Sautéed radish greens are a quick and easy way to turn radish tops into a delicious side dish. These leafy greens are often overlooked, but when cooked with garlic and onion, they become tender, flavorful and perfect alongside any meal. So next time, don’t toss those radish greens, instead try this simple no-waste recipe to enjoy their mild peppery taste.
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Are radish greens edible?
Absolutely! Using radish leaves is a smart and tasty way to reduce food waste and get the most out of your veggies. Just like beet greens, broccoli stems or carrot leaves, radish tops are often discarded but are perfectly edible and full of flavor.
While sautéing radish greens with garlic and onion makes for a delicious side, you can also blend them into a vibrant radish leaves pesto or toss them into soups and sauces for an extra nutritional, tasty boost.
These radish greens are not only a handy way to use so-called scraps, but they are also full of nutrients and add a fresh, peppery kick to your meals. Cooking with these parts of a vegetable is a budget-friendly way to cook, reduce waste and keep your meals interesting.
How to store radish greens
Radish tops are best used as soon as possible after buying or harvesting as they wilt quickly. Either use them right away in a dish or prepare them properly for later use.
Since radishes are root vegetables that grow in soil, their leaves often hold quite a bit of dirt and sand so it’s important to wash them thoroughly before cooking.
First, cut the leaves off the radishes. Fill a large bowl with cold water and add the leaves. Gently stir them around with your hands to loosen any dirt or grit. Take the leaves out of the water and give them a quick final rinse under running water.
To dry them, use a salad spinner or gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towels. Then either start cooking the radish leaves or store them in the fridge as you would store other leafy greens like lettuce.
Which ingredients to use
- Radish greens: Only use the leaves that are fresh and bright, avoid wilted or yellow ones.
- Garlic: As garlic adds flavor and depth to sautéed greens you can never add too much. I use 2 cloves in this recipe, but feel free to add more to taste.
- Onion: Not every radish greens recipe includes onion, but for me it works great. Slowly sautéed onion gives a nice flavor boost. Use any type of onion you have on hand.
- Olive oil: Sauté in a good quality extra virgin olive oil to enhance the flavor.
- Lemon juice: A drizzle of fresh lemon juice cuts through the mild bitterness and richness of the radish greens.
- Seasoning: A pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper is all the seasoning it needs.
How to make sautéed radish greens
Note: All the exact quantities of the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
This radish greens recipe is quick and easy to make and in no time you’ll have a delicious no-waste side dish on the table.
- Prepare the ingredients: Wash and dry the radish tops, as described earlier. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.
- Sauté the onion and garlic: Heat the olive oil in a skillet or large pan over medium heat and sauté the chopped onions until translucent and fragrant. This will take 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Preferably don’t add the garlic in the beginning as when frying too long garlic can become bitter.
- Sauté the radish greens: Add the radish greens in the pan and sauté for a few minutes until the leaves are tender and wilted. Avoid overcooking them as they will become mushy and loose their bright green color.
- Season: When the radish greens are cooked, remove the pan from the heat, drizzle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve.
What to serve with sautéed radish leaves?
These sautéed greens can be served as a side dish with a whole range of main meals like:
- Bobotie or curried mince
- Vegetarian lentil curry
- Pan fried trout with garlic butter
- Chicken with sage and prosciutto
- Grilled chicken skewers
Sautéed Radish Greens with Garlic and Onion
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups radish greens loosely packed (120 grams)
- ½ onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Wash the radish leaves well in cold water to remove all the dirt then properly dry the leaves. Use a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towel.4 cups radish greens
- Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and mince the garlic cloves.½ onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté 3-4 minutes until fragrant and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, ½ onion, 2 cloves garlic
- Then add the radish greens to the skillet and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the greens are wilted.4 cups radish greens
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon juice, toss and serve immediately.kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it turned out! Leave a comment with rating below and share a picture with the hashtag #thetastychilli and tag me on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.
