Our Favorite Simple Radish Dish: Garlic Roasted Radishes

Fresh radishes in shades of pink, red, white, and purple are a beautiful and welcoming sign of spring. After finding myself with too many radishes growing in my garden, I decided to try roasting them like a potato to use them up. How did it turn out? Well, all I can say is that it was pretty life-changing. This is now one of my favorite ways to serve this often-forgotten vegetable because roasting brings out the sweetness that is otherwise masked by the peppery kick that radishes are known for, and they make a stunning addition to just about any meal.

A whole new way to Enjoy radishes

I grew up nibbling raw radishes from veggie plates at family gatherings, and it had never occurred to me that you could cook a radish! But one day, I found myself with a bumper crop of radishes in the garden. There was no way I’d be able to eat them all before they went bad, so I decided to try roasting them like I would roast baby potatoes. And, wow! The end result was better than anything I could have expected.

Roasting mellowed the peppery flavor of the radishes and brought out their natural sweetness, and the garlic-infused butter (or ghee) added a nice layer of flavor. Seriously, so good. If you like roasted potatoes, you’ll probably like this recipe. The end product is somewhat similar in texture but far lower in starchy carbohydrates.

What You’ll Need

You’ll need just a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand to make these, and you can easily substitute some of the ingredients to suit your taste or dietary needs.

• 1 pound fresh globe radishes — these are the most available types of radishes. You can use all red or a mix of red, pink, purple, and white, which are sometimes referred to as ‘Easter egg radishes’
• Butter — or you can use ghee, or substitute olive oil or avocado oil to make this a vegan recipe
• Sea salt — any salt will do, but we like flaky sea salt for this recipe
• Ground black pepper
• Garlic cloves — or substitute ¼ teaspoon garlic powder for the 2 garlic cloves
• Dried parsley — or use dried chives or dried dill

How to cook radishes

Radishes can be eaten raw or cooked. Applying heat to radishes helps calm the mild (or sometimes strong) spicy or peppery flavors in them. To cook radishes, you can bake or roast them in the oven, or sauté or pan-roast them on the stovetop. You could also boil or steam radishes, though those techniques could result in too-soft radishes and nutrient losses.

I’ve tried several ways, and by far, my favorite method for cooking radishes is also the easiest: roasting radishes in a hot oven. I like using a large baking dish so there is room for the radishes to fit in a single layer. This helps them caramelize just a bit on the edges, adding to their flavor.

Why Radishes are the Unsung Hero of Health Foods

I think radishes are worthy of far more praise and attention than they get. Not only do they come in a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors, but they are a healthful food that fits nicely into so many eating styles. Radishes are a non-starchy root vegetable that easily adds flavor and options to low-carbohydrate, vegetarian, vegan, paleo, or Whole30 diets. Plus, they’re naturally gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free.

• Radishes are root vegetables that come in several different colors and are a cousin to cabbage
• This bright spring veg is a very good source of disease-fighting and immunity-boosting vitamin C
• Radishes contain natural antibacterial and antifungal properties
• They contain a unique phytochemical called indoles, which promotes detoxification, helping your body rid itself of harmful substances
• Radishes are full of powerful antioxidant flavonoids that fight havoc-causing free radicals and aid in healthy liver and kidney function

How to serve

This is a delicious low-carb side dish to enjoy throughout the spring and summer. I love to serve them alongside grilled meats, chicken, and fish. For an extra treat, I’ll drizzle them with our dairy-free ranch dressing.

Here are some main dishes that pair well with these roasted radishes:

• Grilled Spatchcock Chicken
• Honey-Garlic Pork Chops
• Grilled Flank Steak
• Smoked Pork Butt

Another favorite way to enjoy these is to add them to a salad along with sliced chicken, avocado, sliced almonds, and green onions, then toss it all with our citrus vinaigrette. Is your mouth watering yet?

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Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Jess of Plays Well with Butter.