ROASTED RADISH SALAD

Bundles of gorgeous red radishes are transformed into magnificent spring salads with this roasted radish salad. The radishes have a soft, fragile bite and a faint sweetness after roasting. For a salad that is both aesthetically attractive and delicious, combine them with roasted pearl onions, toasted pine nuts, feta, parsley, and a tart Dijon vinaigrette.

Honestly, I haven't done much experimenting with radishes. In this cucumber radish salad or when adding fresh thin slices to tacos, I usually eat them raw. But because I still had some radishes after creating my salmon salad, I decided to roast them instead, just like I do with all of my other vegetables.

Surprise! These came out very sweet and juicy! I've never had a side of radishes before, and because of how good it turned out, I'll definitely make it again. In this case, it was a salad. Get a couple of bunches of fresh radishes the next time you see them at the farmer's market because this is how to make them sparkle!

INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

Can we just pause for a second to appreciate how stunning this radish salad is? Pops of white from the feta and pearl onions, earthy bits of beige from the pine nuts, and spots of green from the freshly chopped parsley are sprinkled on top of a brilliant red base. Salad layering is so appealing yet so straightforward! This is everything you need, along with a few notes about each.

• When purchasing radishes, make sure they are firm by lightly squeezing each bulb. To ensure that they cook uniformly, try to select bunches of radishes that are roughly the same size.
• You can get fresh or frozen pearl onions. In this dish, I used fresh vegetables, and I'll show you how to peel and blanch them before roasting. But you can also use frozen pearl onions to save time!
• The fundamental spice mixture for roasting radishes and pearl onions includes olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Feta Cheese: I prefer to use a fresh block of feta cheese and toss it by hand into crumbles. But, pre-crumbled versions are always available for purchase.
• Pine nuts: Pine nuts that have been lightly toasted usually give salads a great flavor and crunch.
• For this salad, I'm using flat-leaf parsley, but curly parsley also works.
• My homemade Dijon vinaigrette is incredibly simple to make and keeps well. So if you'd like, you can prepare this a day in advance.

HOW TO MAKE THIS ROASTED RADISH SALAD

Vegetables become truly stunning when they are roasted. And it's just a matter of drizzling them with oil, seasoning them with salt, pepper, and extra spices for flavor, and putting them in the oven to bake. But the fresh pearl onions need some preparation before we get to the radishes. Let's get going.

Pearl onions are boiled. Put the onions in a dish and pour boiling water over them. After letting them sit for five minutes, drain. They get softer as a result, making it simple to peel and slice off the tops.

Radishes and onions are roasted. Set the oven's temperature to 425°F (220°C). The radishes should have their tops and tails removed before being cut into halves or quarters. In a sizable baking dish, spread out the radishes and the onions, and toss with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. All ingredients should be softened and gently browned on top after roasting for 30 to 35 minutes with occasional tossing.

The pine nuts are toast. Pine nuts can be added to a small skillet and lightly toasted while the radishes are roasting. Leave this alone.

Combine all of the ingredients. Let the onions and radishes cool for a while. Then blend by adding the pine nuts, parsley, and Dijon vinaigrette.

Add feta cheese on top just before serving. Put the mixture in a sizable serving bowl, sprinkle with feta cheese, and then offer. You can either serve this right away warm or at room temperature.

STORAGE TIPS FOR THIS RADISH SALAD

• For three to four days in the refrigerator, refrigerate this salad in an airtight container. But keep in mind that the radishes will become softer with time, particularly when heated through.
• If you want to freeze any of this, just freeze the radishes and onions on their own without the dressing and any toppings. They can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to three months.