Watermelon radish salad with orange and goat cheese recipe! This radish salad is bright, crunchy, and full of flavor. The perfect healthy vegetarian side dish or entree salad.
Wowza. Just look at that beautiful radish salad up there! ?It's loaded with so many winter goodies: watermelon radishes, fresh orange, pistachios, and tangy goat cheese. Mmmmm......
I discovered watermelon radishes a handful of years ago when I opened up my CSA bin and cut open what looked like a new-to-me root veggie. To my surprise, it was the most beautiful and glorious veggie I had EVER seen. I mean, just look at that color! I am just in awe of how winter produce gets brighter as the days get darker. So cool, nature. So. Cool.
In my opinion, watermelon radishes NEED to be the star of the show. It's just too pretty to be chopped up or used as a garnish! Make yourself some watermelon radish toast, try some watermelon radish and avocado carpaccio, or roast them for a warm vegetable side dish.
What are watermelon radishes and when are they in season?
Watermelon radishes are edible root vegetables that are usually about the size of a baseball. They are heirloom Daikon radishes and are a member of the mustard family. They are called "watermelon" radishes because of their green exterior and bright red interior with some white around the "rind." So, they resemble watermelons, but don't taste anything like watermelons. The raw flesh is crisp and crunchy and can have a strong peppery flavor just like regular radishes.
They grow in cooler temperatures only, so are available in the winter and early spring.
Here's a list of the best winter salads to eat all season long!
Quick pickle the radishes for a perfectly mellow radish salad
Radishes can have a serious bite to them, and eating a whole bowl full can be well... intense. Just a quick 30-minute pickle with some vinegar will mellow out that spiciness and make the radishes really pleasant and mellow but still crunchy.
Let the watermelon radishes sit in a bit of distilled white vinegar along with the reserved orange juice and honey. It will mellow out the kick while adding orange flavor and some sweetness.
Try our grapefruit avocado salad with strawberry and mint!
Is this radish salad "spicy?"
Radishes are a part of the mustard family, which can make them have a strong peppery bite to them when raw. Although the watermelon radishes in this salad are pickled, making them much more mellow than raw radish, they still have a peppery or mild spiciness to them. I really enjoy the bite that they give, especially when mixed with fresh orange and goat cheese. Give it a try! ?
How to make a watermelon radish salad
This watermelon radish salad is very simple, but does have some steps that you'll need to take before tossing everything together.
First, segment your oranges. If you're new to this, this video can help you! Do this over a bowl so that you can reserve the orange juice. Set the segments aside.
Toss the sliced watermelon radish with the reserved orange juice and honey. Season with salt and pepper and let sit for 30 minutes.
When the radish has mellowed to your liking, toss with the goat cheese, orange segments, pistachios, and green onion. There's no dressing in this recipe, the radishes are flavorful enough!
Try our protein-packed grapefruit quinoa salad!
Watermelon radish salad recipe
Recipe
Watermelon radish salad with orange and goat cheese
Ingredients
- 2 medium navel oranges
- 3 medium watermelon radishes, washed and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- salt and pepper
- 6 tablespoon crumbled goat cheese
- ½ cup roasted pistachios
- 4 tablespoon chopped green onion
Instructions
- Start by segmenting your oranges over a small bowl. Place segmented pieces aside and reserve 2 tablespoon of the orange juice.
- Toss the radish slices with the orange juice, vinegar, and honey. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- When radish slices have softened and mellowed to your liking, mix with the orange segments. Top with the goat cheese, pistachios, and green onion. Enjoy!
Nutrition
I hope you’ll give this gorgeous radish salad a try! Snap a pic and give me a shout on social media #Rhubarbarians!
Trish
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Cheryl
I didn't just look at the recipe.. I made it. And I can testify that it is outstanding. Used pecans and less honey but everything else is as written. This is a keeper since our CSA regularly provides watermelon radishes.
Trish Bozeman
I'm so glad you liked it, Cheryl!
Tracie
Got some watermelon radishes in my farm basket and I didn’t know what to do with them. I made this recipe and it was delicious. I paired mine with a carrot and orange soup.
Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic
Squee!! I'm so excited to discover a new radish! Watermelon radishes are so pretty. I love the peppery bite of radishes in a salad, but I'm going to try your quick pickling method and try the salad with a more mellow flavor. The goat cheese makes it for me.
Debra
What an awesome looking salad. The perfect blend of texture and color and taste. I always buy watermelon radish because I think they are beautiful, but I can't wait to use them in this salad. The presentation is just gorgeous.
Tracy
This salad in simply stunning. I've never had a watermelon radish, but I'm so sad that I haven't now!! This salad would be a show stopper at a brunch or lunch!
Marisa F. Stewart
OMG!! I have got to find those watermelon radishes. I've never seen them. That is such a gorgeous salad and I love the touch of goat cheese and nuts with it. We are stuck in a rut with our salads. This salad will certainly bring some excitement to our meal.
Dana
Watermelon radishes are the prettiest damn things! I remember the first time I found them at Whole Foods here after moving to the US. I was enamored and I couldn't get enough of them. They're fabulous in salad. I have an old salad recipe with them on the blog that I *really* need to revisit and rephotograph. (It's so bad lol). But first, I must devour this one.
Christina
Well this is gorgeous!! You have me ready for spring now! Goat cheese, honey, and pistachios?!! Sold!!
Tina
I have never come across one of these. You are absolutely right, they look amazing and definitely have star quality. I'm going to look for them, I like radishes so maybe I will just grow my own. The salad looks amazing, sweet, savory and peppery. I like it!
Leslie-Anne
Watermelon radishes are the most stunning, incredible, can-you-even-believe-nature-make-these vegetables in the world. I love the quick pickle and the simple preparation you've chosen that allows the veggies to really shine. Beautiful!
Julie Menghini
What a beautiful salad! We're having the winter that refuses to give up so these bright colors and citrus flavors look like summer on a plate. I especially loved your tips on mellowing the bite of the radishes. Sometimes they can definitely be a little hot.
srividhya
Love those bright veggies and fruits. Between those napkins are great. 🙂
Patricia Bozeman
Thank you!
amindfullmom
LOL! I read this post is sponsored by Beautiful Ingredient and I thought it was a joke because these radishes are stunning. But the napkins are cool too 🙂
Patricia Bozeman
Ha! Thank you so much!