“Can I freeze radishes and preserve them for off-season?” – you wonder.
If you have an overabundance of radishes this year, then learn how to preserve this vegetable so you can enjoy them all year round.
Be sure to follow our step-by-step process and you’ll have best-quality radishes stored in your freezer.
IN THIS ARTICLE:
Can Radishes Be Frozen?
Short answer – yes, you can freeze radishes.
Of course, fresh radishes are preferable and more delicious than frozen ones.
However, during their season, you might buy more than you can eat or maybe they grow like crazy this year and now you have a garden full of radishes. So, why not preserve them if there is a right way to do that?
Interesting Fact
The typical red radish has been a staple food since before the Third Century B.C. Some records claim radish was used in Roman times.
Will Radishes Lose Their Taste And Texture?
There is good news and bad news.
Although freezing is a great preservation technique, it will affect radish quality.
When you freeze radishes, they will lose some of the taste and texture, although much of their crispness and flavor will be saved. The quality of vitamins and nutrients will be also reduced.
Why You Should Freeze Radishes?
So you can eat them whenever you want. 😉
When you freeze radishes, you will extend their life expectancy. They will last longer and keep their texture and taste a bit longer. They will be ready-made for cooking. Just use them immediately after defrosting and the radishes will add a nice touch to your meal.
How To Freeze Radishes?
There are a few steps you should follow before you put radishes into your freezer. Radishes are delicate and gentle vegetables, so a little procedure should be done if you want to maintain their optimal quality.
The first thing you should remember – Never peel radishes before freezing! Peeling will activate enzymes that will improve bursting during the process.
- Prepare Radishes – Clean and scrub them under water to remove dirt and residue from the outside.
- Slice Radishes – Cut off radishes top and bottom. These greens can be saved and cooked or you can throw them if don’t want to use them. Now, you can freeze the radishes whole. However, if frozen whole they can split and become a mealy texture. It is better to cut them into slices or quarters.
- Blanch Radishes – It is important to blanch radishes before freezing, so put a pot of water on high heat. When water starts to boil, blanch your radishes for 2-3 minutes. After blanching, place them in an ice bath. This method will freeze the radishes’ nutrients. Blanching slows down the ripening of the radishes so it’s neccessary to always do blanching.
- Dry Them – Remove radishes from the ice bath and place them on a towel. They should dry completely.
- Freeze Radishes – In this last step, place your radishes in a bag or freezer container. Make sure your container has an airtight lid and it should be moisture-resistant. If you opt for bags, try to remove as much air as possible. That’s it, your radishes can be stored in the freezer. When frozen, radish will last for a very long time.
How Long Do Frozen Radishes Last?
If you use an effective storage method, frozen radishes will last up to two or three months.
It is better to use airtight vacuum bags or containers than plastic zipper bags.
How To Thaw Frozen Radishes?
When you want to defrost radishes, you should leave them for a specific period to soften. Here are a few ideas on how to thaw them:
- Cold water and bags – Fill the large mixing bowl with cold water. Place the radishes in plastic bags and seal the bags. Then place the bags in water, wait for a few hours and remove radishes from the bags.
- Refrigerator – This process is a bit slow, so you can leave the radishes in the refrigerator overnight. Using this method will soften the radishes while keeping them fresh.
- Microwave – Use defrost option on your microwave. Many microwaves have a specific setting for defrosting food, so use them to thaw radishes. When radishes are completely defrosted, then you can cook them.
What To Do With Thawed Radishes?
Radish is a versatile vegetable, so it can be cooked, roasted, braised, or grilled, which makes radishes ideal for various dishes.
- Make roasted radishes – This is a very simple and delicious way to use radishes. Toss them in some olive oil and roast them in the oven at 400 degrees for about 20 min.
- Add them to a salad – Radishes are an excellent addition to almost any salad. Slice them up and put in your salad.
- Make pickled radishes – Pickled radishes can be consumed on their own or as an addition to a dish.
- Put them into a soup – You can easily make a delicious soup with radishes. Add them and chicken broth to a blender and puree until smooth. Then you can add your favorite vegetables and your soup is ready for eating.
- Make radish chips – You can fry them to make yummy and crispy chips. This is a yummy and healthy alternative to potato chips.
Roasted Radish Chips Recipe
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Cut radish bulbs from leaves and wash well to remove excess dirt.
Slice the radish bulbs thin, about ¼” (or ½ cm) thick.
On a medium baking sheet add olive oil and slides radishes and toss to coat radishes completely in oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional).
Roast radishes for a total of 20-25 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes to brown all sides of radish slices.
Remove from oven and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
Cut radish bulbs from leaves and wash well to remove excess dirt.
Slice the radish bulbs thin, about ¼” (or ½ cm) thick.
On a medium baking sheet add olive oil and slides radishes and toss to coat radishes completely in oil.
Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional).
Roast radishes for a total of 20-25 minutes, tossing every 5-10 minutes to brown all sides of radish slices.
Remove from oven and serve immediately for best flavor and texture.
Enjoy!
Can You Freeze Radish Leaves?
Radishes leaves are edible greens that can be used as a side dish, they are a great replacement for herbs and light lettuces. So, don’t throw them away but freeze them and use later.
First, cut them from the stem, wash them and dry them. Then store them in airtight bags and put the bags in the freezer.
Radishes leaves can be stored in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.
To Wrap It Up
With the right preparation, you can easily extend radishes’ shelf life and use them all year round. So, can you freeze radish? Yes, you can and here we offer the best method to do it.
