It’s spring! Although we’re still deluged with cold rains here in Washington, the crazy cheap prices of fresh radishes is one evidence that spring has arrived. Knowing we’ll get some in our CSA this year, I’ve been trying to come up with some new favorite radish recipes. Inspired by the French breakfast of radishes and butter on bread (which I first had when the Herbfarm served it at IFBC), I decided to make a simple radish spread recipe perfect for breakfast, lunch and snacking!
Radishes are a root vegetable with a lot of different varieties. They are simple and beautiful, and are typically eaten raw. The leaves of radishes are edible, but most people just eat the root, which is the large bulb. They’ve got a great crunchy texture with a peppery taste. The ones you typically see in grocery stores are red or European radishes.
Not only do I like radishes for the way their peppery flavor bites my tongue, they’re also good for you! A whole cupful of sliced radishes only has 20 calories, but it’s packed with potassium, folic acid, vitamin B6 and calcium.
Now that I have a working food processor again, I’m using it several times a week. It makes quick work of this radish butter. If you don’t have a food processor, you can finely chop the radishes with a large knife and then mix the into the soft butter. It’s just a LOT more work.
The radish butter is great on slices of toasted bread or crackers, or if you’re watching carbs, try spreading it on little leaves of romaine or endive. My naughty cat likes to just lick it right out of the bowl!
This is a great option for breakfast or a snack, and I serve it with bread as a side at dinner to keep our hungry boys satisfied.
If you’re looking for more radish recipes, give my radish cranberry coleslaw a try, it’s one of my favorites. How do you like to eat radishes?
Radish Butter
Ingredients
- 10-12 small to medium red radishes
- 1 stick (8 TBS) butter, softened
- to taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- Trim leaves and root strand off of radishes, then wash and dry the radish bulbs.
- Place radish bulbs in a food processor and pulse until very finely chopped.
- Add the butter and pulse until smooth.
- Mix in salt and pepper to taste, or spread on bread and sprinkle individual servings with salt and pepper.
- Serve at room temperature. Can be kept covered at room temperature for three days.
Notes
Approximate cost/serving:  I got a bunch of 12 radishes for 50 cents.  Butter I get in bulk at Sam’s Club for 58 cents a stick.  That mean this half a cup or so of vegetable spread is just around $1.10!  At one TBS a serving (enough for 3-4 small toasts), that’s just 14 cents a serving.
Vegetarian/gluten free:Â Totally meatless and vegetarian without adjustments as long as you eat dairy products. Â Gluten free as is.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 1Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 296mgCarbohydrates: 0gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 0g
Nutrition information is an estimate only.
Man that sounds good. It’s still too wet here to plant radishes, but the radish butter looks like an interesting addition….maybe in time for a Kentucky Derby celebration? I’ll run with that! Giggles
Ah, sounds like a plan. I just planted some radish seeds. I’ve never grown them before so I’m pretty excited.
This looks so good! Thanks for sharing it. My husband loves radishes, so I know he’d love this. I’m thinking it would make a great appetizer for Easter brunch or dinner, too!
I agree! Our bread for Easter will be a sweet date roll that doesn’t really go with radishes, but we’re having quite a bit of this leading up to Easter!
Fantastic recipe, quick and easy way for a delicious radish butter. Looking forward to this recipe with dinner tonight.
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Thanks and Regards
Mike
Thanks Mike, hope you enjoyed it!
I never had radishes for breakfast in France – look what I’ve missed! I’m definitely going to try this. Your photos look so inviting.
Thanks Maureen, are you still in France?
Sadly no, I’m back in Australia. I would head to Rue Cler in Paris any day to do my shopping.
I hope to get to go to France one day!
I just planted radishes in my garden for the first time ever. They’ve started to sprout and I cannot wait to use them! This will be a perfect recipe to test them out!!!!
How exciting! I just planted some radish seeds today. Hope they sprout as well as yours!
I have tried several compound butters before, but I have never tried one with raddishes, I look forward to trying your creative recipe.
I’d love to hear how it turns out for you, thanks for stopping by and commenting!
Do you think it will freeze okay? I’ve frozen compound butters before, but never tried freezing radishes. We have a small household, so going through a stick or two of butter takes a long time, and it might not last for months in the fridge.
I haven’t tried freezing radishes either. I think it could work, but you might want to press the water out of the chopped radishes before mixing in the butter. I think the excess water might make it separate or something as it thaws. I’d love to hear if you try it out!
I just found this site a few days ago and I’m enjoying reading over your recipes! My husband and I have a huge garden out back and one of our crops is radishes. Once we get more radishes, I’m definitely going to try this recipe!
As a side note, the greens of radishes are pretty tasty too tossed into salads. Yum! 🙂
Yes! When I put radishes in salads I always mix the greens in. Great tip Ann!
Great recipe! I never know what to do with my CSA radishes as they aren’t my favorite, and this is the best use by far with a loaf of fresh bread.
Thanks CSA Lady. It was my CSA that actually inspired me to grow radishes, I never bought them and kind of wasn’t interested. But once I started getting them in my CSA I had so much fun coming up with ways to use them. Enjoy!
I can hardly wait to make this for my husband. He loves radishes so much, he will slice some and put them on buttered bread to make a radish sandwich. Knowing this recipe will be good for a few days makes it even better.
Can you use white/Diakon radishes instead of red?
You definitely can! It will have a different flavor and color, but it should still be delicious.