This easy recipe for Daikon Salad is a delicious accompaniment to other dishes like chicken satay and pad thai.
I have a big confession to make: I’ve been eating daikon radishes for more than 10 years but only recently learned what this delicious, crunchy veggie was called.
In fact, I only learned daikon’s name by process of elimination, followed by research, after a friend asked me what it was at a restaurant … Turns out that the little salad I loved at my favorite Thai restaurant in New York was made from this root vegetable.
Thankfully, not knowing precisely what something is doesn’t mean I won’t eat it. In fact, sometimes that’s half the fun. I have wonderful friends who convinced me to try all sorts of new things. And most of the time, I ended up loving them. Except for the baby octopus … never again.
Anyway, this is about this beautiful, pearly colored radish. If you’ve never tasted a daikon radish before, then you don’t know what you are missing. It’s unlike anything else: a little sweet, crisp and with this amazing freshness to it.
Oh, I can’t say enough good things about daikon radishes. (It’s also good roasted and in stir-fries.)
Looking for a great daikon recipe? This Easy Daikon Salad is so simple and only takes a little bit of chilling before it’s ready to enjoy. And enjoy you will!
Try Daikon Salad alone, with shredded carrots and peanuts or even in a wrap with grilled chicken. It’s also delish served alongside dishes like pad thai or chicken satay.
So, how did the family like it? Well, Will adores it and could eat a whole batch himself (a boy after my own heart! I could too). However, Paige wasn’t a fan and my husband wouldn’t try it. But that’s okay: more for Will and me!
Are you a daikon radish fan?
Easy Daikon Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups julienne cut daikon radish, I used my food processor to cut it
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp sweet rice wine, mirin
- OPTIONAL: crushed peanuts
Instructions
- Place the daikon in a colander/mesh strainer over a bowl or the sink and sprinkle with salt. Mix well. Let sit for 30 minutes. Squeeze out excess water and then rinse well with cold water. Drain.
- In a small saucepan, combine the seasoned rice vinegar, sugar and rice wine. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar dissolves (this will only take a few minutes).
- Transfer the daikon to an airtight container and pour the rice vinegar mixture over. Shake or stir well to combine. Chill for 20 minutes before serving.
- This can store for up to a few days in the fridge, if it lasts that long. If desired, serve topped with crushed peanuts.
Sarah Walker Caron is a cookbook author, freelance writer and founder of Sarah’s Cucina Bella. She is the author of several cookbooks including The Super Easy 5-Ingredient Cookbook and One-Pot Pasta, both from Rockridge Press. A single mother to two kids in middle school, Sarah loves nightly family dinners, juicy tomatoes plucked fresh from the vine and lazy days on the beach. She also adores reading and traveling.
Mangochild
February 4, 2010 at 11:17 amMy father loves daikon radish, even though he despises the more common red kind. I too like the daikon more – it seems a bit sweeter and more versatile.
.-= Mangochild´s last blog ..Wednesdays Independence Days =-.
The Teacher Cooks
February 4, 2010 at 8:00 pmI just became aquainted with these radishes in my CSA vegetables. I put them in a salad. I liked them much better than the red’s.
.-= The Teacher Cooks´s last blog ..Blueberry Pancakes with Honey and Butter =-.
Raidne
February 5, 2010 at 8:23 pmyuuuuuuuuuuuuummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm i love daikon, i think i will try it very soon!!!
.-= Raidne´s last blog ..Le mie foto su tastespotting… =-.
Biryani Recipes
July 12, 2010 at 4:57 pmGood work this is best Daikon Salad Recipe. This looks fabulous. Thanks.
.-= Biryani Recipes´s last blog ..Chicken Nuggets Recipe =-.
gwen howey
September 28, 2010 at 11:35 pmjane siberry’s daikon salad….
grated daikon + carrot,
chopped mint, parsley, chives,
olive oil,
lemon juice,
whole raw almonds,
cayenne,
minced garlic.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Mark
March 3, 2012 at 7:35 pmThis sounds great. I’ve got to try it. Thanks for the suggestion.
Mark
March 5, 2012 at 7:11 pmI just tried this recipe. I used equal proportions of grated carrot and daikon, and used walnuts instead of almonds, since almonds cause me stomach upset. This salad is simply terrific, and it’s refreshing too! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
ariane
January 20, 2011 at 6:04 pmthank you so much for sharing this lovely recipe, really appreciate your efforts!!
Paulette
February 4, 2012 at 5:45 amDiscovered the Daikon Radish last year and love them. Sliced (thinly) make the best raw chips, as they are just the right diameter. Also, the lady at the Farmers Mkt. suggested cooking and mashing one. So, I did. It was okay (yogurt spread & buttermilk powder), but definitely prefer the chips. Now I want to try the pickled salad, and probably will TODAY, :o)
Meg Wilson
July 29, 2012 at 12:11 amThanks for the great recipe! If you are a freelance writer, why do you have a glaring grammar mistake?
(“more for Will and I!” should be more for Will and me!… ) Me/I mistakes are becoming too common and drive me crazy (not I crazy!). Will go work on the daikon recipe and chill out! 🙂
Sarah W. Caron
July 31, 2012 at 10:49 amThanks, Meg! And good catch. Yes, I am a freelance writer and journalist, but that doesn’t make me immune to errors. That’s why there are so many wonderful editors who work for publications. On my own blog, I strive to be error free, but sometimes something like this slips through. And yes, the me/I thing bugs me too — but everyone makes mistakes sometimes, right? Enjoy the recipe!
Amy
February 19, 2013 at 7:25 pmJeepers Meg! Chill out and eat more radishes!
Carole Roble
July 1, 2013 at 1:53 pmI have been eating Daikon radish for many years. I prepare it the same way that I prepare the Black radish. I grate them and then add grated onion, salt & pepper, dash of sugar and a small amount of vinegar and olive oil. (I used to use rendered chicken fat, however for health concerns I changed.)
Eleanor Peed
October 12, 2013 at 5:30 pmHurrah for Meg Wilson. I think I will never forget the day Pres. Dubya Bush stood on stage with England’s prime minister at that time (forget his name; I’m old) known for his perfect English, and replied to a reporter’s question by saying yes, the prime minister and his wife “will have dinner with Laura and I tonight.”
I cringed. I also hate the use of that instead of who. That is for inanimate objects. Who is for human beings. Aside from all that, I plan to buy daikon powder if I can find it to sprinkle on broccoli because supposedly it allows the anticarcinogenic properties of broc to become effective.
Bob Lotti
August 5, 2016 at 1:44 pmI love the mild taste of daikon radish and I grated it too, until I bought a Zoodle maker. Now, I use daikon radish spaghetti in my salad. Try adding some reconstituted wakame seaweed and some dark sesame oil to the salad. It’s my favorite. It’s also terrific with a sweet honey/miso salad dressing.
Sarah Walker Caron
August 8, 2016 at 5:33 amHi Bob: Thanks for the idea! I hadn’t thought of spiralizing the daikon. What a great idea. And that dressing sounds divine!