Who knew radishes could be this good?
Radishes can do so much more than garnish salad. This butter-roasted radishes recipe with fresh herbs makes an incredible, chic vegetable side dish or snack.
All About How to Make This Roasted Radishes Recipe
This recipe evolved not from a love of radishes. (Does anyone actually love radishes?) It evolved from necessity. I bought radishes because they looked good at the supermarket, and was having one of my “I should branch out and eat some different vegetables” moments. And then they sat and sat in my fridge until guilt overtook my indifference. But what to make?, I thought. The answer? This buttered, pan-roasted radishes recipe.
Do Cooked Radishes Taste Good? Yes.
Word to the wise. If you ever need to know what vegetables to cook, how to cook them, and how to craft them into something inspired and delicious, invest in Deborah Madison’s New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This thick tome by America’s high priestess of vegetables is like a vegetarian Joy of Cooking, but better and more inspiring. (I, of course, love The Joy of Cooking.)
I turned to the radish section of New Vegetarian Cooking and found a recipe for roasted radishes, and that was it.
Why This Buttered Pan-Roasted Radishes Recipe Is So Good
Pan-roasting does two good things to radishes. First, it takes out that sharp, spicy note that some people may love, but most may find a little off-putting. Second, roasting lets the radishes absorb the flavor and richness of butter and salt without becoming soggy.
Make sure you buy enough. It making this dish for more than two people, you may want to double it. They are exactly the kind of small, crunchy, satisfying snack that makes you reach for more.
Perhaps the best part of this recipe is its ease and effortlessness. This cooks in a matter of minutes, without sacrificing a sense of something a little special.
A Final Sautéed Radish Recipe Tip
Cook the radish greens! They are completely edible, and very nutritious. They taste and feel like a more tender baby kale. Sauté them first in butter with a pinch of salt, then arrange them on the plate as a bed for the pan-roasted radishes.
If you like this easy roasted radishes recipe, you’ll also like:
- French Radishes With Buckwheat Butter
- Crispy, Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Zuni Café’s Caesar Salad
Buttered Pan-Roasted Radishes With Fresh Herbs
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh radishes with leaves
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter, or a little less if you'd like
- 1/4 teaspoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon, or kosher salt
- 1/2 lemon, for juicing
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh chives
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
Instructions
- Trim the stems and leaves from the radishes, and clean the radishes and greens thoroughly. They can be very sandy.
- Cut the radishes into halves or quarters, depending on the size. Set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the radish greens with the water still clinging to the leaves and sauté with a pinch of salt and fresh pepper until wilted. Set aside.
- Melt the butter in the pan over medium heat. Add the radishes with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium-high heat about 3 minutes. Shake the pan to turn them to brown on all sides.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the lid and cook, shaking occasionally, until fork tender and brown, about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice, chives, tarragon, and the rest of the salt. Toss. Taste for seasoning, and serve over a bed of the cooked radish greens.
Not usually a radish liver but….these are absolutely delicious! Thank you for another great recipe!
This is a simple yet really good dish. Radishes are not very exciting to me but I tend to buy them anyway, thinking that I SHOULD use them. This was great day because they tasted much better than plain, but were easy to make. What a good idea to cook radishes!