5 Simple Methods to Store Radishes (and 5 Recipes You Should Try) (2024)

Do you know why I love radishes so much? I love the fact that you can plant them and in about 45 days you have a complete harvest.

But I once struggled with raising radishes because I wasn’t sure how to handle the harvest. If you don’t know how to store them properly, they will go bad really quickly.

So I began my journey of learning how to better store radishes so my family and I could enjoy them. Maybe you would like to grow radishes in your fall garden so you can feed your family a little easier as well.

Well, then look no further. Here are a few ways for you to better preserve your radish harvest this fall:

How to Store Radishes

1. Store them in a Mason Jar

You have harvested your radishes and now you are looking at them thinking there is no way you can eat them all fast enough.

So you contemplate thinking of how you can spread them around to family members, friends, and maybe even your chickens so they don’t go to waste.

Then you realize that you could potentially lengthen their storage time, but how? If you plan on eating them over the next few weeks, but are struggling to keep them crisp, then you’ll like this method.

First, you’ll want to trim the roots, leaves, and stem from the radishes. If you don’t detach these items, then you’ll find that in a couple of days the radish will be left dehydrated and wilted.

So you definitely want to trim these items back. Then you’ll want to wash them and place them in a mason jar.

Finally, you’ll cover them with cold water and place the lid on the jar. This will allow the radishes to stay crisp for a week or maybe a little more. Which would be great if you’d like to keep some fresh for use with salads.

2. Dry Them Out

Have you ever thought about making radish chips? If not, you should really consider them because it is a great way to deliciously use up your radish harvest.

Plus, you can replace the unhealthy potato chip snack with a healthier option with these radishes. Or if you just enjoy eating radishes, then you can dry them out to eat plain if you like.

But either way, you simply wash the radishes and cut off the stem, root, and leaves.

Then you thinly slice the radish and place it in your dehydrator. Follow the instructions on the dehydrator to know how long the process should take with your particular dehydrator.

Finally, you pull the radishes out and store in an airtight container for later use, or you can season them and enjoy them right then and there.

3. Put them in a Box

Let’s say you would rather just store your radishes as they are so you can use them later on however you wish when the idea or recipe comes to you.

Well, we’ve got you covered there as well. If you have a root cellar, then you are already halfway there. If you don’t have a root cellar, then you can make a really simple one by just stacking boxes in a cool, dry location.

Now, this could mean that you put the boxes in an unused closet, a corner in a basem*nt, under your home, or in a trash can that has been placed underground.

Then you just take the radish as a whole and place it in a wooden box. I recommend wooden because it will hold up a little better than cardboard.

Also, cardboard has a tendency to draw bugs. You don’t want this, so a wooden box would be a better choice.

Then you’ll place a layer of radishes, add a layer of straw or wrap the radishes individually in newspaper, and then add more layers of the same until the wood box is full.

So now you can store your radishes straight from the harvest. It is also very efficient time-wise as well.

4. Throw them in the Fridge

If you don’t plant a ton of radishes, then you may just want to store some in your fridge for a little while, but if you don’t store them properly, then they’ll end up just going rotten in only a few days.

So you’ll begin this process by just rinsing the radishes to get any remaining dirt off of them from the harvest.

Then you’ll want to wrap the radishes in a damp paper towel. This paper towel will give a little moisture to keep them from dehydrating while being stored.

Next, you’ll want to place them in a sandwich or freezer baggy, but you’ll need to be sure to leave the baggy slightly open. You do this so that when moisture accumulates inside the bag (like it often does in the fridge), it will have a means to escape instead of causing your radishes to rot.

If you store your radishes in this fashion, they should last for upwards of a week or a little more. That way you can enjoy them for salads or even as a snack.

5. Make them Frosty

I’m sure a lot of people think, “Well, I’ll just take my large radish harvest and toss them in a bag to freeze.”

Well, not exactly. Radishes actually don’t freeze well. It ruins their texture, and they become like little rocks that aren’t very enjoyable or tasty.

So what can you do with them in the freezer then?

Actually, if you use some of these other methods to preserve your actual radish, then you realize you have to discard the stem, root, and leaves.

Well, you don’t need to toss the leaves. Instead, put them to good use. You will prepare them like you would any other type of green. I usually parboil them so if there is a chance of them being bitter, I rid them of that before freezing.

Then I place them in freezer baggies for storage. When I’m ready to enjoy greens, I pull them out, thaw them, and prepare them for a meal as I would any other type of green. It is that simple.

Recipes for Radishes

I’ll be honest, I was not a huge fan of radishes when we started growing them. My husband absolutely loves them!

But I always thought they were pretty bland and odd tasting. Plus, I didn’t really care for the texture.

However, my husband convinced me to grow them because I realized how quickly we could have a harvest. 45 days is what actually convinced me.

So if you are struggling to actually bring yourself to raise radishes, I wanted to share a few recipes with you to show you that radishes can be enjoyed in a few different ways.

Here they are:

1. Pickled Radishes

Do you enjoy the tart flavor of anything pickled? If so, then you might want to consider pickling some of your radishes. They would be great as an addition to a meal or as a snack.

So if you think you’d like to even try a pickled radish, then you’ll definitely want to check out this recipe. You may have found your new favorite snack.

Try this radish recipe

2. Radish Hash Browns

Do you love hash browns for breakfast? The next time you think of hash browns but begin to worry about the carbs, then turn to this recipe.

So you basically follow the same idea as potato hash browns, only this time they are created with radishes. It could be a tasty way to utilize your harvest.

Try this radish recipe

3. Cucumber-Radish Salsa

When you think of salsa, do you think it can only contain tomatoes? If so, then this recipe is getting ready to blow your mind.

So they take cucumbers and radishes and create a delicious salsa. It could go well as a snack with chips, or you could use it to top some of your favorite dishes. Give it a try and see what you think.

Try this radish recipe

4. Creamy Radish Soup

Have you ever considered using your radishes in a delicious and creamy soup on a cold day? Well, now you might want to.

Basically, this recipe takes radishes to a whole new level and completely outside of their normal box of possibilities. Use some of your harvests to see if this could be your new favorite soup.

Try this radish recipe

5. Daikon Radish Fries

If you’ve been around Pinterest very long, then you’ve probably noticed people have been able to recreate some of our favorite junk foods with a healthy alternative.

Well, if you love fries, then you may have just found the recipe for the healthy alternative. The next time you have a burger, try this version of radish fries and see what you think.

Try this radish recipe

Well, you now know how you can properly store your radish harvest to get the longest life out of them, but we didn’t stop there. You also have 5 recipes to help you utilize that harvest in a timely manner as well.

But now, I’d like to hear your thoughts. How do you store your radishes? Do you know of a different method that has worked well for you? How do you utilize your radish harvest? Do you preserve them for long-term shelf life? If so, how?

We love hearing from you so please share what you know with us. Just leave us your comments in the space provided below. We look forward to hearing from you!