Quick and Easy Pickled Radishes with Vinegar and Garlic

These are the best quick and easy pickled radishes for tacos, salads, sandwiches, and burritos. (And they’re delicious on their own, too!) Use any type of vinegar, along with garlic and a few simpler ingredients, to make pickled red radish slices in under an hour.

Pickled radishes are basically the cure for any bland or boring meal. They instantly improve the flavor and texture of almost any dish. It’s a great recipe to make during the spring when radishes are in season.

Add them to vegan cranberry chickpea salad sandwiches, a Green Goddess crispy tofu wrap, tempeh tacos, or a charcuterie board. You can’t go wrong eating them straight from the jar too!

Even if you think you don’t like radishes, don’t discount this recipe. The flavor is more vinegary and salty than the whole radish. But they still have that crunchy, crunchy bite. So good.

Unlike fermented pickles, which take days or weeks to prepare, quick pickles (also called refrigerator pickles or vinegar pickles) are ready quickly, such as within an hour of fasting.

This is hands down the easiest way to make your own pickled vegetables at home!

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Table of Contents

Ingredients

This is what you will need to pickle radishes in the refrigerator.

Radishes (I use red radishes)
Garlic
Bell pepper (such as serrano or jalapeño, optional)
Vinegar (white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice vinegar)
Water
Sugar (optional)
Salt

Instructions

Pickling radishes is simple with this method. Here are the basic steps:

Wash the radishes in a colander in the sink.

Remove the vegetables and wash the radishes in water.

Cut the radishes into thin slices. You can use a knife and cutting board or mandolin slicer for this step.

Put the crushed garlic cloves and a halved serrano or jalapeno pepper (along with any other flavor toppings of your choice) in a jar.

Add sliced radishes.

Pickle brine in a measuring cup of liquid.

Whisk together the vinegar, warm water, sugar, and salt to make the brine.

Action shot of pouring pickle brine into a jar of radish slices.

Pour the brine into the jar. (The radishes should be completely covered in brine. Add a little more water if you have dried radishes on top.)

Pickled radishes before they are soaked overnight in the brine.

Then simply close the lid and refrigerate the radishes for at least 30 minutes, but preferably an hour or overnight.

Clue: The flavors will continue to develop while the radishes soak in the refrigerator. (The color will also change to a more vibrant pink over time.) Feel free to test one every 30 minutes or so until you are satisfied with the result.

substitutions

This recipe is already free of the most common allergens. It is also gluten free and suitable for vegans. Here are some substitutions you can make based on your preferences.

radishes – feel free to try this with another type of thinly sliced radish. Substitute watermelon radishes, white radishes, or daikon radishes. You can also pickle whole or halved radishes, just let them sit in the fridge overnight so they have more time to absorb the flavors of the brine.
Vinegar – any type of vinegar works. Some options are white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar. Just keep in mind that the radishes will take on the flavor of whatever vinegar you use.
Sugar – use organic sugar if you want the recipe to be strictly vegan. You can also substitute maple syrup or agave nectar. Skip the sugar for a sugar-free version. (It will be less sweet but it will still taste great!)
Chile Chile – substitute crushed red pepper flakes for the fresh chili. Start with ½ teaspoon and increase to your liking. You can also omit the pepper entirely if you want the flavor to be mild.

variations

There are so many ways to make these pickled radishes your own. Here are some ideas.

Spicy – add extra hot chilies and/or crushed red pepper flakes
Sweet – increase sugar or add maple syrup, honey or agave nectar
Vegetable mixture – add carrots, red onions, cucumbers, shallots, zucchini (or zoodles), or red cabbage
Tasty – add lemon or lime wedges
mexican – add lime juice, cilantro, and additional jalapeño or serrano peppers
asian – use rice vinegar and add ginger
herbí – add fresh dill
Lemon, ginger and maple – add lemon wedges and ginger and use maple syrup instead of sugar for a twist on the flavor
More plugins – try mustard seeds, black peppercorns, or coriander seeds

Check out my full Quick Pickle tutorial for more tips and inspiration! I also have a post on pickled watermelon rind if you are looking for another pickling idea.

Overhead image of quick pickled radishes.

Equipment

Equipment-wise, you really only need a jar with a lid. I use a 0.5 liter mason jar, which is a little over 16 ounces (or 2 cups).

Optionally, you can use a mandolin slicer to slice the radishes if you like. If you don’t have one, a knife and cutting board will work just fine.

Storage

Store the pickled radishes in a jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. Just keep in mind that the radishes will be crispest and freshest in the first few days.

I have read that you can freeze pickled vegetables for several months, but I have not tried it myself. Let me know in the comments if you have any experience with this!

Better advice

This recipe is really forgiving, so don’t be afraid to adjust the flavors of the liquid brine to suit your tastes.

Use your favorite type of vinegar. Add more sugar for sweeter pickles, or omit the sweetener altogether if you want them sugar-free. You can also add more salt if you want to amp up that flavor.

There are so many options!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long do quick pickled radishes keep?

Store the pickled radishes in a jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. The radishes will be crunchier in the first five days.

Can you pickle radishes without sugar?

You can simply leave the sugar out of the brine. it’s optional

How do you use quick pickled radishes?

Pickled radishes are great with tacos and other Mexican-inspired dishes. You can also add them to salads, sandwiches, wraps, toasties, and cereal bowls.

Are pickled radishes healthy?

Having pickled radishes on hand is a great way to add more vegetables to your diet. They contain vitamin C, which is an antioxidant. Only keep your serving size in mind if your doctor has told you to limit sodium.

📖 Recipe

Square image of quick pickled radishes in a jar.

Quick and easy pickled radishes

Quickly pickle radish slices in the fridge by soaking them in a simple vinegar-based brine.

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Course: Appetizer, Snack

Kitchen: gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Soaking time: 30 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

Servings: 12 people

Calories: sixteenkcal

Author: Stephanie McKercher, RDN

Instructions

Add garlic, serrano or jalapeno pepper (if using) and radishes to a jar with a lid.
In a liquid measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, water, sugar (if using), and salt.
Pour the vinegar mixture into the jar of radishes.
Cover jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until desired flavor is achieved. (I like radishes best after at least 1 hour soaking.)

grades

Vinegar note: Use any type of vinegar. Some options include distilled white vinegar, white wine vinegar, red wine vinegar, white balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar, and rice vinegar. The radishes will take on the flavor of the vinegar you use.

Sugar note: use organic sugar if you want the recipe to be strictly vegan. Skip the sugar for a sugar-free version.

Preparation: prepare up to five days in advance.

Storage: Store the pickled radishes in a jar with a lid in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. The radishes will be crispest and freshest in the first five days.

Nutritional data includes liquid brine.