Hope Wilson, Cooperative Extension
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults eat 1 ½ – 2 ½ cups of fruits and 2 –4 cups of vegetables a day to reduce the risk for diet-related chronic diseases. However, only 1 in 10 Americans eat the recommended amounts of fruits or vegetables. There are many different ways to add a variety of fruits and vegetables to your diet. This publication focuses on radishes and provides tips on how select, store, prepare and preserve them.
Check out the entire Eating More Fruits and Vegetables series, including handouts on lettuce and peas.
Shopping tips
- Look for firm radishes with bright color and smooth skin.
- If the green leafy tops are attached, make sure they are green and fresh, not slimy or brown.
How to clean and store
- Rinse the radishes in cool water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Remove the leafy radish stems (they can be eaten), then refrigerate the radishes in a plastic bag for up to a week.
- Lining the plastic bag with a paper towel can help absorb moisture.
- Eat radishes within 2 to 3 days of buying for the best flavor.
- Freshen up soft radishes by soaking them in a bowl of ice water for 5-10 minutes.
How to prepare
- Serve radishes whole, chopped or grated. Use them in a green salad, stir-fry, or on a vegetable tray for bright color.
- Most radishes have a spicy or peppery taste in the skin. Peel them for a milder flavor.
- Try eating the green stems in a salad or sautéed with garlic – easy and delicious!
How to preserve
Eat radishes fresh, if possible. This is when they are most tasty, firm, and nutritious.
- Freezing: Do not freeze radishes, as they will be soggy and discolored when they thaw.
- Pickling: Wash the radishes and remove the tops. Make a quick pickle with vinegar and spices. Store in the refrigerator. Try this recipe for refrigerated sweet pickled radishes from the UC Master Food Preserver Program.
- Fermenting: Radishes are often used in kimchi, a traditional Korean dish made with salted fermented
Ask your local Cooperative Extension office for more detailed information about safely preserving peas, or visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
Italian radish
Why radishes are healthy
Radishes contain many vitamins and minerals your body needs to be healthy:
- Fiber: Helps us feel full, keeps blood sugar balanced and aids with digestion.
- Potassium: Tells muscles when to move and helps maintain healthy blood pressure.
- Vitamin C: Protects the body’s cells and helps the body best use vitamin K.
How they are grown
Radishes are a root vegetable and grow under the ground.
- Radishes aren’t picky about their soil, so they can grow almost anywhere.
- Radishes can be grown and picked in either spring, summer, or fall.
- They grow easily, making them a great crop for first-time gardeners and kids.
- Plant the seeds in shallow furrows, and then cover lightly with soil. Thin the seedlings when they are a couple inches tall to give them room to grow.
- Water radishes regularly and evenly around the plant to prevent the skin from cracking.
Botanical information
- The botanical name for radishes is raphanus sativus.
- Radish plants are short-lived, with most types only growing for a single season.
- There are spring, summer, and winter radishes. Spring radishes grow quickly and are small. Summer and winter radishes grow more slowly and are larger.
- There are several varieties, or types of radishes, including Icicle, Sparkler, Champion, and Lady Slipper.
Daikon radish
Watermelon radish
Fun facts
- The Night of the Radishes or La Noche de Rábanos, is celebrated in Oacaxa, Mexico, on December 23rd, when radishes are carved into elaborate displays and works of art.
- Radishes are thought to have originated in southern Asia.
References
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2020). Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th Edition. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/
Lee-Kwan, S. H., Moore L. V., Blanck, H. M., Harris, D. M., Galuska, D. (2017). “Disparities in State-Specific Adult Fruit and Vegetable Consumption — United States, 2015.” MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 66:1241–1247.
Purdue Extension. (n.d.). FoodLink: Radish. https://extension.purdue.edu/foodlink/food.php?food=radish
Klavinski, R. (2013). Radishes: Using, storing and preserving. Michigan State University Extension. https://www.canr.msu.edu/uploads/resources/pdfs/radishes_(hni50).pdf
University of Illinois Extension. (n.d.) Home Vegetable Gardening: Radish. https://extension.illinois.edu/gardening/radish
University of Illinois Extension. (n.d.) Home Vegetable Gardening: Preparing radishes. https://extension.illinois.edu/gardening/preparing-radishes
National Center for Home Food Preservation. (n.d.). Pickling: General information for pickling. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/general-information-pickling/generalinformation-on-pickling/
National Center for Home Food Preservation. (n.d.). General freezing information: Foods that do not freeze well. https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/freeze/freeze-general-information/foods-that-do-not-freeze-well/
National Library of Medicine. (n.d.) Medical Encyclopedia. https://medlineplus.gov/encyclopedia.html
United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2018, April). 11429, Radishes, raw.
Cornell University. (2006). Radishes. http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/homegardening/scene341b.html
Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. (2025). Vegetable varieties for gardeners. https://vegvariety.cce.cornell.edu/main/showVarieties.php?searchCriteria=radish&searchIn=1&crop_id=0&sortBy=overallrating&order=DESC
Wagner, J. & Rojas, L. A. (2024, December 24). Mexico dispatch: The radish-carving contest that draws thousands to southern Mexico. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/25/world/americas/oaxaca-radishcontest-mexico.html
Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.). Raphanus sativus. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=278044&isprofile=1&basic=radish