Sautéed radishes and bacon is sponsored by Duda Farm Fresh Foods.

You come home from a long day of work and cook a nutritious meal – maybe you tried to hide the veggies – only to be met by disgust at what you’ve put on the plate. 

You just want everyone to eat their veggies. Why does this always feel like such a hard task?

We understand – because we’ve been there more times than we can count.

Thanks to the addition of crispy, salty bacon and the sautéeing process, this recipe has turned picky eaters who don’t like crunchy, spicy, or anything green into radish lovers!

Plus, bacon makes everything taste good.

What’s a radish?

It’s a small round root vegetable in the cabbage family. Eating it raw is crunchy with a spicy, peppery flavor like you would get from raw garlic. Many people add radishes to salads. They’re known for their vibrant red or pink color on the outside and white flesh on the inside. 

Did you know radishes can be cooked?

Cooked radishes take on a potato-like texture, losing their spiciness and softening like cooked potatoes. This is an excellent low-carb option for adults and an alternative to potato jo jo’s that your kids are sure to request over and over. 

Here are a few tips on how to select, store, and serve radishes.

What are the benefits of eating radishes?

Radishes have antioxidants that can help prevent you from developing diabetes, make it easier for your kidneys to get rid of toxins, and improve blood flow to your heart. Radishes are also packed with vitamins and minerals like calcium, vitamin B6, iron, and folate. High in nutrients and low in carbs and calories, radishes are a perfect balance to a side of crispy bacon1.

What tastes good with radishes?

Radishes are severely underrated because they’re more versatile than you may realize. Use radishes as a topping to a burger, salad, or braised pork. Roast your radishes with garlic and olive oil, or add to a veggie plate with dip. Raw, cooked, or pickled, radishes take on a new flavor and texture depending on how you prepare them. 

For this recipe, we cooked them in bacon drippings to get a potato-like texture and taste. Serve your radishes and crispy bacon as a side for dinner or breakfast. 

Why bacon and radishes together?

Besides the fact that bacon complements all foods, when you cook radishes in bacon drippings, it adds flavor while softening the zestiness of the radish. Crisp, salty bacon, earthy thyme, and potato-like radishes complement each other for a flavorful, balanced side dish you can’t resist.

Why cook with bacon grease?

It adds extra flavor, keeps radishes from sticking to your pan, and creates crisp edges with savory and sweet notes. In addition, bacon drippings can replace butter, oil, or any other fats you use to cook. In fact, bacon drippings are lower in bad fats, higher in healthy fats, and lower in sodium than salted butter1. 

How to store bacon drippings

Keep your bacon grease stored in a mason jar or airtight container. It’s like having free cooking fat on hand, and it adds a ton of flavor to all types of recipes. 

Let the bacon drippings cool to room temperature. Put a strainer over a mason jar so you catch all of the left behind bits of bacon, onion, and radish from your pan. If you like to have a clearer cooking fat, place a coffee filter inside of your strainer to catch smaller particles. Then pour the warm drippings into your mason jar and seal the lid tightly.

Store your bacon drippings at room temperature or in the fridge for 6 months or in the freezer for up to 1 year.

Ingredients

• 16 oz Dandy® radishes, quartered, and greens cut off 
• 4 slices bacon, chopped 
• ½ yellow onion, medium chop 
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic 
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (plus more for garnish)
• ⅓ teaspoon salt 
• ⅓ teaspoon ground pepper 
• 1 ½ Tablespoons red wine vinegar 
• 1 ½ teaspoons unsalted butter 

Produce Mom Tip: Toss your onion, garlic, and thyme into a food processor and pulse a few times for quick chopping. Great for when you’re short on time.

How to Sautée Radishes with Bacon

Cook bacon over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes, or until crispy. Then set aside on a paper towel-lined plate.

Cook onions and radishes in an even layer, undisturbed, for 2-3 minutes. 

Stir and continue to cook until onions and radishes are crispy on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.

Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

Add vinegar, butter, and bacon. Serve warm.

The Dandy® Difference

After six generations of family farming, the experts at Duda Farm Fresh Foods bring us some of the best fruits and vegetables to our tables. They use traditional breeding practices to grow quality, GMO-free products. So when you buy Dandy® Ready Radishes, you know you are getting the best!

Ready for more radish recipes?

Roasted Radish Chips

Cajun – Spiced Hasselback Radishes

Roasted Radishes With Rosemary Brown Butter

Pomelo, Jicama, and Radish Salad