Air-Fryer Radish Chips: A Quick, Healthy Crunch

Radishes have a reputation for their stark peppery flavour, but did you know that cooking them almost completely eliminates this? In fact, when roasted, radishes take on a taste and texture that's a mix between potato, carrot, and onion. This makes them an excellent low-carb alternative to potato chips.

To make radish chips in an air fryer, start by slicing your radishes into thin rounds. Then, toss them with a small amount of oil and your choice of seasoning. Spread the radish slices on an air fryer cooking sheet or basket, ensuring they don't overlap. Air fry at 350–390°F (180–200°C) for 8–15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the radishes are crispy and golden brown.

Choosing the right radishes

When it comes to variety, red radishes are a great option for their slightly sweet taste and peppery flavour. You can also use daikon radishes, which are larger and milder in flavour. If you want a mix of colours, look for the French Breakfast variety, which has a red tip and a white body.

The size of the radishes is also important. Aim for radishes that are all roughly the same size, so they cook evenly. Smaller radishes are generally better as they are easier to slice thinly and will cook faster.

Finally, consider the seasonality of radishes. They are typically in season during spring and early summer, so you may find the freshest radishes during these months. However, some varieties are available year-round, so you can still enjoy radish chips any time of the year.

Once you've chosen your radishes, simply follow the preparation and cooking instructions for delicious, crispy air fryer radish chips!

Preparing the radishes

First, you'll want to wash and dry your radishes. This step is important to remove any dirt or debris that could impact the final flavour of your radish chips. Once they're clean, cut off the tops and bottoms of the radishes, as well as any stems and roots.

Now it's time to slice the radishes. You can use a sharp knife or a mandoline for this step. Aim for a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Slicing them any thinner might cause them to fly around in the air fryer, and they will also shrink during cooking. If you prefer thicker chips, you can slice them by hand or use the slicer side of a grater.

At this point, you can choose to save the radish greens for other recipes like salads, stir-fries, quiches, or soups.

Next, arrange the radish slices on a baking sheet or in a mixing bowl. Drizzle or spritz them with a small amount of oil—olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil are all great choices. Sprinkle your desired seasonings over the radish slices. Some popular options include salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes. You can also experiment with other seasonings like smoked paprika, chilli flakes, mustard powder, or herbs such as thyme, oregano, and basil.

Use a food brush or gently toss the radish slices to ensure they are evenly coated with oil and seasonings.

Now your radishes are ready to be cooked in the air fryer! Just make sure they are arranged in a single layer, with minimal overlap, so they cook evenly and get nice and crispy.

Seasoning the radishes

The seasoning you use on your radish chips is entirely up to your personal preference. You can use a simple seasoning of salt and pepper, or get creative with spices and herbs.

Simple seasoning

For a simple seasoning, sprinkle salt and pepper over your radish slices. You can also add a small amount of olive oil or avocado oil to help the radishes crisp up and enhance the natural flavour.

Savoury seasoning

For a savoury flavour, you could use a combination of salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder.

Spicy seasoning

If you like your food spicy, you could add a touch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to your radish chips. Smoked paprika is another option for those who like a little heat.

Herbs

You can add herbs such as thyme, oregano, basil or rosemary to your radish chips. For an Italian flavour, try using an Italian seasoning blend.

Other seasonings

Other seasonings you could experiment with include mustard powder, chilli flakes, or everything bagel seasoning blend.

Combining seasonings

You can also combine different seasonings to create your own unique flavour profile. For example, you could try using salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and oregano together.

Dips

Radish chips also go well with dips. Some dip options include homemade ranch, hummus, crab dip, sour cream and onion dip, or spicy jalapeno popper dip.

Air-frying the radishes

Preparation:

First, gather your radishes and wash them thoroughly. You'll want to remove any dirt or debris that could affect the flavour of your chips. Next, cut off the radish stems, roots, and the very tops and bottoms of the radishes. Then, using a sharp knife or a mandoline, slice the radishes into thin, even pieces. Aim for a thickness of about 1/8 inch; this will ensure your chips are crispy and don't fly around in the air fryer. If you have a food processor, you can use it to get evenly thin slices. You can save the radish greens for other dishes like salads, stir-fries, or soups.

Seasoning:

Place your radish slices on a baking sheet or in a mixing bowl. Drizzle or spritz them with a small amount of oil—olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil are all great choices. You can also use olive oil cooking spray. Then, add your desired seasonings. Classic options include salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder, but you can get creative with spices like smoked paprika, chilli flakes, mustard powder, or herbs such as thyme, oregano, and basil. Give the radish slices a good toss to ensure they're evenly coated in oil and seasonings.

Air Frying:

Preheat your air fryer to between 350°F and 390°F. Place the seasoned radish slices in a single layer on the air fryer tray or basket, ensuring there's minimal overlap. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to cook the radish chips in batches. Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the radish chips are crispy and golden brown along the edges. There's no need to flip them, but checking on them every few minutes and moving them back into place if they've shifted is a good idea.

Serving:

Once your radish chips are crispy and golden, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute or two before serving. Air-fried radish chips are best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers, store them at room temperature, not in the fridge, as the moisture and cold will make them soggy. Enjoy your crispy, healthy radish chips as a snack or a side dish!

Serving the radish chips

Once your radish chips are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and let them cool for a minute or two before serving. They are best enjoyed fresh out of the fryer, but if you do have leftovers, store them in a sealed container or bag at room temperature. Avoid storing them in the fridge, as the moisture will make them go soft.

Radish chips make a great substitute for potato chips. They can be enjoyed as a crunchy snack on their own, or served with a tasty dip like ranch, crab dip, sour cream and onion dip, or spicy jalapeño popper dip. They also work well as a side dish, especially if you're craving something like french fries to go with your main course. For example, they go well with burgers, or as a healthier alternative to asparagus or green beans with chicken or steak.

If you want to experiment with seasoning, you could try smoked paprika, chilli flakes, red pepper flakes, mustard powder, or herbs like thyme, oregano, or basil.

Frequently asked questions