Drying Radishes
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Drying radishes at home is an easy and quick way to preserve them. They can be used in many different ways and are a great ingredient to have on the shelf, ready to be added to many dishes!
Truth be told, years ago radishes were not exactly my go-to veggie. I didn’t have as big of a need to preserve them as I did with mushrooms or onions. Then I began to see the many dishes I can use radishes in, as well as the understanding I gained of all of the many health benefits they offer.
Today I can grow plenty of radishes but I can’t eat them or use them in my recipes nearly as fast as I can harvest them. I found the perfect solution…..dehydrating radishes (I also ferment radishes!). Dehydrating radishes from the garden or one’s that I pick up from the produce department is a perfect way to preserve them before they go bad or unused.
Dehydrating Radishes at Home…
There are various methods to dehydrate your radishes. The most popular way is to use a food dehydrator. If you don’t have access to a food dehydrator, no problem, you can use your oven. The process to dehydrate radishes is so simple and I love having dried radishes on hand to use in my recipes.
Reasons For Drying Radishes…
- Preserving the flavor – Dehydrating radishes is a wonderful way to preserve your harvest and enjoy the flavor that much longer in your favorite recipes and dishes.
- Another way to eat them – Sprinkle radishes in your favorite salad for a pop of color and crunch or add them to your soups and broths for extra flavor.
- Preserving for long-term storage – Radishes are a great source of vitamin C, calcium, and anti-oxidant properties. Preserving them for long-term storage saves money and time from buying them at the store.
What Part of the Radish Can I Dry?
- The root – as radish chips (thin slices).
- The greens – as green chips (kinda like kale chips) or to turn into powder and add to a green powder for seasonings.
Ingredients…
- Radishes – there are many varieties of radishes. You can follow this tutorial to dry any kind of radish. Just make sure that you choose fresh, and firm radishes. I used about 40 small radishes and got 1/2 a pint using this tutorial.
- Seasonings and spices – you can add some sweetness or some spiciness to your radish chips. In this tutorial, I’ll keep it simple and only use the radishes, however, feel free to mix whatever seasoning you want in a bowl and toss your radish coins in the spices before dehydrating them. You can make a combination of sugar, chili pepper, and cinnamon. You can try brown sugar, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg. You can try only cinnamon and sugar… The sky is the limit, try something different each time.
Kitchen Tools…
- Knife
- Cutting board
- Dehydrator – I am using a nice dehydrator that allows me to control the temperature and produces a better end result. If you don’t have one of those, you can still dehydrate radish in the oven or in a cheap (no temperature control) dehydrator. More on this in the FAQ section below.
- Airtight storage container (I use jars)
Dehydrating Radishes Step By Step…
Step one – prep the radishes. Wash the radishes well, and remove roots and tops. Slice the radishes into thin slices (1/6”). The Greens on the radishes can also be dried.
Step two – add to the dehydrator. Set radish slices in one layer on dehydrator trays, allowing for space in between the slices.
Step three – dehydrate. Set the radishes on the trays of the dehydrator, and dehydrate at 125 degrees F for 6-8 hours. If radishes are completely dry and crispy (breaks easily) you can remove them from the dehydrator. If your radish slices aren’t completely dry, leave them in the dehydrator for another hour or so.
How to Store Dehydrated Radish…
Once the radishes are dry, let them cool for a few minutes, and then transfer them to an air-tight container. You can vacuum seal them or use zip-lock bags. If using a zip-lock bag, make sure to get any air out of the bag before sealing. You can also use mason jars. In my opinion, jars with two-piece lids work best for storage and are beautiful to look at on the shelf!
How to Use Dehydrated Radishes…
- As a snack – Dehydrated radishes can make a great vegetable appetizer.
- Top a salad – Dried radishes make a great topping on your favorite salad. You can crush them into smaller pieces and add them to a kale salad or any other salad just as you would add nuts.
- Add to a green smoothie – Use the greens of a radish in a smoothie. Radish greens don’t have the same taste like a radish itself and are more tender, and mix well with apples, blueberries, and bananas.
- Add to casseroles or soups – Add radishes to all your favorite casseroles or soups (along with dry thyme) for a savory taste and additional flavor.
How to Make and Use Radish Powder…
One of the greatest things about dehydrated food is that you can turn it into powder. To make radish powder, place the dry radishes in a coffee grinder and grind them until you get a powder. Store your powder in jars at room temperature and use it to season dishes or mix it in with other dry vegetable powders to make a mixed vegetable powder to use for seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions…
Yes. Drying foods in a proper dehydrator where you can control the temperature produces a better result and preserves the nutrition better, however, if you don’t have a dehydrator, you can follow the same prep instructions: line a baking sheet with parchment paper, turn your oven to its lowest temperature and dehydrate your radishes this way. Of course, drying time will change so keep checking your radish. Also, you might need to turn your baking sheet and/or turn the radish slices halfway through.
Not really, slicing them is the best way to go.
The cheaper Presto dehydrator is very popular and you can find it at any Walmart or online. It runs at a temperature of 165 degrees F and there is no way to control the temperature. Yes, you can use this kind of dehydrator to dry radishes. Again, for best results, we want to process vegetables at a temperature of 125 degrees F but a higher temperature will work as well. Drying time will probably be shorter, around 3-4 hours or so.
You can (by placing the dry radish slices in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes) but it’s not recommended. Once radishes are dry, that’s typically how they are used.
Are your wheels spinning on how you can use dehydrated radishes in your favorite dish? The process is so simple and easy that it’s worth the time, the next time you have a few extra radishes hanging around. Let me know how it goes.
More Dehydrating Tutorials…
- How to Dehydrate Jalapenos
- Dehydrating Beets
- How to Dehydrate Banana slices
- How to Dry Apples in the Oven
- Purple Sweet Potato Chips Recipe
- How to Dehydrate Pineapple
- Dehydrating Carrots
Drying Radish
Drying radishes at home is an easy and quick way to preserve them. They can be used in many different ways and are a great ingredient to have on the shelf, ready to be added to many dishes.
Ingredients
- Radishes (I used about 40 small radishes. Use any variety)
Instructions
- Step one- Wash the radishes well, and remove roots and tops. Slice the radishes into thin slices, about 1/6” thick.
- Step two- Set radish slices in one layer on dehydrator trays, allowing for space in between the slices.
- Step three- Set the radishes on the trays of the dehydrator, and dehydrate at 125 degrees F for 6-8 hours. If radishes are completely dry and crispy (breaks easily) you can remove them from the dehydrator. Note: If your radish slices aren’t completely dry, leave them in the dehydrator for another hour or so.
- Step four- Once the radishes are dry, let them cool for a few minutes, and then transfer them to an air-tight container (I prefer mason jars).
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions…
- Can I dehydrate radishes in the oven?
Yes. Drying foods in a proper dehydrator where you can control the temperature produces a better result and preserves the nutrition better, however, if you don’t have a dehydrator, you can follow the same prep instructions: line a baking sheet with parchment paper, turn your oven to its lowest temperature and dehydrate your radishes this way. Of course, drying time will change so keep checking your radish. Also, you might need to turn your baking sheet and/or turn the radish slices halfway through. - Can I dehydrate whole radishes?
Not really, slicing them is the best way to go. - I can’t control the temperature on my dehydrator, can I still use it?
The cheaper Presto dehydrator is very popular and you can find it at any Walmart or online. It runs at a temperature of 165 degrees F and there is no way to control the temperature. Yes, you can use this kind of dehydrator to dry radishes. Again, for best results, we want to process vegetables at a temperature of 125 degrees F but a higher temperature will work as well. Drying time will probably be shorter, around 4-6 hours or so. - Can I rehydrate a radish?
You can (by placing the dry radish slices in a bowl of hot water for a few minutes) but it’s not recommended. Once radishes are dry, that’s typically how they are used.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 29Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 70mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g
Have you dried daikon radishes? if so did they get crunchy? I have tried and they stayed plyable. Can they be stored this way and how would you recommend doing so.
Thank you for your consideration on this matter.
I didn’t dry daikon radish but I did dry radish before. I can’t imagine that it’s much different. You can see how I do it in this post: https://ladyleeshome.com/drying-radishes/
I would try to slice them real thin, like chips. Then dry until they are crispy. If they still have moisture in them they won’t last long on the shelf. Just keep drying until they are done.