How to Use Radish Greens and Daikon Greens

Uses for Radish and Daikon Greens

Depending on the variety, radish greens can be peppery, like arugula, or milder, like spinach.  They can be used similarly to those greens and in many of the same ways you’d use beet and turnip greens or carrot tops.

Used raw, radish greens make a peppy pesto, a flavorful swap for lettuce in sandwiches, and a great addition to the salad bowl.

Radish greens also make a quick and easy side dish when sautéed with garlic and oil. Radish leaf soup is a cleansing dish served similarly to nettle soup in the spring as a healthy tonic to start the season. And pickled radish leaves are not only delicious, they are a great way to preserve the leaves.

But some of the more interesting uses for radish greens come from Asian cuisines, which feature radish and daikon greens in a number of popular dishes.

Japanese Radish Leaf Recipes

According to a 2015 survey, daikon is the most popular vegetable in Japan. It’s no surprise, then, that the country’s cuisine puts them to good use. The radish is commonly served as a grated condiment, and used in soups, stews and pickles. The greens can also be pickled, as well as stir-fried, mixed into rice or turned into a condiment.

Korean Radish Leaf Recipes

There are many recipes for radish-based kimchi, the highly-flavored, fermented dish that is a Korean national tradition. The leaves are often incorporated and are sometimes the center of the pickle. Siraegi, dried radish leaves, were traditionally hung to cure in the fall so they could be enjoyed in the colder months when fields were fallow. Although eaters are less dependent on the traditional harvest cycle these days, the dried leaves are still used to flavor all manner of dishes, including rice, soup and porridge.

Indian Radish Leaf Recipes

Radish greens are used in many Indian dishes as spinach would be: stewed into a simmering pot of curry. You can also build a dish around them, such as this Indian stir-fry, poriyal, or this braised radish leaves dish.

Recipe: Sautéed Radishes from Root to Leaf

Sherri Brooks Vinton

Serves 3-4

In this dish, radishes are sautéed until tender and coated with nutty browned butter. Then the greens are added to the pan to bring a fresh radish zing to the dish. Serve this as a side dish or toss with pasta, grated nutmeg and a sprinkle of cheese for a quick, delicious dinner.

Ingredients

1 pound radishes with bright green leaves
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice, optional
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Remove greens. Wash and dry thoroughly. Quarter radishes.
2. Heat oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook radishes, tossing occasionally, until tender, about 7-10 minutes.
3. Add butter and cook, using a spoon to baste radishes with butter, until butter begins to brown and smell nutty, about 1 minute.
4. Add greens and cook until wilted, about 1 minute more.
5. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, if using. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

A version of this piece was originally published in December 2018.

Top photo by @nina_p_v /Twenty20.