Air fryer radishes with vegan parmesan

If you think radishes are only for salads, you are in for a treat.

This root vegetable becomes almost potato-like after roasting in the air fryer.

The outside is crusted in vegan parmesan cheese & freshly grated garlic.

Roasting makes the exterior crispy, cheesy, and garlicky. While the inside is beautifully tender.

The fragrant smells emanating from the air fryer make it almost impossible to wait!

It is a dairy-free & low carb side dish that your whole family will enjoy.

In this post:

Radishes: A 12-ounce bag of radishes is what you’ll need for this recipe. I usually pick them up at Trader Joe’s.

Or you can buy loose radishes, and weigh them for the amount you need.

Either standard red or rainbow-style radishes works here.

Avocado oil: This is a good high-heat, neutral-flavored oil. However, feel free to use any high-heat oil that you like.

If you follow an oil-free diet, the oil can be replaced with aquafaba (cooking liquid from a can of beans).

Garlic: A clove of garlic adds bite & makes this a truly addictive side dish.

Salt: Any type works here, but a coarser salt really stands out.

Vegan parmesan cheese: I recommend making vegan parmesan cheese from scratch. I always have a batch in the refrigerator in a shaker. (It’s also great on roasted fennel!)

But if you’d prefer to make a small batch of just what you’ll need for this recipe, see ingredients & instructions below.

Alternatively, you can also buy vegan parmesan. I recommend a finely ground vegan parm since it sticks to the radishes better.

Avoid the flaky variety or the kind you grate yourself, like Violife.

Scallions: You can finish this dish with a smattering of scallions for color (also called green onions). It’s completely optional.

Here’s how to make this recipe at a glance. For complete ingredient amounts & instructions, keep scrolling to the recipe card below.

Wash & dry radishes. Remove tops & tails. Then cut them into roughly equal-sized pieces.

Toss them in oil in a mixing bowl.

Cook radishes in a single layer in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 7 minutes.

(For optimum coating, you’ll be air frying in 2 rounds. First without seasoning & then with seasoning.)

While the radishes are air frying, grate garlic into the mixing bowl with a Microplane zester (or finely mince).

Add more oil & a pinch of salt.

Add the radishes to the bowl and combine.

Then sprinkle on vegan parmesan cheese. Shake the bowl to reveal any bare radishes. And sprinkle on more vegan parm.

(Avoid stirring the radishes with the parm, because it tends to clump instead of coat.)

Gently pour the radishes back into the air fryer. Sprinkle on one final dash of vegan parm.

Then air fry radishes at 400 degrees for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the radishes are golden & fork tender.

Put the air fried radishes on a serving dish.

Finish with chopped scallions, if you like.

Small batch vegan parmesan

You can use either homemade vegan parmesan or store-bought.

I always have a batch of my vegan parmesan cheese on hand in the refrigerator, which is perfect for this.

However, if you’d prefer, you can make a small batch of vegan parmesan. It will basically give you just what you need for this recipe.

• 1 Tablespoon hemp hearts
• 1 Tablespoon raw cashews
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• ⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon granulated onion
• Pinch of salt

Instructions: Grind all of the ingredients in a clean coffee grinder or small food processor until fine.

(I don’t recommend using a full-sized food processor on a batch this small, because it won’t grind as nicely & completely.)

You can make this dish your own by varying the ingredients, amounts, or cooking lengths.

• Vary the color of the radishes
• Use daikon radish instead, peeled & cut into 1-inch pieces
• Replace homemade vegan parmesan with store-bought
• Add more or less garlic, to taste
• Replace fresh garlic with ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
• Omit or vary the garnish with finely chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• Remember air fryer cooking times vary & adjust as needed

This delicious vegan, keto & gluten-free side dish goes with a variety of main courses.

Choose from any of these entrees:

• Mini vegetable pot pie
• Hot open faced sandwich
• Rachel sandwich
• Grilled portobello mushrooms
• Air fryer stuffed peppers
• Baked lemon tofu

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

It will keep for 3 or 4 days.

Reheat in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, until warmed throughout & browned on the outside.

The radishes are a little softer/less crispy after storing in the refrigerator. However, they’re still delicious.

Here are more air fryer side dishes you’ll love:

• Air fryer spaghetti squash
• Air fryer asparagus
• Air fryer kale chips
• Air fryer onion rings
• Air fryer baked potato

📖 Recipe

Air fryer radishes with vegan parmesan

Author: Cadry Nelson

5 from 4 votes

Radishes become almost potato-like when roasted in the air fryer & crusted with vegan parmesan.

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 people

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Keyword: air fryer recipe, easy vegan

Ingredients

• ▢ 12 ounces radishes
• ▢ 2 teaspoons avocado oil divided
• ▢ 1 clove garlic grated or finely minced
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons vegan parmesan cheese plus a few shakes more
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chopped green onions optional garnish

Instructions

• ▢
  Wash & dry radishes. Remove tops & tails. Then cut them into equal sized pieces.

  Cut extra large radishes into quarters, medium-sized radishes in half, and very small radishes can stay whole.

  You want them about the same size, so that they'll cook at the same rate.
• ▢
  Put radishes into a mixing bowl and toss with 1 teaspoon of avocado oil (or your preferred high heat oil).
• ▢
  Put oiled radishes into air fryer basket.

  (You're going to air fry them twice. First without seasonings, and then with seasonings.)

  Air fry at 400 degrees for 7 minutes.
• ▢
  While the radishes are air frying, grate (or finely mince) garlic into the mixing bowl. Add the remaining 1 teaspoon of avocado oil and a pinch of salt.
• ▢
  Put the radishes into the mixing bowl & fully combine them with the garlic, oil, and salt.
• ▢
  Sprinkle the radishes with 1 Tablespoon of vegan parmesan cheese. Give the bowl a shake to reveal any bare parts of the radishes, and shake on another 1 Tablespoon of vegan parmesan cheese.

  (Avoid stirring the radishes with the parmesan, because it tends to clump instead of coat.)
• ▢
  Gently pour the radishes back into the air fryer. Sprinkle on a little bit more of vegan parmesan cheese.
• ▢
  Air fry at 400 degrees for 4 to 5 more minutes, until the radishes are golden on the outside & tender on the inside.
• ▢
  Move radishes to a serving dish & finish with chopped green onions for garnish, if you like.

Notes

Vegan parmesan cheese topping

You can use homemade or store-bought vegan parmesan for this recipe. (If using store-bought, I recommend a grainy style of cheese, which coats better. Avoid the large, flaky variety or any that you grate yourself, like Violife.)

However, if you don’t have any on hand or don’t want to make a full batch, here’s what you’ll need to make just enough for this recipe.

Small batch vegan parmesan

• 1 Tablespoon hemp hearts
• 1 Tablespoon raw cashews
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
• ⅛ teaspoon granulated garlic
• ⅛ teaspoon granulated onion
• Pinch of salt

Instructions: Grind all of the parmesan ingredients in a clean coffee grinder or small food processor until it’s finely ground. (Because it’s such a small batch, I don’t recommend using a full-sized food processor for best results.)

Standard oven instructions

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can roast radishes in the oven instead. Roast at 425 degrees on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 20 to 25 minutes. (Make sure the radishes are spread out for best roasting.)

For the first 10 minutes, roast the radishes with oil only. Then combine in a bowl with grated garlic, oil, salt, and vegan parmesan, as described in the recipe above. Return to the oven & continue roasting. The radishes are done when they are golden brown & fork tender.

Oil-free option

If you follow an oil-free diet, the oil can be replaced with aquafaba (cooking liquid from a can of beans).

Storage & reheating

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for 3 or 4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 400 degrees for about 5 minutes, or until fully warmed & browned.

They won’t be quite as crispy after being refrigerated, but still very tasty. If desired, add a few more shakes of vegan parmesan cheese.

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Nutrition

Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 215mg | Potassium: 405mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg