How to make Korean style radish pickles using pink radish. It’s simple, easy and moreish!
Korean Style Pink Radish Pickles (한국식 분홍무 절임)
Do you like radish pickles? I love them! It’s such a gem dish. I particularly love pairing them with Samgyeopsal (Korean pork belly) BBQ meat and also with Bibim Naengmyeon (Korean spicy cold noodles). I have also tried these with Bibimbap, and KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) too!
I don’t know much about wine or cheese, but I think it’s equivalent to pairing chardonnay with camembert cheese. It adds delicately pleasant sweet and sourness and crunchy texture to my favorite Korean dishes above and I simply can’t have enough of them each time!
What is Korean Style Radish Pickles?
Typically a daikon (white) radish is used for Korean radish pickles; however, it’s often hard to find daikon radish where I live. So I decided to make some pink radish pickles, since they are easier to find.
By now, you might be wondering, what’s “Korean style” about these radish pickles? Truth be told, there’s nothing particularly Korean about my radish pickles regarding the ingredients used (there’s no gochujang or gochugaru involved!) or the method of cooking.
However, it does have the same sweet and sour taste that I’m familiar with, and it also goes well with other Korean dishes I mentioned above.
Though, I’m also going to present to you a daikon (white) radish pickles recipe in the near future. So stay tuned!
Essentially though, I would use the same vinegar mixture as with my pink radish pickles and they should give the same taste as with the pink radish pickles, except that each pickle slice is bigger.
I hope you get to try this recipe soon!
Ingredients
- 500g (1.1 pounds) pink radishes
- Vinegar mixture
- 1 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 cup sugar, raw or white
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of fine sea salt
*1 Tbsp = 15 ml, 1 Cup = 250 ml
** You will need a sterile 1L glass jar.
How to Make Korean Style Pink Radish Pickles
1. Rinse the radishes in cold water and clean/ trim the root and stems.
2. Thinly slice the radish bulb and set aside.
3. Make the vinegar mixture in a small sauce pan by mixing them all and bring it to boil on low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 3- 4 mins). Whisk it occasionally to promote the dissolving process.
4. Put the sliced radishes in a sterile glass jar and pour in the vinegar mixture. Let the jar cool down and close the lid. (Though it’s only lukewarm, so you won’t have to wait long.) Leave at room temperature for a few hours then refrigerate.
5. Serve with your choice of main dishes (e.g. Korean BBQ, Korean Fried Chicken etc). (Tips. I found that the pickles taste better after 48 hours. While they will keep well in the fridge for several weeks, it tastes best in the first 7 days, with still a good taste and the crunchy texture.)
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Korean Style Pink Radish Pickles
Ingredients
- 500 g pink radishes (1.1 pounds)
Vinegar mixture
- 1 cup white vinegar or rice vinegar
- 1 cup sugar raw or white
- 1 cup water
- Pinch of fine sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse the radishes in cold water and clean / trim the root and stems.
- Thinly slice the radish bulb and set aside.
- Make the vinegar mixture in a small sauce pan by mixing them all and bring it to boil on low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 3- 4 mins). Whisk it occasionally to promote the dissolving process.
- Put the sliced radish in a sterile glass jar and pour in the vinegar mixture. Let the jar cool down and close the lid. (Though it’s only lukewarm, so you won’t have to wait long.) Leave at room temperature for a few hours then refrigerate.
- Serve with your choice of main dishes (e.g. Korean BBQ, Korean Fried Chicken etc). (Tips. I found that the pickles taste better after 48 hours. While they will keep well in the fridge for several weeks, it tastes best in the first 7 days, with still a good taste and the crunchy texture.)
Notes
Nutrition Info (per serving)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
I really love these crunchy pickled radishes and have passed on your recipe to family and friends, so I hope they make them too!! I have been eating them for lunch, in a Vietnamese long roll with other salad ingredients; and at dinner time and the other day, when I was preparing dinner and felt a little hungry with Camembert cheese!! They are so delicious and easy to make.
I’m not a fan, typically, of the little pink radishes. They’re too sharp tasting. I LOVE the radishes when I get kbbq, though. The nearest Korean grocer is an hour away, so I rarely go, but I found some watermelon radishes at my local Walmart today (shocker, they actually had interesting produce! I was impressed with them). I used this recipe and it turned out very good, and they were super pretty and pink after pickling. They weren’t quite the same as the white Korean radishes I’ve had, but extremely close. Very good, would recommend if you ever come across them!
I was gifted with a bag of radishes from a friend’s garden yesterday. I found your recipe and made a jar. My husband said it’s addicting. We gave some to our friend who gave us the radishes. He said he’s going to plant more radishes. 😀 Everyone loves the radish pickles. It’s very much like the Japanese takuan, only prettier (delicate pink instead of artificial yellow). So simple to make and delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
How do you sterilize your jars? I’ve heard so many different ways, some say it’s unnecessary if it will be eating within a fortnight etc.
I tried putting the jars and metal screw on lids in boiling water but the lids warped and wouldn’t seal properly.
I typically boil the jars or use a microwave to sterilize. If it has a metal screw, I add it nearly the end for a short dip (1 min or less). You can read more about sterilization tips from below links. 🙂
– https://www.thespruceeats.com/sterilize-jars-for-jams-and-preserves-435340
– https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-sterilize-canning-jars-1327595
I can’t eat sugar. I used Splenda instead. I just added it to the vinegar and water without cooking.
These are amazing but I had a quick question- when you calculated the calories how much radish is “one serving?”
Sorry for the question I have a very calorically strict diet and these are so tasty I want to be sure I can eat them safely 🙂
The calorie information is calculated per serving. But please bear in mind that it is an estimate only. 🙂
DELISH!! Made my my second batch with the last of the season radishes from the garden. We love these, I use in salads, eat out of the jar and just tried on BBQ wings for the football game. They are so good, this jar is gong to my son who came over and found in my fridge. He asked me to make a batch to take home….YES!
I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for your feedback. 🙂
hi! is this nutrition info for 1 serving or the whole recipe?
It’s per serving. Just bear in mind that it’s only an estimate based on generic products information available online. 🙂
My family loves these! They make a great snack all on there own or in Poke bowls! Thanks for sharing your recipe. This is the second time if have made them in a year. The last batch lasted 6 months in the fridge.
That’s amazing! Great to hear your family enjoys these pickles. 🙂
Was looking for something to use up some radishes. The brine tastes delicious! Can’t wait to eat 🙏
Great recipe. I love that you always put your recipe ready for us to print. I thank you so much.
Great recipe. I had some chicken salad and stuffed it into mini bell peppers. I topped that with a slice of these and everyone raved about it 😉
Sounds delicious. Great to hear everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Hi Sue!
I have a question about this recipe: Are they very sweet? can I use less sugar?
Thanks!!
C
OH, ps, do you have a good recipe for Pajeon?
Hi Christine, I don’t think it’s very sweet. It might look like there’s a lot of sugar in here, but between vinegar & water, it all balances out. For sure, you can use less sugar. Just don’t complain if it doesn’t taste nice as I haven’t tried myself with less sugar. 🙂
Here’s my pajeon recipe. https://mykoreankitchen.com/korean-seafood-and-green-onion-pancakes-haemul-pajeon/
I’ve been looking for a recipe like since I came back from South Korea. I tried it while I was eating Korean BBQ, and it was so amazing!! I’m so glad I came across this and now I can make them all the time!! Talk about a new favorite snack.
I’m so happy to hear that! I love these pickles too. They’re very moreish! 😉
A perfect recipe for one of my favorites side dishes! Thank you!
Forgive my ignorance but what is Raw Sugar
Raw sugar is less processed sugar. Some says it’s the most natural sugar. It has slight brown / beige color to it. You can use white sugar instead but I typically use raw sugar in my cooking unless the color matters. 🙂
Hi, I was wondering, why is it only good for 4 days? Shouldn’t the pickling make it last longer? Thanks.
Hi Olivier, a great question! The pickles will keep well in the fridge for several weeks. But they are in their most fresh and crisp state for about 4 to 5 days after pickling. Hope this clears up. 🙂
They look delicios! But I qas wondering what do you eat this with?
On a sandwich, with Korean BBQ, on Korean cold noodles, or as a side dish with Asian main meals. Applications are endless. 🙂 Enjoy!
This is exactly what I heeded!!!! Thx
Great! 🙂
Hanaromart on Elizabeth St in the Brisbane CBD always seems to have Korean radish in stock, but it looks so pretty with the pink radish!
I think you can find these radishes in winter season reasonably easily here in Brisbane. Anyway, it’s definitely prettier with pink radish pickles! 🙂
Sue,
After the vinegar mixture is boiled, should we wait a bit for it to cool down before pouring it on top of the radishes which are in the jar, or just remove the boiling mixture fro the stove top and pour it into the radish containing jar?
Hi Jerry, I added the mixture soon after boiling it. Because it was boiled over low heat only until the sugar dissolved (3-4 mins), the vinegar mixture wasn’t hot. It was not even lukewarm. Also the glass jar seemed ok for the heat introduced by the mixture. However, I see your point. it doesn’t hurt to pay extra safety caution. Thanks!
The pickle looks very pretty in pink. It is hard to get the Korean radish for some people in the U.S and I think these pink radishes can make a great substitute. What a nice compliment to any BBQ? Great job!
Thanks Holly! Isn’t it pretty? That’s one of reasons why I love this pickle. 🙂
I love pickles and actually I think I made something similar from a Japanese recipe last year. I made it also with pink radish instead of the slightly bigger white (not daikon which luckily is easy to get here). I know I come late… but congratulations on your baby girl once more!!!
Thanks Sissi, I should check out your recipe shortly!
Anything pickled is alright in my book! i cant wait to try yours because I am always adding garlic and I have feeling yours go very well with grilled food. Fantastic job, Sue!
Thanks Sandra, Yes, this radish pickles go very well with grilled food! I hope you get to try this recipe.