how to keep your radishes crisp for over a week

Making radishes last all week

Every week when I go to the market, I pick up a bunch of radishes, among other things. I can’t get enough of them in the summer, and yes, I realize that this blog is named for a radish so it’s no surprise that I am awash in these guys come spring and summer. I love to just bite into them and dip them in soft butter flaked with fleur de sel; I love to generously slice them to my favorite summer salad; I’m a huge fan of the butter-herb-radish crostini – I’ll talk about it next week.

But radishes are great on day one and then are so so, and by the end of the week, they’re soft and have lost their crunch. There’s almost an unpleasant leathery chewiness to them that’s just not appealing.

So how to keep radishes from losing their bite and crunch all week? I believe I’ve found a solution.

Print

Ready for the week.

As soon as you get home from the greenmarket, separate your radishes from the greens. Using a sturdy vegetable brush, scrub the radishes thoroughly so they are free of any sand and dirt, and rinse them thoroughly in cold water. Get either a large wide mouth glass jar, or, in my case a large gallon-sized resealable bag (if you’ve run out of large jars). Line the bottom of the jar or bag with a layer of paper towels. Put still-damp radishes on top. Put another layer of paper towel and repeat until you are out of radishes. If using a bag, squeeze out excess air and voila! Crunchy, fresh radishes all week (and beyond!) long.

There’s an added bonus: Should you get a random radish craving (like I do), you can just run over to your fridge, and pull a radish out of the bag. No rinsing needed – you can crunch away without any delays.

49 Comments

  • jodi

    I noticed that problem too and I asked the farmer at my market about it, and he said don’t wash them until you are ready to eat them. So then I am stuck putting literally ‘dirty’ radishes in my fridge! I like your idea better, The paper towel absorbs any excess moisture— I will try it, thanks!

  • Bridget

    Thanks for the tip! I, too, have a husband who loves radishes and I grow them year round. Of course, they are ready to pick all at once, so there’s a couple weeks worth of radishes and the last ones look pitiful. Now you have given them a new lease on life!

    Can’t wait for your radish recipe.

  • Radish

    Bridget – it’s more of a great snack, hardly a recipe! But it’s a childhood favorite.

  • Connie

    Use the Ziploc veggie bags and don’t wash until you eat. I normally cut the greens out, but still, my radishes stay fresh for 2+ weeks in the veggie bags.

  • Emilia

    Oh, I almost forgot about this vegetable :) Thanks for reminding me of this great fresh summer crunch! Have a great Sunday! / Emilia

  • lia

    recently i started using the radish leaves in my salads. flavor similar to arugula. if you like them, you can always ask to get extra leaves (since most people ask to have them removed at the green market).

  • Dara

    you can also just immerse them in a small bowl of water and keep them in the fridge. they last all week like this for sure!

  • Radish

    Dara – that hasn’t worked for me. It changes the flavor of the radish – it becomes more watery and has less bite, which i guess makes sense when you soak it.

  • Mia @Savor Everyday

    I should try this! I love radishes too, but since they are so strong and peppery we can only eat a few at a time. I read that other vegetables like carrots and beets should be stored separately from their green tops. Like the other commenter above I also thought we should wash veggies right before we use them, but this is certainly worth a try. I suppose the paper towels would absorb any excess moisture. And when they do lose their bite by the end of the week, I drizzle them with olive oil, add salt and pepper, and roast them in the oven! (though I doubt the idea of turning on the oven in this heat would appeal to anyone right now)

    Thanks for the tip!

  • Cara

    That’s just what I do! I usually put them in a Tupperware container, rather than a plastic bag. But the paper towels seem to be key.

  • Radish

    Cara – I have a glass jar, normally, but they were all filled with things, so ziploc it was!

  • heidi

    I love these kinds of tips, simple as they may be but these are the things that make life in the kitchen a little easier. I do something similar with cilantro and parsley. I wrap them in paper towels and put them in a bag and they hold up way longer.The other one I just love is to use an empty soda or water bottle and when you cut up the greens on onions, put them in the bottle and put it in the freezer and you have fresh cut-up greens that you just shake out of the bottle onto whatever you ned. I throw away so much less with this method and they are ready anytime you need them.

  • biz

    I had some pretty withered looking radishes from last week. I debated throwing them out, and then decided instead to try a little mad scientist experiment to bring them back to LIFE MUAHAHAHA!!! By gum, it worked. Re-crunchy, re-plumped, they were brought back from the grave and tasted like new. I have no idea if this is a bad idea, but our stomachs are made of steel in my family. Not sure if I should recommend my mad, mad solution.

  • Sarit

    I arrived here after I searched in Google how to keep Radish fresh I think this idea works better than all what I’ve tried before thanks!. Just wondering though when I cut the radish should the inside surface have white rounded little dots?

  • olga

    Sarit – never seen that before; that might have something to do with your radishes rather than the storage method?

  • FRANK

    Just came to end of a week’s batch. Had cut off greens, both ends. Washed. Like Dara I put them in Tupperware container bottom of fridge. Held up well for 5 days. Fridge is bit on cold side and I didn’t stick them in crisper very bottom. Next bunch I’ll add the wet towels & maybe use the crisper section to avoid the cold. They hadn’t frozen but by end had gotten sort of a Popsicle texture. No fun there. Thanks for ideas.

  • olga

    Sarit – unfortunately, you cannot freeze lettuce and use it after. You can, however, refrigerate it with great success. Wash the lettuce leaves as soon as you get home, dry them with paper towels (or a salad spinner), wrap in slightly damp paper towels, and place in a resealable plastic bag. Hope this helps.

  • MJ

    Lovely!

    I’ve recently discovered radishes… I’m obsessed with them for breakfast, AKA toast with butter, cream cheese and thinly sliced radishes. I think they call them Queen victoria sandwiches or something.

    Thx for the tip!

  • Phil

    I love radishes, especially as a side with a cold cut sandwich. I love the fresh crunchy experience they give. Just makes a cold cut sandwich and chips a great quick mid-day meal. Now how long this works, I can’t tell you – radishes don’t stay in my fridge long enough, but, I cut off top and bottom, wash them, and put them in a large cup submerged in water. Put them in the fridge and they are excellent. Crispy and tasty. As I said, I don’t know how long they keep like that – I eat mine soon enough, but a week to ten days is no problem.

  • olga

    Victoria – that depends on your preference. Some people like french breakfast radishes, others ones with more punch.

  • Missy Gall

    Thanks for the tip, I’ve been having issues with radishes this past week, either turning
    slimey or wilted and leathery.

  • Aggie

    I too use the zip lock bag and paper towel trick.
    Another tip is to discard the tops, wash radishes well, and barely cover with cold water. Container can be covered or uncovered. Mine have kept fresh and crisp, for weeks in the fridge. Keep them in close site at the front of the shelf, so when every time you open the fridge, you’ll be reminded to change the water every second day or even every day.
    The zip lock bag and paper towel trick works well with green onions too. Clean onions well. No need to wash them, just wipe clean and dry with paper towel. Lay onions in a row on damp paper towel and roll up loosely and place in zip lock bag. I cut off at least half of the greens from the onions and dry well with paper towel. Using herb scissors or a sharp knife I slice the tops. Place these loosely in a zip lock bag, and lay flat in the freezer. Use straight from the freezer for your favorite recipes (soups, omelettes etc.) Immediately return unused portions to the freezer.

  • lily

    The best way to keep the crunch in a radish is to clean them good and put them in the fridge in a jar of fresh water and use a canning jar so you can put the lid on it!! They get more crisp then you could ever imagine! !!!! Yummy the best way ever to store your radishes!!!!!!!!!!

  • roland stumpf

    My mother was from germany and she used to put the radishes into a container of water and refridgerate them and replace the water every other day and it stayed as fresh and crisp as could be like right out of the garden.

  • Terri

    Thank you all and Sassy Radish on how to keep, and restore (thank you biz) wilted radishes. I was bad and didn’t clean and bag them when I got them and so they started drying out. I just stuck 3 bunches in a container of cold water. I hope they “reconstitute”!. I have a green pea, feta and radish salad I want to try.
    Terri

  • Ryan

    Hey everyone. I have crispy radishes in my fridge for more than 2 weeks. I clean them, cut them and then put them in water. Just as crispy today as they were when he bought them.

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