If you’re like most people, you probably don’t know much about radish nutrition but these little orbs pack a pretty big punch. They were originally grown in China, ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans enjoyed them and the original settlers in the U.S. brought seeds with them from Britain.
Radishes nutrition benefits include being low-cal, high fiber and chock full of vitamins and minerals — vitamin C, folate, magnesium, copper and potassium to name a few. They’re also loaded with phytochemicals and have long been used medicinally. They’re great for detoxing your liver, easing asthma, preventing cancer and regulating blood pressure. These 10 recipes take radish nutrition to the next level and make you wonder why you’ve only considered them a garnish all these years.
1. Mango, Jicama & Radish Salad with Peanut Dressing
Ingrid Hoffman’s amazing salad is a symphony of flavor and texture. It’s a little sweet, a little spicy with tons of crunch. The peanut dressing adds a smooth finish.
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2. Radish Toast
Avocado toast is so five minutes ago. The future is radish toast, smeared with butter and layered with radish slices.
3. Radishes with Burrata
This makes a gorgeous starter for your next dinner party. It calls for watermelon radishes — so named because of their bright green rind and pale pink interior. Their mild flavor and crispness are the perfect counterpoint to creamy burrata lightly drizzled with lemon juice, olive oil and black pepper.
4. Radish Kimchi
Daikon radishes are spicier than the round, red Cherry Belles we’re familiar with. They look a bit like white carrots and are a staple in Asian cuisine. This simple kimchi is also a great source of probiotics.
5. Avocado, Radish & Snow Pea Sandwich
You can whip up this low-cal, high-protein sandwich in a flash. Mashed avocado and goat cheese offset crisp snow peas and radishes.
6. Radish & Cucumber Slaw
Radishes and their cousin red cabbage give this slaw great color. Delicately flavored with black pepper, apple cider vinegar and cilantro, it’s an ideal fall side.
7. Herbed Cucumber Flower Bites
These pretty, fresh hors d’oeuvres are an excellent way to substitute all of that radish nutrition and cucumber vitality for the usual fattening party fare.
8. Turnip Cake
Turnip cakes are a dim sum favorite and the Chinese turnip is interchangeable with daikon radishes so this is a radish recipe. These savory slices of mushrooms, radishes, shrimp and sausage can be an appetizer or a light entree.
9. Angel Hair Pasta with Clams, Radishes & Spinach
Leave it to master chef Curtis Stone to come up with this delectable pasta dish. It uses whole wheat noodles, so you’ve got a well-rounded melange of whole grain, protein and fiber.
10. Spicy Roasted Daikon French Fry Recipe
This relatively carb-free fries look spectacular and pack a punch. They won’t be crispy like potato fries but they’re so delicious you won’t care.