Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes
Super simple, spicy pickled radishes that are ready to eat immediately! These pickled radishes are amazing on tacos, burgers, salads and more.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
My refrigerator shelves are one knock away from an avalanche. I have plastic wrap-covered bowls of leftover sorghum stacked precariously on top of pickle jars. Iโve snatched a falling jar of precious pine nuts from mid-air at least twice. (Side note: I once snatched up a free-falling baby by the ankle. That was a relief.)
I have a hard time finding cooking inspiration when my fridge is jam-packed with leftovers to be consumed by yours truly. And to tell you the whole truth, every time I find myself cooking a family-sized meal, I hear a little whisper of a worry in the back of my head. โI hope I donโt cook alone forever,โ it murmurs.
Growing up, I always enjoyed the creative aspect of combining different ingredients in the hopes of a delicious outcome. I didnโt formally take it upon myself to learn how to cook until after college, though. At the time, I was working as a waitress and reading books about the food industry and nutrition. I wanted to eat well and couldnโt afford to eat out all of the time, so I decided it was time to learn how to cook for myself.
That was the perfect stage to start cookingโif Iโd had others to feed at that time, I would have resented the obligation and felt insecure about my limited skill set. Cooking had always seemed like a form of domestic defeat but I found cooking for myself to be empowering. Independence! Self sufficiency! Hell yes!
Itโs been about six years since I started cooking. Over the years, Iโve grown more confident in the my abilities and Iโm now at a point where I would welcome some company in the kitchen. My ideal cooking partner would be tall, handsome, intelligent, kind and hilarious with strong musclesโI mean, a healthy appetite. I need help with these leftovers. And the dishes, pretty please. Sometimes I worry that Iโve missed the right opportunity or that Iโm impossibly picky or maybe Iโm just not in the right placeโฆ
Quick Pickled Radish Tips
Today Iโm sharing my new favorite condiment since my refrigerator is already whispering to me about all the family-sized meals in there. Iโve been putting radishes on everything lately because they lend a lovely bite without overpowering other flavors like, say, raw onions can. Their pickled counterparts pack a spicier, vinegary punch. These crisp, spicy radish pickles are super easy to make and liven up everything from tacos, burgers, salads, sandwiches and toasts, and more.
I donโt know what took me so long to try making quick picklesโtheyโre so simple and easy to make. I finally experimented with them a couple of months ago (as evidenced on Instagram), after reading the nth reference to quick pickles in Bon Appetit. I ended up pickling all of my leftover produce that day. The radishes and red onions competed for top place. Pickled carrot ribbons are awesome, too.
The nice thing about quick pickles is that theyโre ready almost right away, but beware that boiling vinegar will stink up your kitchen. Iโve learned that the thinner you slice the vegetables, the sooner they soak up the flavors of vinegar and spices. I caved and bought a mandoline for such tasksโit makes super thin slicing quick and easy, but itโs also a good way to lose a fingertip. A sharp chefโs knife works well, too. Quick pickles keep well for a few weeks in the refrigerator, which is enough time for this single lady to polish them off.
Watch How to Make Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes
Thanks for reading, and please let me know how these pickled radishes turn out for you in the comments!
On a pickling kick? Donโt miss my quick-pickled onions, jalapeรฑos and veggies! You might also enjoy my fresh jalapeรฑo relish recipe, and these delicious refrigerator pickles.
Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes
Super simple, spicy pickled radishes that are ready to eat immediately! These pickled radishes are amazing on tacos, burgers, salads and more. Recipe as listed below yields about 1 ยผ cup pickles.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch radishes
- ยพ cup white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- ยพ cup water
- 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (this yields very spicy pickles, so use ยฝ teaspoon for medium spicy pickles or none at all)
- ยฝ teaspoon whole mustard seeds (optional)
- Optional add-ins: garlic cloves, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, coriander seeds
Instructions
- To prepare the radishes: Slice off the tops and bottoms of the radishes, then use a sharp chefโs knife or mandoline to slice the radishes into very thin rounds. Pack the rounds into a pint-sized canning jar. Top the rounds with red pepper flakes and mustard seeds.
- To prepare the brine: In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, honey or maple syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally, then pour the mixture over the radishes.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature. You can serve the pickles immediately or cover and refrigerate for later consumption. The pickles will keep well in the refrigerator for several weeks, although they are in their most fresh and crisp state for about 5 days after pickling.
Notes
Recipe adapted from The First Mess and Bon Appetit.
Make it vegan: Substitute maple syrup or agave nectar for the honey.
Change it up: To the best of my knowledge, you can pickle any thinly sliced vegetables in this manner. Try carrot ribbons, cucumbers, red onions, cabbage and/or fennel! The thinner you slice the vegetables, the faster they absorb the vinegar solution and taste like pickles.
That jar, though! Itโs a Weck jar.
Can I can it? No. This recipe is a โrefrigerator pickleโ recipe. It is not designed for canning in a water bath, and it has not been tested for canning safety. Please do not attempt! Follow a recipe specifically designed for canning instead.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I see you need someone to help with your leftovers. Hopefully I meet your criteria. Sounds delicious!
Can I reuse the brine for another batch? If so, do I reboil before adding to radishes?
Thanks
Hi Stacy, This was meant to be used as a one time only.
Iโve made these twice now. Theyโre an excellent topping on tacos or fajitas. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
These are absolutely beyond amazing! Iโve already eaten half the jar and I only made them a few hours ago. I can wait to try a few variations, thank you for a wonderful recipe!
I love it, Sandra! Thank you for your review.
Oh my. These are the best. Easy to make, therefore quicker to enjoy. I didnโt change anything. Good on salads, tacos, & right out the jar. Will keep them in my fridge at all times. Thank you for sharing.
30 hours later, these are delicious! Not a lot of flavor until they sat in refrigerator for a day, but so good after. I canโt handle a lot of spicy heat, so I used just 1/8 tsp red pepper. I do confess to adding, in addition to the honey, a little organic white sugar โabout a tablespoonโand am glad I did. Used apple cider vinegar and it was overwhelming. Maybe the white vinegar wouldnโt have required the extra sugar.
I think I just fell in love the Garden makes radishes in 28 days
Maybe a silly question, but jar lid on or off while cooling to room temperature?
Hi! You will want to keep the lid off. I hope you love them!
Hi Kate, thanks for the informative post, also for your empatheic responses to comments.
Quite inatructional, I must say. Having pickled while the children were growing up, in any number of styles; I started again after a 7 year break, thanks to CV-19.
Let me share, how I Improvised:
1. Locally available radish is the white, long varietyand more pungent than the small red round ones!
2. Chili flakes are not readily available; but dried red chillies are, so flaked them and tossed in the skins as well, removing the stalks;
3. I looked at my honey jar and found not enough to meet your recipe, so I used approximately two tablesppons of honey and a tbsp of raw sugar, but added it only after I turned off the flame, so that it would not cause frothing;
4. No yellow mustard available within easy motoring distance, but plenty of black mustard within spitting distance of my kitchen;
5. I ground a single pod of cardamom in my mortar and added it to the mixture;
Three hours later, I opened the jar and the aroma delighted me. I promptly grilled a couple of slices of bread with mozzarella and tomato, dressed them with the radish pickle, it was superlative.
I have house guests tomorrow; so I will serve them finger sandwiches of the same, and see their reaction
So good. Making these for the 4th time tonight โ I use them as a topping for buddha bowls, and to add a kick to wraps, but if Iโm honest, I mostly I just eat them out of the jar as a snack!
I love you have made this one so many times already, Ali! Thank you for your review.
Great recipe! After reading through the other comments first, I decided to do a ~50/50 mix of rice wine vinegar and white wine vinegar and just 2 tbsp of honey. Instead of red pepper flakes I sliced fresh peppers from my garden (Jamaican Red Mushroom and Lemon Drop). Per the recipe suggestion I also added a couple smashed cloves of garlic and about a teaspoon of coriander seeds. Amazing, with a perfect balance of flavor (and no strong/offensive odor that others have mentioned)! Your recipes are the best!
Thank you for sharing, Jana! Iโm excited you loved them.
Used this recipe to make quick pickled carrots and it came out so good! Topped some veggie tacos with them but ended up snacking on the carrots later and finishing the whole jar because theyโre terribly addictive. I used sugar instead of the honey/maple syrup and cut it in half because Iโm more into salty than sweet. Thank you, Kate!
I love it! Yes, they are so good. Thank you for sharing, Tova.
Love these! I cut back the honey to just 1 Tb. and used 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes and they were plenty spicy. When in Sedona AZ a couple of years ago we had the most amazing tamales from a small family eatery. Everything, even the sauces and salsas, was homemade. The masa was topped with vegetarian refried beans, mole, salsa, guacamole, queso, cilantro, and the whole glorious mess was crowned with spicy pickled radishes. These remind me a bit of them.
Iโm glad you loved them! Thank you for your review.
Update โ this has quickly become my favorite refrigerator pickling brine! I use the mini cucumbers you buy in a 6-pack and slice them 1/8โณ thin. For bread โn butter pickles I simply omit the red pepper flakes. For a more traditional cucumber pickle I cut back the honey to 1 Tb., omit the red pepper, and add dill. For spicy garlic pickles I use 1 Tb. honey, add the red pepper, and add a couple cloves of minced garlic. Iโve also pickled both red and white onion slices in separate batches. I love how versatile this recipe is! Thanks Kate, this one is a definite fav.
Thatโs great to hear, Pat! Thank you for sharing your variation.
Great recipe, thank you! I have been using it to pickle cauliflower and yesterday my husband tried beetroot. All delicious. Thank you!
I made recipe yesterday and loved it on arugula and beet salad. Today at lunch as a side, not so much. The smell is somewhat strong on my plate. My radishes are totally pink, no white. I sliced them paper thin with Mandoline, possibly too thin? I also donโt think I let them cool completely before refrigerating. Hoping it was my errors because really excited about this recipe. Any thoughts? Thanks.
Hi, They will change color slightly since they have a red skin. Iโm sorry you didnโt love them.
I was looking for a quick pickle recipe for radishes and came across yours. It had 5 stars, so I chose it over the others. When I read the recipe and saw it called for honey instead of sugar, I was kind of skeptical. But I have a bunch of honey that I needed to use, so I decided to go for it!
And boy am I glad I did!! I did change the spices a tadโฆvinegar, water, honey, salt, mustard seed, Aleppo pepper and smashed garlic cloves. It is so good, and has just the right โkickโ without being too much.
Thanks for sharing,
Cherry
Forgot to add, I used distilled white vinegar. I didnโt have any ACV.
Thanks!
Spicy Quick Pickled Radishes. Iโll be making a couple of various styles in a couple of days, because I love radishes.
My questions is, can I use the lids that come with my mason jars or do I need to cover the jars with plastic wrap?
Hi, you can use the lids that come with them. I hope you love them!
Iโve made them before and loved them. Going to make again now. Can one mix the radishes, carrots and peppers in one jar? Got to use up veggies.
I know this post is old, so I hope you found a mate in addition to Cookie for in the kitchen.
Hi:
I am looking to pickle radishes without any sweet ingredient, more like a salty and sour version of a pickle. Have you tried letting out the honey or maple syrup?
Cheers
Hi Ava, I prefer it with the sweetener. You can try it without it! Let me know.
I make this all the time. I get a weekly CSA with a bunch of radishes and I top egg and toast breakfast with the pickles. It is so fancy and so delicious. I noticed that doing this every day has also helped me in my weight loss. Thank you!
Thatโs great to hear you enjoy this recipe!
Have often pickled radishes, amongst other things, and can really recommend this recipe. I am often found pickling red cabbage, garlic shallots or onions and of course cucumbers.
After topping and tailing the radishes, I use the stems and leave in stock. Really adds flavour and colour. Very little waste.
Thank you for sharing, Adam! I appreciate your review.
Thank you, I love being taught the basics which then allows for creativity!
Nice simple recipe! Thank you :)
Iโm using a Kilner jar as itโs all I have.. Should I let it cool with the lid open or closed?
Hi! You want it to cool without the lid. Iโm glad you loved it, Nick.
Quick and easy with great results. Very easy to use as a base to tweak to your liking. We used watermelon radishes and purple daikon with a few dried peppers and fresh garlic cloves and got a delicious quick pickle!
hank you for sharing, Dylan! Iโm glad you enjoyed these radishes.
Delicious. I donโt like radish when fresh but pickled, I was delighted. I added a piece of star anise in addition to your suggestions of garlic and coriander seeds
These are amazing! I made them yesterday, thinking theyโd be around for a week or so. But Iโm already almost halfway thru them. Theyโre so yummy and have elevated my power bowls, breakfast sandwiches and pretzels & dip. Theyโre also impossible to not eat straight out the jar! Thanks for sharing!!!
Youโre welcome, Loren! Iโm glad you loved them.
Iโve now tried this recipe twice, each time with a different ACV. I used honey both times. The radishes weโre fresh from the market. Each time it has smelled like gym socks. What is going wrong?
Hi Mike, Iโm sorry you didnโt love this recipe. Maybe try the white wine vinegar instead. Sometimes apple cider vinegar can be off putting to some.
Went great with black bean tacos! Iโd never thought to use maple syrup for pickles, but I like it.
Canโt stop eating this ! Will be making these all summer. Thank you!
Love to hear that, Marissa! Thank you for your review.
I did put fresh garlic cloves in mine but then thought is fresh garlic safe?? Iโve made refrigerator pickles and it said to boil garlic first?? Will I have a problem??
Looks very good! Do you add the add-ins to the saucepan into the brine or directly into the jar with the radishes?
Thanks!
Hi Bethany! Add to the jar. I hope you love it!
Nice! Went great with falafel. Did cut back maple syrup a bit, scant 2.75 TBSP and might cut back a bit more next time since a hint to sweet for me. I went on the conservative side though for the pepper flakes and mustard seeds, and will go closer to the upper ranges next time. I was quite hesitant to do this recipe with the maple syrup as the sweet base, but glad I tried it
Thanks for posting this. I ate out yesterday and had avocado toast with pickled radish on top. Amazing combo and am using your recipe tomorrow when I shop the radishes.
I will try this today. Picked all my radishes.
I hope you loved it, Tracy!
I love these quick pickles! So easy and so good, a pleasure to have waiting in the fridge. I doubled the recipe since I had so many radishes, had liquid left over, and just poured it over some sliced cucumbers in an extra jarโฆbe creative! Thanks for a great recipe!
Youโre welcome, Brynn!
Hi. I just made this without any honey or maple syrup. So it is tart. But it is good and sugar free. Thx!
Youโre welcome, Soroor!
DELICIOUS! I am not a huge fan of raw radishes (my husband loves them), but these are so good! We have a lot of radishes in our garden so this will be a summer staple. I used a mandoline to shave thin slices (6-7 radishes packed full a half pint jar) and adjusted the measurements of the ingredients accordingly. Would cut down the honey next time (by half). Used 1/4+ crushed red pepper and it was perfect. My husband loved them, as well! Perfect for burgers and Mexican food. Yum!!!
Iโm glad you loved it, Tara!
You are so funny โ โMy ideal cooking partner would be tall, handsome, intelligent, kind and hilarious with strong musclesโI mean, a healthy appetite.โ Love it! (And I agree!)
I made these the other day (minus the honey/maple syrup) & theyโre so quick & delicious especially with cheese & oatcakes (Iโm in Scotland) but Iโve had to eat them away from my brassica hating family as they donโt like the smell! Iโve just made a second batch but with red onions which the other members of my household will (hopefully!) tolerate better.
Best pickling recipe. This is what Iโm gifting for xmas this year.
This is the best recipe of all time. I have made it countless times. Thank you so much for posting this.
Youโre welcome, Sofia!
Excellent recipe thank you
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
My dad used to make radishes with salt, lemon juice and split mustard seeds, same with carrots and fresh turmeric roots! He would make an hour or two before meal time and they would be tender and marinated to eat! Your recipe took me down the memory lane!
I opened your site to look for a recipe for radish greens, I could not find, do we have one yet?
Is this for pickles or radishes??? You mention pickles several times in the instructions and once in the ingredients list with the red peppers.