Radishes are so much more than a colorful crunchy, somewhat bitter vegetable added to salads. They lose their strong flavor and take on a very mellow flavor when pan fried. This simple dish of sautéed radishes have unbelievable flavor when you cook them in some basil butter.
Why this recipe is just so good....
- Honestly, I never loved radishes in my salads. Their bitter, peppery flavor was not my favorite. BUT sauté radishes in a fry pan, add some delicious basil herb butter and they take on a whole different texture and flavor. Similar to potatoes actually, and for those following a low carb or keto diet, fried radishes provide a taste sensation that may have been missing for a quite a while.
- I believe pan frying any vegetables in some olive oil or butter with some added seasonings is always going to be more delicious than steaming them. That's why Pan Fried Asparagus, Broccoli and Brussels Sprouts are always on our menu for a tasty side dish.
Ingredients for Sautéed Radishes
You will need sliced radishes, chopped red or yellow onion, fresh thyme and rosemary and the basil butter or other butter of choice.
- Cooking radishes with fresh herbs always enhances their flavor. For this recipe, I'm using some thyme and rosemary. You can try some oregano, sage, dill, parsley or marjoram.
- Ground herbs can be substituted for fresh. But they are concentrated so you need much less. It's always best to start with less, you can taste test and add more as you like.
How to make sautéed radishes
- Saute' the chopped onions in one tablespoon of basil butter over medium-high heat until softened and lightly browned.
- Remove onions to a bowl and saute' the sliced radishes in one more tablespoon of butter. Spread them out in a large saute or fry pan and stir so that they get golden brown and lightly crisp. Lower heat if they are getting too browned. Add the minced rosemary and thyme. Cook about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve the onions and radishes with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
How to make Basil Butter
The extra basil butter can be frozen and then placed in a freezer storage bag to use as needed. It will keep for about 3 months in the freezer.
- I used about a handful (½ cup) of purple and green basil from my garden and one large garlic clove. Salted butter gives a little extra flavor as well. You can add more or less basil and garlic to your liking.
- If you don't have basil available, you can still add a similar flavor to the radishes. Just saute the radishes with butter and add 1 teaspoon of dried basil seasoning along with any other herbs you prefer.
- Finely chop the basil and garlic. It's easier to do if you have a mini chopper or food processor, but you can do it by hand.
- Soften the butter in the microwave in 20 second intervals. Use a large wooden spoon or a hand held mix to combine the butter and herbs.
Recipe Testing Tips
- For the crispiest radishes, make sure the pan is hot before you heat the butter. Watch the butter carefully. Browned butter tastes delicious with vegetables, but it can quickly burn if cooked on too high a temperature or too long.
- Make sure you use a large fry pan so that the radishes can spread out. If they are too close together, they will be more likely to steam instead of getting nice and golden brown.
- Store leftover radishes in the refrigerator for about three days. When ready to eat, reheat in pan to crisp them again.
- You can freeze cooked radishes, but they will be softer when you reheat them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When cooked, radishes taste nothing like they do when raw. They are much milder and lose some of the bitter, peppery flavor. Pan frying them in butter and lots of seasoning, make them almost taste like fried potatoes.
No, the peel on a radish is so thin, it really doesn't matter. Just wash them well, pat dry and cut off any cuts or blemishes on the radish.
Place sliced radishes in a single layer in the pan and don't cover with a lid. You want them to get browned and a bit crispy, not steamed.
Use a high enough flame to brown the radishes. You want them to be golden brown. But watch them carefully so they don't burn. Turn down the flame if browning too much. They are done when a fork can easily cut them in half. You can also taste one. They should still be tender and browned.
If you try this recipe, please let me know how you liked it in the comments. This tells me what you enjoy and would like to see more of!
Some other tasty vegetable recipes to try:
Sautéed Radishes with Basil Butter
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Description
These slightly bitter little radishes take on a life of their own when sautéed with onions in a flavorful basil butter until lightly crisp.
Ingredients
Basil Butter
- 1 stick (half cup) salted butter, softened
- ½ cup of basil leaves, finely chopped
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
Sauteed Radishes and Onions
- 1 lb. radishes, washed, thinly sliced
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 3 sprigs thyme, herb pulled from stem and finely chopped *
- 1 sprig rosemary, herb pulled from stem and finely chopped *
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a chopper or small food processor, blend the butter, basil and garlic until completed mixed. I used the pulse button to avoid over mixing.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of basil butter for the recipe.
- Over medium heat, fry the onions in one tablespoon of the basil butter until onions are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove to a bowl.
- In same pan over medium heat, fry the sliced radishes in one more tablespoon of butter. Stir and spread out the radishes so that they get golden brown and lightly crisp. Add in the minced rosemary and thyme. Continue to cook about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve onions and radishes with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
Notes
* You can substitute ground herbs for fresh if you prefer. However, they are much more concentrated so use only ½ - 1 teaspoon to start. Taste test and add more as you like.
* The remaining butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. You can also freeze the butter in ice cube trays. They will freeze solid in under 2 hours. Then transfer the cubes to an air tight container. Keep in freezer for 4-6 months.
* The nutrition information is only for two tablespoons of basil butter which is used in this recipe. The remainder is for use with other future meal.
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