Japanese Pickled Radishes

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An absolute staple in Japanese cuisine is these delightfully flavored Pickled Radishes. Perfectly prepared slices of Radishes are pickled by soaking them in a brine of Vinegar and Salt and then served alongside many dishes. In this recipe we’ll show you how to prepare the most amazing tasting Japanese Pickled Radishes. They are easy to make, and help to elevate so many meals with their bright, punchy flavors

How to make Japanese Pickled Radishes

This is such a simple recipe to make and can be replicated with many other vegetables such as Daikon, Carrots, Onions, and Courgettes to name just a few. The key to pickling vegetables all lies in the technique of creating a wonderful pickling liquid. The most common pickling liquids consist of a combination of Salt and Vinegar

You can replace the Vinegar with Lemon if you like, they will both serve the same purpose and ultimately produce a very similar flavor. Through our trials of pickling vegetables, we’ve found that Vinegar tends to work a little bit quicker. So, if you’re like us and you’re pickling your vegetables to eat on the same day, Vinegar is a much better choice

To make Japanese Pickled Radishes, first you need to prepare your Radishes. We always recommend cleaning the Radishes before slicing them. They are a root vegetable, which means they grow underground, like Potatoes and Onions. Unlike Potatoes and Onions however, the outer skin is not peeled and discarded with Radishes, you eat it! So, give your Radishes a good wash before slicing them

Julienne the Radishes

There are a few different ways to slice Radishes before they go into the pickling liquid. For our recipe we are preparing them by using the ‘Julienne cut’ method. Simply put, this technique slices Vegetables into long strips that resemble shoestring French Fries. They look great on the plate, and cutting them this way will expedite the pickling process

To Julienne the Radishes, first, carefully slice the Radishes into rounds about ¼ inch thick. Then, stack a few of those rounds on top of each other and slice them the same thickness the opposite way, creating that unique French-fry look

Preparing the Radishes in this way will help them to pickle faster and produce a lovely look on the plate. They can be easily eaten with chopsticks or a fork and there is no need to slice them any more at the table

If you prefer, you can simply slice the Radishes into rounds and throw them into the pickling liquid at that point. Beware however, because there is more surface area of the Radishes they will take a little longer to pickle. So, if you’re in a rush, we recommend Julienning the Radishes. It takes a few extra minutes of preparation, but will save hours later

We use Japanese Rice Wine Vinegar for a truly authentic flavor

The authentic way to make Japanese Pickled Radishes is to immerse the prepared Radishes into a pickling liquid consisting of Japanese Rice Wine Vinegar. The flavor is a little milder than some of the more aggressive vinegars such as White Vinegar. Which is great, because the Radishes won’t completely overpower the dishes they’re served with once complete

Rice Wine Vinegar is readily available these days at most major grocery stores. If you can’t find it there, head to a specialized Asian grocery store where we guarantee you’ll be able to find it. If not, you can always buy it online! Worse case scenario, you can replicate the recipe with other Vinegars, just be wary of how much to add as to not overpower the flavor of the dish

Add the Radishes to a small sealable container along with the Vinegar and some Salt. Give it a good mix through and then seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The Vinegar and Salt will begin to break down the Radishes, extracting moisture from them and infusing them with that delicious Vinegar flavor

We recommend pickling for a minimum of 2 hours, but preferably overnight

You will need at least 2 hours of pickling time for the Radishes to be ready to enjoy. You can tell when they are ready as their color will transform. The flesh will turn from a brilliant white color to a light pink color. The longer the Radishes sit in the pickling liquid, the more intense the colors become

For the best flavor, we recommend preparing the Radishes the day before you plan on eating them. Giving them a good overnight soak in the pickling liquid will yield the best flavor, color, and texture. The good news is the pickling will help to preserve the Radishes, so you can keep them in the refrigerator for  a longer time and they’ll still be good to eat

We recommend trying to get through them all within a week of preparing them, however. After a while they’ll start to turn. Also, the Radishes simply taste the best after 1 – 2 days of pickling

A traditional Japanese Beef and Rice Bowl is one of many delicious recipes that benefit from adding Pickled Radishes to it

What to eat with your Japanese Pickled Radishes

This is a classic side dish, which is great in helping to cut through the fattiness and richness of a lot of dishes prevalent in Japanese cuisine. It is very commonly enjoyed as a side alongside Japanese BBQ, where marinated meats are grilled tableside

It is also great as a side dish to dishes that are flavored with rich, sweet sauces. Dishes such as Teriyaki Salmon, Teriyaki Chicken, and Gyudon – Beef Bowl, will all benefit immensely from having a side of Pickled Radishes served with them

You can also try adding the Radishes to any regular type of Salad. The flavor will help to enhance the Salad, serving almost like its own Vinaigrette dressing to the dish. Why not try mixing and matching these Pickled Radishes with your own home cooking and let us know in the comments how it went

Japanese Pickled Radishes Recipe

Ingredients

• 4 large Radishes
• 1 tbsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
• ½ tsp. Salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Prepare the Radishes by cutting them into long strips, known as a ‘Julienne cut’. Slice the Radishes into long pieces, and then stack the Radish circles on top of each other. Cut them the opposite way into strips resembling French fries. Try to cut them as uniform as you can
2. Place the pieces of Radish into a sealable container, then add the Rice Wine Vinegar and Salt. Mix thoroughly, seal, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
3. When ready to serve, simply remove the Radishes from the pickling liquid and enjoy
   
   

Recipe Notes

• The longer you leave the Radishes in the Vinegar, the more concentrated the pickling will be. For the best flavor, we recommend picking them overnight
• The Radishes will last for about 1 week after pickling, provided you keep them refrigerated
  
  

That’s all there is to it! A super simple and delicious recipe for Japanese Pickled Radishes that will liven up your home cooking. Enjoy these Radishes in Salads, or as a topping to rich dishes to help balance out the flavors

If you enjoyed this recipe then we’ve got plenty more wonderful side dishes for you here. Here are a few of our favorites that we love to make to pair with our favorite meals:

• Pickled Onions
• The Best Mashed Potatoes Ever
• Green Apple Slaw
• Crispy Hasselback Potatoes
  
  

Happy Cooking!