radishes mature quickly and can continue to be grown after first harvest, but be aware, warmer temperatures tend to intensify their peppery flavor. You may have already noticed that! To plan for a fall crop, mark your calendar to plant 4-6 weeks before first frost, typically in late October in the Kansas City area.

Radishes are a root vegetable in the Brassicaceae family, which also includes cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and leafy greens like kale. While we are most familiar with the red globe variety, radishes come in many other varieties and include a rainbow of colors including yellow, green, and purple. The entire plant, from root to leaves can be enjoyed cooked or raw.  

For their small size and low calorie count, radishes are a good source of Vitamin C, as well as the minerals potassium and folate. Depending on their color, radishes also contain a variety of phytonutrients that can be beneficial in fighting several common chronic health conditions. Radishes also have unique anti-fungal properties that is shown to be beneficial against strains of Candida, a common yeast that can cause the oral condition known as thrush.

In addition to salads and veggie trays, you can add chopped radishes to sandwiches, tuna salad, tacos, or anything that you want to add a bit of crunch. They can also be pickled in either a quick or fermented process. A quick and tasty method is to combine 1 cup thinly sliced radishes with 2 cups thinly sliced cucumbers and add a simple marinade of ½ cup cider vinegar, ½ teaspoon salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, and 3 tablespoons chopped dill weed. Mix well and marinate for 2-3 hours.

For a totally different take on radishes, you might try roasting them. The typical spicy flavor mellows and becomes almost sweet, and the texture is similar to a roasted potato. The simple recipe below was even a hit with my daughter, who is not a fan of radishes!

Garlic Herb Roasted Radishes
(makes 4 servings)
 
1 lb. fresh radishes, washed and trimmed of roots and greens
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley or chives
2 garlic cloves, finely minced

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Wash hands and work surfaces with soap and water.
3. Wash and trim radishes and cut in half.
4. Cover 12x15 baking sheet with aluminum foil to help with clean-up. Spread radishes on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with salt, pepper, and choice of herb (parsley is the most neutral.) Toss radishes to coat evenly with oil and seasoning.
5. Roast for 10 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle with garlic, and stir. Return to oven for 10 minutes. Remove and check for doneness if easily pierced by fork. Return to oven for 5 minutes if needed, being careful not to burn the garlic.

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Nutrition information: Calories: 51, Total Fat: 3.5, Saturated Fat: .5g, Sodium: 192mg, Carbohydrates: 4.4g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: .9g
 
Recipe adapted from AllRecipes.com, analyzed by verywellfit.com