Sautéed Radish Greens Recipe

Name: Sautéed Radish Greens Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients: 6 cups radish greens, from about 2 bunches of radishes; 1 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 1/4 tsp salt; 1 tsp lemon juice

A fast garlicky sauté that turns radish tops, usually thrown away, into a peppery, tender green side dish. — Photo by Tatyana Novoselova on Pexels

Radish greens are tender and slightly fuzzy, closer to spinach than to a tough green like kale, so they need only a couple minutes of high heat to wilt down without turning bitter or slimy.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 5 min
Total: 15 min
Servings: 2

Ingredients

Servings2

6 cups radish greens, from about 2 bunches of radishes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon juice

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Instructions

1Wash the radish greens thoroughly in a large bowl of water, changing the water once or twice to remove any grit, then spin or pat dry.
2Trim off any thick, tough stems and roughly chop the leaves.
3Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the garlic and red pepper flakes, cooking just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4Add the greens in batches, tossing as they wilt down to make room for more.
5Cook for 2-3 minutes, tossing often, until all the greens are wilted and tender.
6Season with salt, remove from heat, and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Tips & variations

Stir in a handful of the greens with pasta and parmesan for a quick weeknight meal instead of serving them as a standalone side.
A splash of soy sauce and sesame oil in place of the lemon gives the dish a different, more savory direction.
Mix radish greens with spinach or chard if you don't have quite enough on their own, they wilt at a similar rate.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate cooked greens in an airtight container up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in a dry skillet over medium heat; they lose texture quickly in the microwave.

Nutrition

A leafy green side that's naturally low in calories and a good source of fiber, with only a light amount of added oil.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

Only use greens from radishes that were fresh and firm, greens attached to soft or rubbery radishes are usually already past their best.
Cook the greens the same day you buy or harvest the radishes, they wilt and turn bitter faster than the roots do.

FAQ

Are radish greens actually edible?

Yes, they're entirely edible and taste similar to a peppery mix of spinach and mustard greens. They're often thrown away simply because most people don't know they can be cooked.

Do radish greens need to be cooked, or can they be eaten raw?

They can be eaten raw in small amounts in a salad, but they're fuzzy and slightly bitter raw. Cooking softens the texture and mellows the bitterness considerably.

How do I clean radish greens properly?

Submerge them in a bowl of cold water and swish vigorously, then lift them out (rather than pouring the bowl through a colander) so the grit that sinks stays behind. Repeat once more if the water looks cloudy.