Roasted Watermelon Radishes

Roasted watermelon radishes with lemon and parsley are a bright addition to your winter table. This vegan recipe screams sunshine on the short dark days. Simple roasting of the radishes brings out their sweetness and makes for a nice change from the standard pickle or thinly sliced salad.

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We are in the shortest days of the year right now. And all things local and tasty are lovely dark fall colors. But every now and then I need something bright and cheery. I need hope that spring will in fact return someday. This is where watermelon radishes come to my rescue.

They look a little plain on the outside but the slightest bit of pink tells us something fabulous is going on the inside. It is like wearing a practical wool coat and then ripping it off to reveal a Diana Ross style glitter bomb dress. The bright pink flesh gives me giggles of happiness.

We are dedicated to the best watermelon radish recipes. You can find our full list of favorite recipes here.

But roasting watermelon radishes is much easier for non-radish lovers to handle than pickling or raw which make them the perfect gateway radish. Plus, they are so pretty no picky eater is going to look at them say… 'oh, no I don't do radishes'.

How to Make Roasted Watermelon Radishes

Unlike most roasted vegetables, radishes are rather forgiving on temperature and cook time. Both can be adjusted to whatever else you may have going in the oven. Which essentially makes this one the easiest side dishes ever.

Ok maybe not as easy as our 10 Minute Sauteed Greens, but close. Very close.

Prep the Raw Watermelon Radishes: Watermelon radish prep is easy to manage. No excessive peeling or scrubbing. A quick rinse, trim the ends and quarter or cut in 3/4 inch wedges if you have some extra-large specimens. Do not peel the radishes.

Roast the Radishes- Watermelon radishes are best roasted at 375 F degrees for 30 minutes. Be sure to toss half through and rotate the pan for even cooking. In this recipe we use melted coconut oil, however, you can use ghee, olive oil, avocado oil. We salt and pepper the radishes before roasting.

Finishing the Radishes- A toss with fresh parsley and lemon zest at the end adds some additional color to the dish. While this step is optional it is an easy way to elevate your radishes. If you don't have a fresh lemon toss the radishes with 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice. We used parsley to keep the herbs simple but you can chives, basil, or any combination of the three.

Now dig in and enjoy! But first, let us know in the comments... what is your favorite way to eat watermelon radishes? Raw, pickled, or roasted?

If you vote pickled... definitely check out our quick pickled watermelon radishes.

Want to know more about watermelon radishes?  Check out watermelon radish guide featuring a round up of our favorite vegetable! 

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