Quick and Easy Pickled Radishes Recipe (Crisp and Spicy)

• Food: Pickled Radishes
• Writer: Nicolas Wilson
• Content-Type: Food Blog

My refrigerator shelves are on the verge of collapsing. Leftover sorghum is placed awkwardly on top of pickle jars in plastic wrap-covered bowls.

At least twice, I’ve plucked a jar of valuable pine nuts from the air. (As a side note, I once grabbed a falling baby by the ankle.) That was reassuring.)

When my fridge is bursting at the seams with leftovers, it’s difficult for me to come up with new recipes. To tell you the truth, whenever I find myself preparing a meal for a large family, I have a small dread in the back of my mind.

It murmurs, “I hope I don’t have to cook alone forever.”

I’ve always appreciated the creative part of combining different components in the hopes of producing a delectable result as a child. But it wasn’t until after college that I formally decided to learn how to cook.

I was working as a waitress at the time and reading books about food and nutrition. I wanted to eat well but couldn’t afford to do so all of the time, so I decided to learn to cook for myself.

If I’d had others to feed at the time, I would have despised the responsibility and felt uneasy about my limited skill set. Cooking had always seemed like a type of domestic failure to me, but I found it to be empowering when I cooked for myself.

Independence! To be self-sufficient! Yes, please!

I’ve been cooking for around six years. I’ve gained confidence in my abilities over time, and I’m now at a stage where I’d enjoy some company in the kitchen.

Tall, gorgeous, educated, kind, and amusing, with strong muscles—I mean, a healthy appetite—would be my dream cooking partner.

I’m in desperate need of assistance with these leftovers. Also, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please I sometimes fear that I’ve lost a chance, that I’m too choosy, or that I’m simply not in the appropriate location…

Pickled Radish Tips

Since my refrigerator is already whispering to me about all the family-sized dinners in there, I’m sharing my new favorite condiment today.

Radishes have been on everything lately because they add a nice bite without dominating other flavors as raw onions can.

Their pickled equivalents are hotter and more vinegary. These crisp, spicy radish pickles are simple to make and add zing to tacos, burgers, salads, toast, and sandwiches, among other dishes.

I’m not sure why it took me so long to try making quick pickles; they’re so simple. After seeing the nth mention to fast pickles in Bon Appetit, I finally experimented with them a few months ago (as demonstrated on Instagram).

That day, I ended up preserving all of my leftover veggies. Radishes and red onions battled it out for the first place. Carrot ribbons pickled in vinegar are also delicious.

Quick pickles have the advantage of being ready practically immediately, but be aware that boiling vinegar will stink up your kitchen. I’ve discovered that the thinner you slice the vegetables, the faster they absorb the vinegar and spice flavors.

For such duties, I gave in and got a mandoline—it makes very thin slicing quick and easy, but it’s also an excellent way to lose a fingertip.

A sharp chef’s knife can also suffice. Quick pickles preserve nicely in the refrigerator for a few weeks, which is plenty of time for this single lady to consume them.

Pickled Radishes

Pickled radishes with a kick that are ready to eat right away! These pickled radishes are great with tacos, burgers, salads, and other foods. The following recipe makes around 1 1//4 cup pickles.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 bunch radishes
• ¾ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
• ¾ cup water
• 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this yields very spicy pickles, so use ½ teaspoon for medium spicy pickles or none at all)
• ½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds (optional)
• Optional add-ins: garlic cloves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander seeds

Instructions for Pickled Radishes

1. To prepare the radishes, follow these steps: Remove the tops and bottoms of the radishes, then slice them into extremely thin rounds with a sharp chef’s knife or mandoline. Fill a pint-sized canning jar halfway with the rounds. Red pepper flakes and mustard seeds can be sprinkled on top of the rounds.
2. To make the brine, follow these steps: Combine the vinegar, water, honey or maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring regularly, then pour over the radishes.
3. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature before using. The pickles can be served right away or covered and refrigerated for later use. The pickles will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator, although they will be at their freshest and crispest for about 5 days after pickling.

NOTES

• TO MAKE IT VEGAN: Honey can be replaced with maple syrup or agave nectar.
• TURN IT AROUND: To the best of my knowledge, this method can be used to pickle any thinly sliced veggies. Carrot ribbons, cucumbers, red onions, cabbage, and/or fennel are all good options. The faster the vegetables absorb the vinegar solution and taste like pickles, the thinner they are sliced.
  THAT JAR, ON THE OTHER HAND! It’s a Weck jar, to be precise. Crate & Barrel has these for sale on their website (affiliate link).
• IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO CAN IT? No. This is a recipe for “refrigerator pickles.” It has not been tested for canning safety and is not suitable for canning in a water bath. Please don’t even try! Instead, choose a recipe created expressly for canning.