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Learn how to make quick pickled radishes at home in just 5 minutes with this easy step-by-step recipe. With their delicate crunch and vibrant color, pickled radishes add a burst of zingy flavor to tacos, sandwiches, grain bowls, and more!
save this recipe!Your Go-To Pickle Recipe
We’ve pickled just about everything around here—pickled jalapenos, pickled red onions, and even pickled grapes! Now, I’m getting a little creative and pickling something I’d never previously considered: radishes!
The result? A surprisingly delicious blend of sweet and tangy that’s totally different than plain ole’ radishes! Like all my pickled vegetable recipes, these quick pickled radishes are ridiculously easy to make—just a quick soak in a simple vinegar brine, and you’re set.
With endless spice options, you can customize the flavor from mildly sweet to fiery hot. Toss these on salads, tacos, burgers, or sandwiches (or just eat them right from the jar!).
Here’s what you’ll need
To make pickled radishes, we’ll use five main ingredients. I’ve included a few of my recommendations for spices, but you can use as much or as little of each as you’d like. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements!
- Water: We’ll need water for the pickling mixture base. Make sure it’s steaming hot to help the salt and sugar dissolve faster (they’re called quick pickled radishes for a reason!).
- Sugar: We will use a dash of sugar to balance the acidity of the vinegar.
- Salt: Use non-iodized salt here (iodized salt will cause discoloration when pickling).
- White Wine Vinegar: White wine vinegar is the main pickling agent in this mixture, preserving the radishes’ pretty pink color! (You could also use white vinegar if you prefer.)
- Radishes: We can’t make quick pickled radishes without… radishes!
Optional Flavors
You can flavor your pickling mixture with mustard seeds, crushed garlic cloves, bay leaves, crushed red pepper, or coriander seeds.
Pickling radishes Is Quick
This pickled radish recipe requires only 3 main steps and 5 minutes of prep time. For the full printable instructions, jump to the recipe card!
- Heat the water, then stir in the sugar, salt, and vinegar.
- Slice the radishes.
- Combine the ingredients in a jar, adding any optional spices.
Can You Can It?
These quick pickled radishes have not been tested for long-term canning storage. If you’re canning for long-term storage, be sure to follow the USDA canning best practices.
Serve These On…
Like most pickles, these pickled radishes are super versatile! Serve them in salads, sandwiches, burgers, tacos, or even soup (nothing is off-limits here!).
- Roasted Cauliflower Street Tacos: Instead of pickled onions or cabbage, garnish your tacos with pickled radishes (or use a combination!).
- Portobello Mushroom Burgers: Burgers + pickles = magic. Throw a few slices on for a tangy kick!
5-Minute Quick Pickled Radishes
Ingredients
Core Ingredients
- 1 cup hot water, 236 mL
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp non-iodized salt
- ¾ cup white wine vinegar, 175 mL
- ½ lb radishes, 18 to 10
Optional Extras
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 clove garlic , crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp black peppercorns
Instructions
- Liquid: Heat water in a kettle, on the stove, or in the microwave until steaming hot. Stir in sugar and salt until sugar dissolves. Stir in vinegar.
- Radishes: Thinly slice the radishes, with a mandoline slicer (for ultra-thin slices) or by hand (for slightly thicker, crunchier pickled radishes).
- Combine: Add radishes to a lidded, non-reactive container (like a glass jar or ceramic vessel – I used a 16-oz mason jar). Add optional extra ingredients (as many or as few as you want). Pour liquid over radishes until they are covered (you may not need all of the liquid). Let cool to room temperature, then seal shut and transfer to the refrigerator. (Let pickle for at least 30 minutes before digging in.)
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
Would lemon work instead of vinegar?
No, I don’t think lemon would work well with this. I think it would be too tart. If you do try it out though, I’d love to hear how it goes!