Easy Pickled Radishes Are a Refrigerator Staple
With no special equipment, ingredients, or processing required, these pickled radishes are the easiest and tastiest homemade condiment around. The radishes' natural peppery flavor and subtle heat plays so well with zingy vinegar and a pinch of red pepper flake. Plus, you can enjoy them a million different ways! These refrigerator pickles add satisfying crunch to sandwiches, a welcome tang to salads, and perfect balance to a wedge of creamy brie. If you have extra radishes hanging out in your crisper drawer, this radish recipe is the perfect way to extend their shelf life. As they sit, the radishes' colorful exterior will turn these pickles a vibrant and beautiful shade of pink!
How do you make pickled radishes?
Prepare for your world to be rocked: Refrigerator pickles might just be the easiest condiment ever! Start by slicing the radishes very thin. You’ll want them to be thin enough to be flexible but not so thin that they lose their crunchy texture. Use a very sharp knife or a mandoline for consistency. This recipe also calls for shallots since there's nothing better than pickled onion. Feel free to slice up and add other bits of produce such as carrot, cucumber, green beans, jalapeños, or cauliflower. Each additional ingredient will add its own earthy, sweet, refreshing, or spicy flavor to the mix. Fresh dill, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, and red pepper flakes are other classic pickling ingredients that bring some familiarity to your homemade concoction. If you have pickling spice on hand, use a couple teaspoons of that instead, if you like.
The key to delicious refrigerator pickles is a good brine, and this recipe calls for an easy mixture of vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Feel free to use another vinegar besides rice wine such as distilled white, apple cider, or white wine. Save the balsamic vinegar for another use. If you’re up for it, taste the brine before pouring it over the vegetables to determine if it's sweet or salty enough for your liking. Pouring the brine over the veggies while it is still hot jump-starts the pickling process, producing a more flavorful product.
How long do pickled radishes last?
These pickled radishes will be good for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Because they are quick pickles and don't involve a sterilized canning process, they do not have as long of a shelf life.
Yields: 2 cups
Prep Time: 15 mins
Total Time: 3 hours 15 mins
Ingredients
10
small radishes (about 1/2 lb.)
1
small shallot, thinly sliced
2
springs dill (optional)
3/4 c.
rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp.
sugar
1 tsp.
kosher salt
1/2 tsp.
whole black peppercorns
1/2 tsp.
mustard seeds
1/4 tsp.
crushed red pepper
Directions
Use a mandoline or sharp knife to thinly slice the radishes into about ⅛-inch-thick circles. Place the radishes, shallots, and dill, if using, in a 16-ounce glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
In a small saucepan, combine the rice vinegar, sugar, salt, peppercorns, mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, and ¼ cup water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
Carefully pour the vinegar mixture over the radishes. Leave uncovered and allow to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 weeks.
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