I’ve never been a radish aficionado–I find them to be too peppery and earthy. Nonetheless, I was intrigued by Alice Zaslavsky’s idea of roasting and tossing them in a creamy, herby butter.
Honestly, my expectations were low. I figured, at best, they’d be buttery and herby but still peppery and earthy.
Alas, no. Their tour of duty in the oven mellowed their bite, and the compound butter was the gild this lily needed. Specifically, the tarragon that tickled and lifted the dish.
I felt it needed a bit of acid, so I added lots of lemon zest and a squirt of lemon juice. A few grinds of pepper and a fresh sprinkling of sea salt, and we were in business.
Oh, the compound herb butter was so good and plentiful (we had leftovers) it turned a ho-hum bowl of mashed potatoes (is there ever such a thing?) into something wickedly delicious.
Why Our Testers Loved This
The testers were smitten with the flavor of these oven-roasted radishes. They loved how the crunchy, spicy raw radishes were transformed in the oven and “lost their spiciness, and came out tender and a little browned with a hint of sweetness.“
Lisa A. joined in with her comment, “Roasted radishes become sweetly nutty, and they are a fine accompaniment for just about anything.”
Ingredients at a Glance
- Radishes–If you can find multi-colored radishes, they make for a stunning presentation, but regular red radishes will work fine here, too. Try to keep the radishes similarly sized (cut larger ones in quarters) so that they cook evenly. If you’re particularly sensitive to the heat in radishes, soak them in a bowl of cold water for 45 minutes before roasting.
- Tarragon–This herb has a licorice-like flavor that pairs well with radishes. If your tarragon is looking a little wilted, you can refresh the leaves in an ice-water bath for 15 to 20 minutes before using.
- Salted butter–The salt in the butter is extremely important for adding flavor to the radishes, which become quite mellow after cooking. If you are using unsalted butter, add an extra 1 teaspoon of sea salt to your butter when making the herbed compound butter.
How to Make This Recipe
- Heat the oven to 400°F.
- Trim the radishes and cut them into halves or quarters, depending on their size.
- Toss the radishes with olive oil. Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until just tender.
- Meanwhile, blitz the garlic, salt, and herbs in a food processor. Toss in the butter.
- Pulse until the butter and herbs are thoroughly combined. Scrape the butter into a small bowl.
- Spoon one-quarter of the butter over the roasted radishes and toss to combine. Return to the oven and cook for 5 minutes more.
- Sprinkle lemon zest (and juice, if you wish) over the roasted radishes.
- Serve warm with extra herbs, salt, pepper, and more butter, if desired.
Common Questions
Depending on the variety of radishes and the growing conditions, the flavor can range from mild and sweet, with only a hint of spice, to very peppery. Black, daikon, and watermelon radishes tend to be milder, while globe and French breakfast radishes are often spicy.
Radishes can be prepared in many ways. They can be served raw, often with butter and salt, and offer a crunchy, peppery bite. The method described in this recipe for roasting radishes will give you a milder, sweeter version of the vegetable. If you prefer cooked radishes, you can also make braised radishes.
The testers enjoyed these radishes alongside a simple protein, like grilled steak, fish, or seared pork chops. A schmear of the leftover compound butter is also excellent on top of meat and fish.
Helpful Tips
- Use leftover herb butter for topping garlic bread, spreading on corn on the cob, tossing with pasta, or topping grilled beef tenderloin.
- If you prefer crunchier radishes, reduce the initial roasting time by 5 minutes. Alternatively, for more tender radishes, cook them until they are fork-tender.
- Leftover roasted radishes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Compound butter can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 6 months.
More great radish recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
Buttery Oven Roasted Radishes
Ingredients
For the roasted radishes
- 2 1/4 pounds radishes (2 to 4 bunches), soaked in cold water if desired
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the herb butter
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon flaked sea salt
- 1/4 cup tarragon leaves, plus more for garnish
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- 13 tablespoons (6 1/2 oz) salted butter, softened
For serving
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Flaked sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Roast the radishes
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Cut the larger radishes in half, leaving the root end and a little of the green stem attached for decorative effect. Cut any very large radishes into quarters.
- Spread them on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with the olive oil to coat. Pop the radishes into the oven and roast until just fork tender, about 20 minutes.
Make the herb butter
- In a food processor, blitz the garlic, flaked sea salt, and herbs together until a rough paste forms. Toss in the butter and pulse to combine. Scrape the butter into a small bowl.
- Scoop one quarter of the butter from the bowl and dollop it over the radishes on the baking sheet. Mix it through the radishes to glaze them. Cover the remaining butter with plastic wrap and stash it in the fridge or freezer for later use.
- Return the radishes to the oven and roast for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon zest.
- Serve warm, sprinkled with fresh herbs, flaky sea salt, and pepper. Drizzle with extra melted herb butter, if desired.
Notes
- Leftover herb butter–Use leftover herb butter for topping garlic bread, spreading on corn on the cob, tossing with pasta, or topping grilled beef tenderloin.
- Adjust your cooking time–If you prefer crunchier radishes, reduce the initial roasting time by 5 minutes. Alternatively, for more tender radishes, cook them until they are fork-tender.
- Storage–Leftover roasted radishes can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Compound butter can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks or frozen for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
I loved these little oven-roasted radishes! I did have to go to two farmers’ markets and three grocery stores before I was able to find fresh tarragon (I guess I need a plant!), but I’m glad I persisted because these were the perfect side dish to go alongside some early-spring grilling.
After being roasted, the radishes lost their spiciness and turned tender and a little browned with a hint of sweetness, much like turnips. The compound butter glazed them nicely and added a herby freshness to the roasted radishes. Plus, between the deep purple and white of the radishes and the pops of green from the herbs, this dish is beautiful to look at!
I’m calling these cooked radishes “ravishing.”
While I’ve had oven-roasted radishes before, I’ve had none that made me say, “Wow.” This roasted radish recipe enticed me because of the use of the herb butter and also because I’d just scored several bunches of Easter-egg radishes at our local market.
In 50 minutes, I had two recipes: the roasted radishes, flavoured and glazed with this beautiful herb butter, and a small batch of herb butter for the freezer.
The colours remained vibrant albeit slightly toned down with slightly browned edges, a titch of a bite with creamy, savoury, and slightly sweet interiors. The hint of tarragon flavour paired perfectly with the freshness of the parsley and the richness of salted butter.
I paired my roasted radishes with a Sauvignon blanc for a refreshing contrast. And I served with fish fillet piccata and salad greens. I felt like I was at a bistro in the south of France.
Radishes become sweetly nutty when roasted, and they’re a fine accompaniment to just about anything. I served these with grilled skirt steak and grilled corn for a simple and delicious outdoor supper.
I shortened the roasting time by 5 minutes, as I like the radishes to retain a little bit of crunch. The herb butter was tasty on the corn, too.
There were a few radishes left over, and they made a nice snack the next day. This is a quick 35-minute side dish that’s a pleasant surprise and rounds out any meal.
If you’ve only eaten raw radishes, be sure to add this to your repertoire or radish recipes. Roasting them takes out the bite and pepperiness, transforming them into a milder and sweeter vegetable, closer in taste and texture to a turnip or potato.
Place them in the pan cut side down to get a nice crispy finish on the cut side. A roasting time of 20 minutes will get the job done, but they may still have a bit of crunch. Lengthen the time, and in 25 to 30 minutes, they’ll be fork tender, which is how we prefer them.
The compound butter is quite good and, as David points out, quite versatile. As an alternative to the compound butter, you can get a similar effect by tossing the roasted radishes with some melted butter and chopped herbs at the end of the initial roasting time.
If you’re fortunate enough to find multi-colored radishes (usually in the spring), you’ll have the same look as in the photos. If they’re not available in your market, the more readily available red ones will work just fine.
Finally, if yours come with healthy-looking green tops, be sure to save them and sauté them in some vegetable oil to serve as a side or mix in with the roasted radishes.
