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Wait–don’t throw those radish leaves away! Make soup, instead!

By dramamamafive June 24, 2013 Recipes, soup recipes, Uncategorized 31 Comments
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Yum, yum yum!!

Yum, yum yum!!

Perhaps you’ve been munching away on fresh radishes from your garden or the local farmer’s. In Nebraska, the spring radish season is not very long, but it’s delightful. The fall radish season, in my opinion, is even better. Cool weather makes for crisp and delicious radishes!

We indulge in radish sammages and slice up radishes in every salad, and we eat them by the handful, sometimes smeared with a bit of butter, always heavily salted and peppered.

And we make soup out of the leaves. Wait. You mean to tell me that you’ve never made Radish-Leaf Soup?  Oh, Gentle Reader, that is sad. Very sad, indeed. We must fix this problem right now. Radish leaves–wouldja believe it?–are even more nutritious than their roots, being a valuable source of Vitamin C, protein and calcium. They’ve been used to treat kidney and skin disorders, fight cancer and even soothe insect bites! Cool, huh? Who knew? Well, now you know, gentle reader.

It's just as delicious as it is green: Radish-Leaf Soup!

It’s just as delicious as it is green: Radish-Leaf Soup!

A valid question: if radish leaves are so good for us, then why–oh why?–do we throw them into the compost bucket, I ask you?

We don’t, that’s what. We make them into soup.  It’s easy as 1, 2, 3 and only takes a few ingredients. So what are you waiting for?

Let’s make something good from these babies!

Wait–don’t throw those radish leaves away! Make soup, instead!
Author: Amy Miller from vomitingchicken.com
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6 to 8
Radish leaf soup is quick, easy, delicious and so good for you! I like to serve this soup with a crusty grilled cheese sammage and some fresh fruit, but you, of course, can eat it with whatever you like.
Ingredients
  • 3-4 cups fresh radish leaves (no pesticides)
  • 1/2 stick butter
  • 2 Tb flour
  • 2 cups water or stock (chicken or vegetable is good)
  • 1/2 cup half and half or milk (half and half is creamier)
  • 1 egg yolk
  • fresh ground salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. Wash leaves thoroughly.
  2. Melt butter in a pot, add leaves, and stir for about 3 minutes.
  3. Sprinkle flour on leaves, and add water or stock gradually.
  4. Let simmer for 8 to 10 minutes.
  5. Let cool. Blend (in blender or with a submersion blender) until smooth.
  6. At serving time, mix half and half and egg yolk and add to soup. Season to taste.
  7. Heat and serve.
  8. (This soup is also delicious cold.)

Of course you’ll only use radish leaves that haven’t been sprayed or powdered with pesticides, but you knew that already, right? And a few bug bites won’t matter in the slightest. By the way. 🙂

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31 thoughts on “Wait–don’t throw those radish leaves away! Make soup, instead!”

  2. Francene Stanley

    This sounds delicious as well as nutricious. What a great idea to use the leaves. When I grew them, I often wondered what to do with the leaves. I haven’t seen anyradishes around at the supermarket so far this year. Even if I did, they’d be full of pesticides. Sigh! You are so lucky to grow your own.

    Reply ↓
    1. dramamamafive Post author

      Francene, Send that hubby down to the farmer’s market–perhaps he will find a vendor with organic radishes!

      Reply ↓
  5. Kathy Hadley

    This sounds delicious. I personally don’t eat radishes but I think this soup recipe would also work with the ends you break off of asparagus or green onions or even broccoli stems or the ends of celery. Anything that you might cut off and throw away you can make into soup and then I use a hand blender and puree it to make it creamy.

    Great post and great recipe.

    🙂

    Kathy

    Reply ↓
  6. Wendy Bottrell

    We were discussing raddish leaves yesterday! We were not sure if we could use them or not and here is the question answered. Looking forward to trying this recipe. Thanks Amy. Best Regards, Wendy

    Reply ↓
  12. sam theman

    Hi Amy.thanks so much. For ur simply delicious radish soup recipe n ur winter laying chicken tips.ur article was down to earthn informative. I added 1 tbsp of Quaker Oats per cup of
    Soup instead of half and half.

    Reply ↓
    1. dramamamafive Post author

      Sam, Yum yum I love that radish soup recipe! And using oats instead of half and half sounds like an interesting choice, especially if you can’t tolerate dairy. How was it?

      Reply ↓
  13. Chef William

    How delightful, a great recipe. In Mexico we have fresh radishes all year and they are in every market place because they are a fixture on the tables of the locals. So now I can take this recipe and share it with them. I am sure it will help their pocket books if they find a way to use them. Thanks

    Reply ↓
    1. dramamamafive Post author

      Well, probably most produce that you buy today has pesticide residue on it. This is a matter that you’ll have to decide for yourself. I’d feel best going with the organic, however, if I’m going to actually eat the leaves. You can’t wash everything off.

      Reply ↓
  15. TaleLady

    Found your blog earlier today roaming the web in search of a soup recipe with radish greens. My radishes were not the regular small ones, they sell here bigger ones nowadays reddish in colour and with way bigger greens on them. And they were Demeter organic so I didn’t want to waste them.
    Just made this soup and it was very delicious, thank you for the recipe!
    I used a bit of beefstock that was in the fridge and did forego the egg yolk.

    Reply ↓
    1. dramamamafive Post author

      You are so welcome! I love the idea of using beef stock. Bone broth would be a good addition, too!

      Reply ↓
  16. TaleLady

    After some considerations I decided to post my version of this recipe in my blog today (it is in German). I hope you have no objections to that. As I always try to do when I have a major source, I mentioned you in my post and linked your recipe. Thanks again.

    Reply ↓

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