How To Freeze Radishes So They're Ready To Use At Any Time

Radishes are useful for adding crunch to salads or garnish to otherwise unexciting side dishes. The appeal of radishes truly lies in their versatility. They can be enjoyed raw, grilled, roasted, pickled or in a humble radish sandwich, as Jacques Pépin likes it. While radishes may entice fiber-seeking eaters and lovers of fancy salads, knowing how to maintain and preserve them might be a little bit of a mystery. If storing your extra radishes in a bowl of water is your current go-to method for preservation, it might be time to try something simpler. The answer to managing your radish overflow may be to store them in the freezer.

The first step is to prepare the radishes by trimming the roots, taking off the leaves, and rinsing them with cold water. Avoid peeling the radishes if you want to enjoy the snappy texture. Similarly, it's best to slice or chop your radishes into cubes rather than leaving them whole if you're adamant on preserving the crisp texture. Next, it's best to blanch your radishes for approximately three minutes and then immediately transfer them into a bowl of ice for about two minutes. The ice will interrupt the cooking process. Afterward, pat them dry with a paper cloth, strain using a colander, and get ready to bag up your radishes in a freezer bag.

If you regularly overestimate your ability to prep multiple radish dishes and end up tossing the majority out, then there are some tricks worth noting. Freezing radishes is particularly helpful if you're looking for an easy meal-prep method to get more veggies into your day (who isn't?). Thankfully, radishes remain fresh in the freezer for about six months. Just remember to use air-tight containers or sealed freezer bags to avoid freezer burn. Nobody wants weird-tasting meals because the radishes were poorly stored in the freezer.

To truly lock in those flavors, you might want to factor in flash freezing. Flash freezing is an additional step of laying the radishes out on parchment or baking paper and placing them in the freezer to stop them from sticking together. The process can last between one to three hours before placing them in air-tight containers to stay in the freezer. 

When you're ready to cook your radishes, thawing them is simple. Remove them from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator for a few hours. If you're truly in a rush to get your radish dish one the table, leaving them under some running water will save you some time.