Recipe: Hot Pink Pickled Radishes

Hot pink pickled radishes are one of our absolute favorite ferments to always have on hand. They are perfect for adding to salads, tacos, grain bowls—anything that could use an extra tangy kick and a vibrant pop of color. 

The secret to turning these radishes a gorgeous hot pink color is adding beets to this ferment. And while radishes are definitely the star of this recipe, the fermented beet slices are totally delicious too. 

Give this hot pink pickled radishes recipe a try (our Fermented Vegetable Kit makes it super easy), and soon you'll be adding bright pickled radishes to everything. 

How to make hot pink pickled radishes 

For this simple hot pink pickled radishes recipe, you will only need a handful of ingredients: radishes, fresh oregano, salt, peppercorns, water, and one small beet—mostly for color. Slice the beet into matchsticks and set aside. 

Now it's time to prepare your radishes for fermentation. After giving them a good wash, you'll want to cut off the tops and tails. You could certainly leave the tails on if you like, but we prefer chopping them off and feeding them to the compost bin. Then we typically cut our radishes into quarters, although slices work just as well. Cut your radishes exactly as your heart desires. Set your chopped radishes aside for now. 

Before filling your fermentation jar, make the brine. Add 2 tablespoons of Kosher salt to 1 quart of water (that's 4 cups) and stir to dissolve completely. 

Begin packing the fermentation jar. Layer in chopped radishes, beet matchsticks, and 1 teaspoon of peppercorns. Make sure all of these ingredients are mixed up and mingling with each other. Once all this goodness is in the jar, top with a few sprigs of fresh oregano. 

Add your glass fermentation weight and pour your brine over everything. You want all the vegetables to be fully submerged in the brine. Then secure your lid and airlock. Store at room temperature and out of direct sunlight to ferment. 

The lacto-fermentation process takes 3-5 days, depending on your personal preference. Taste your radishes on day 3 and measure the amount of tang and depth of flavor according to your own taste buds. Once your radishes are certified delicious, store them in the fridge. They will keep for 3-4 months, if you can resist eating them all at once. Add them to tacos for a burst of color and crunch, toss them into salads for a tangy contrast, or simply enjoy them as a snack straight from the jar.

No oregano?

No worries! You can omit entirely or substitute in different herbs like thyme, basil, dill or parsley for an equally delicious result.

New to fermentation?

Check out our Fermented Vegetable Kit for everything you need to easily get started lacto-fermenting at home. Looking for more fermented radish recipes? Check out our Lacto-Pickled Radish Slices recipe.