Fresh radishes add a lovely crisp, peppery crunch to salads, tacos and soups. But they can quickly lose their firm crispness if stored incorrectly. In this article we’ll share the best way to store radishes so they stay crisp and last longer! Plus, we share some of our favorite ways to use radish greens and fresh radishes.

Remove the Greens

First and foremost, you should remove the greens from your radishes. The greens draw moisture away from the radish, causing it to wilt more quickly. Plus, if you leave the greens attached, they will continue to draw nutrients from the radish, making it less flavorful. You can use the radish greens in salads, to make our Radish Green Pesto, or sauté them as a side dish. Just be sure to give them a really good wash (like you wash salad greens) and store them in their own container with a paper towel.

Two Ways to Store Radishes

In Water

One of the best ways to store radishes is submerged in water in the refrigerator. Submerging radishes in water decreases the rate of degradation and keeps the radishes nice and crisp. Before submerging in water, remove the greens and wash the radishes well to remove any dirt or debris. Stored this way, radishes will last at least one week, if not longer.

In the Crisper Drawer

If you plan to use radishes within a week, wrap them in a damp paper towel and place them in a produce bag. Store the radishes in the crisper drawer for your refrigerator. It’s still recommended to remove their greens, but skip washing them until right before using. Stored this way, radishes should last 5 days and sometimes up to 1 week.

Check the paper towel every couple of days and replace it if it gets too wet or becomes moldy.

radishes with greens in a colander on a counter

Use Them Within a Week

Radishes are best when they are fresh, so try to use them within a week of purchasing. If you find that you have more radishes than you can use in a week, consider quick pickling them. Pickled radishes are a tasty addition to sandwiches, salads, and tacos, and they will last for several weeks in the fridge.

How to Re-Crisp Radishes

If your radishes have wilted and softened, you can partially re-crisp them by soaking them in water. Wash the radishes well then trim off any super soft or moldy parts. Thinly slice the radishes then submerge in cold water. Let the radishes soak for at least 15 minutes or until crisp. Drain the radishes and use as desired.

FAQ

Can you eat the leaves of radishes?

Yes, radish leaves are edible. While the texture and taste of a radish leaf depend on the plant’s maturity, all radish greens have a slightly fuzzy texture until cooked. Young radish leaves tend to be more tender, with a mild flavor—think spinach, with a subtle hint of arugula’s peppery bite.

Do you need to peel radishes?

Nope! The skin on radishes is totally edible.

Can you eat raw radish with skin?

Yes! Raw radishes are a great addition to any vegetable crudité. We like to dip radishes in our Edamame Hummus and Green Goddess Dressing.

Use Radishes In These Recipes

Enjoy the gorgeousness of a fresh, crisp radish in our Simple Radish Salad.

Turn the flavorful radish greens into a delicious radish green pesto.

Top Chicken Pozole Verde or Carne en su Jugo with thin slices of radishes.

Roasted Radishes is one of the tastiest vegetable side dishes you can make! They become soft, slightly sweet and melt-in-your-mouth.

Radishes are an ideal topping for tacos—we love them on our Chicken Barbacoa, Instant Pot Carnitas, and Tacos Arabes.

Add fresh radish to any kind of salad. We love them in our Salmon Cake Nicoise and Trout Salad.

Thinly sliced radishes are an essential addition to Salmon Poke Bowls.

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About The Author

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

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Comments

  1. I have radishes from my garden that have been stored in water in a mason jar in the refrigerator. They have been in the jar for 4 weeks, and a lot of the red color has actually washed off the radishes. Are they safe to eat or should I throw them in the compost?

    1. Hi Tricia—are the radishes covered completely in water? And have you changed out the water at all? If the radishes have been completely submerged, then no air has reached the radishes and they should be safe to eat. Give them a smell and feel the surface of a few radishes to determine if they have spoiled. They shouldn’t feel slimy at all. And if the smell is really off, I would toss them. I hope this helps!