Citrus Charred Radish Pods

What do you do what your radish crop gets away from you, and the radishes get too woody to eat and start to flower? Have some patience, let them go to seed, and eat the seed pods! Radish seed pods are juicy and crunchy like fresh green beans or snap peas, with a mild peppery kick like radishes. And each radish plant will grow dozens of them! Radish crop: Take 2!

Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel. Fresh radish pods and sliced orange in background.

What are radish pods?

Simply put: radish pods are the house for radish seeds! The radish plant will produce dozens of them as their method for reproduction. Each seed pod, once matured, will contain one or two seeds. If you’re saving the seeds to plant next year, you will allow the pods to dry out on the plant.

But if you intend to eat them, you will pick them much earlier, while they’re green and firm.

How do you harvest radish seed pods?

Harvesting radish pods is easy, and much like picking beans. See the first photo below to see what the pods look like on the radish plant. I admit, I was fed up with the plants reaching all over the garden, so I just pulled them all out. You can see some flowers still on the plants! But to keep your crop going, I’d really recommend leaving them in the ground, and picking the pods off the plants.

As you pick them, fill a basket with them until you have as many as you want. Transfer them to a colander and rinse under clean water to remove any dirt, debris, or bugs (second photo below). Line a plastic container with a paper towel, and put the pods in the container with the lid closed. Store them in the refrigerator until you need them. They’ll keep for a week or two.

Other ways to eat radish pods

One of the best ways to eat them is raw. They have such a delicate flavor, and are so crisp that way. Add them to tossed salads, or dip them in hummus or whatever you like! If you really want to be ironic, use the leaves to make Radish Greens Hummus to dip them in! These babies are also great on sandwiches or in wraps, and on tacos! Apparently, they’re popular as a snack with beer in Germany.

Pickling the pods is also really popular. I used a slight modification of this Quick Pickled Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Radish Pods. I didn’t have the vinegar types in the recipe, so I used what I had. I also added minced garlic. Yum!

Finally, sauteing or stir frying the pods are another great option! They are often used in Indian cuisine in curries, as well. Get creative! Radish pods would make a good stand in for snow peas or snap peas in many recipes. Get creative!

Are radish seed pods good for you?

There’s not much to find about the nutritional content of radish pods. It seems they’ve never been officially analyzed!

But we can deduce that, being a seed pod, they are quite nutritious. Low in calories, but high in fiber. Some claim they are excellent sources of folate, potassium, and vitamin C. If we use other, similar vegetables, like snowpeas, as a guide, it’s likely true. As part of the brassica family, these may also be useful in preventing cancer, as well as overall health promotion due to a high amount of phytochemicals.

Overhead shot of charred radish pods and orange peel garnish in a silver bowl with a silver fork.

How to make Citrus Charred Radish Pods

Once you have the radish pods harvested and cleaned, this recipe comes together in a snap!

Start by heating your pan over high heat. I recommend a cast iron skillet for this, because they can get really hot without hurting the pan. But use what you have. Get it HOT though! Otherwise the pods will steam and cook, instead of char.

When your pan is hot, add the oil and swirl it around to coat the pan. Use a high heat oil like grapseed or peanut oil.

Toss the pods into the pan, being careful of splatter. Meanwhile, make the sauce by whisking together the rest of the ingredients.

After a few minutes, you’ll see char marks on the pods. Toss them, and char another few minutes.

Now just add the sauce (carefully!), and cook for another minute. Done! Serve immediately. While you can refrigerate this and eat it later, it’s best right away. You can use it as a side dish for any meat, fish, or tofu, or as a salad topping!

Now that you have the low down on these amazing little morsels, check out this recipe! And if you make Citrus Charred Radish Pods, be sure to let me know how you like it in the comments!

Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel. Fresh radish pods and sliced orange in background
4.5 from 2 votes
Print

Citrus Charred Radish Pods

What do you do when your radish crop gets too woody and goes to seed? Harvest those pods and eat them! This is the perfect complement of peppery, tangy, and sweet, all together in one little bowl!

Course Side Dish, vegetable
Cuisine American
Diet DiabeticDiet, GlutenFreeDiet, LowCalorieDiet, LowFatDiet, LowLactoseDiet, LowSaltDiet, VeganDiet, VegetarianDiet
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 106 kcal
Author Laura Yautz

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp Grapeseed oil (or other high-heat oil)
  • 2 cups Radish Pods, cleaned and stems removed
  • ½ cup 100% Orange Juice
  • Zest of 1 Orange
  • 2 tsp grated Ginger
  • ½ tsp Turmeric

Instructions

  1. Heat an empty cast iron skillet over high heat, until very hot.
  2. Add the oil to the pan, swirl to coat, and add the radish pods.
  3. While the pods cook, combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, and whisk.
  4. After a few minutes, the radish pods will begin to char. Toss, and char on the other side.

  5. Add the sauce, and cook an additional 1 minute.
  6. Remove from the heat, and serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Citrus Charred Radish Pods
Amount Per Serving
Calories 106 Calories from Fat 44
% Daily Value*
Fat 4.9g8%
Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.8g
Sodium 7.2mg0%
Potassium 365.3mg10%
Carbohydrates 15g5%
Fiber 3.4g14%
Sugar 8.5g9%
Protein 2.4g5%
Vitamin A 41.8IU1%
Vitamin C 47.4mg57%
Calcium 50.2mg5%
Iron 1.6mg9%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

*Note that nutrition facts are approximate, using snap beans as a stand-in for radish pods.

Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel. Fresh radish pods and sliced orange in background and text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Overhead shot of charred radish pods and orange peel garnish in a silver bowl with a silver fork and text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Overhead shot of charred radish pods and orange peel garnish in a silver bowl with a silver fork and text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Close up of charred radish pods with orange peel garnish and text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel with text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel. Fresh radish pods in background with text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel. Fresh radish pods in background with text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Overhead shot of silver bowl of charred radish pods with silver fork. Fresh pods and sliced orange visible with text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Silver bowl with charred radish pods, garnished with orange peel. Fresh radish pods in background with text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"
Overhead shot of a silver bowl of charred radish pods with a silver fork in it, and text overlay: "Citrus Charred Radish Pods"

2 thoughts on “Citrus Charred Radish Pods

  • June 14, 2022 at 7:44 pm
    Permalink

    4 stars
    Probably should have given five stars, but since I tweaked it, I didn’t want to mislead. I followed recipe except I added salt, pepper and 2 T brown sugar(approximately). Also since I didn’t have a real orange, I used the smallest can of Mandarin oranges adding the fruit at the end right before serving. My picky husband even said it was good. : )

    Reply
    • June 16, 2022 at 11:17 am
      Permalink

      Awesome! Thanks for trying the recipe; I’m glad it was a hit. And your tweaks sound yummy!

      Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Close up of a strawberry being dipped into brownie batter dip.

Did you know: Snacks don't have to be unhealthy!

Download our FREE guide to snacking well for your heart! This guide is packed with delicious ideas (including brand names) for any snack craving! You'll also get all our latest tips and recipes in your email!

Success! Check your email for your free guide!