This sweet and salty Japanese Pickled Daikon is so easy to make! You need only 5 ingredients and very little hands-on time to make it.
My family loves pickles in general, but we especially love Japanese pickles (tsukemono). They can be a little hard to come by, but when we go to a Japanese restaurant that has them on the appetizer menu, we always order them.
Japanese pickles come in many varieties and can be made with various vegetables like cucumbers, eggplant, plums, ginger, and in this case, daikon.
The bright yellow pickled daikon that is known as takuan seems to be the most common type of Japanese pickle that I've encountered in North America. It can be eaten alone, used to make maki, or served as an accompaniment to other dishes. It is also used in Korean dishes like kimbap.
Japanese Pickled Daikon is very crunchy, a little sweet, a little salty, and a little sour. And since it's made with daikon, it's got that distinctive funky radish flavor that daikon is known for.
These pickles must come with a warning though: if you're sensitive to smells, you might want to avoid them. Daikon has a potent sulfury smell, so when you make these pickles, your kitchen (and maybe even your whole house) will smell like farts every time you crack open the jar.
How to Make Japanese Pickled Daikon
Making these crunchy, bright yellow pickles is incredibly easy. The majority of the hands-on work required involves prepping the daikon. Start by peeling the daikon. Cut it in halve lengthwise. If your daikon is very big, you might have to cut those halves in half again (you will end up with wedges in this case). Slice the halve (or quarters) about ¼ inch thick (about ½ cm).
Place the sliced daikon into a medium bowl or colander and toss them with kosher salt. Let the daikon sit uncovered, at room temperature for about 3 hours.
Drain any liquid that's accumulated, and rinse the daikon. Drain all excess water. Pack the daikon into a large jar or airtight container.
Stir the rice vinegar, sugar, and turmeric together in a measuring cup or small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil (microwave for about a minute to a minute in a half if using a measuring cup). Remove from heat and let the vinegar mixture cool slightly.
Pour the vinegar mixture over the daikon, so that all of the daikon is completely submerged. If it doesn't cover all of the daikon, mix up a little more of the vinegar and sugar at a 1:1 ratio - there is no need to add more turmeric. Close the jar and refrigerate for at least 3 days before serving. The pickles will last in the fridge for several weeks.
Is my Japanese Pickled Daikon supposed to smell like that?
Daikon has a pungent odor to it. It smells sulfury, and frankly, like farts. It is powerful enough that when I open the jar in my kitchen, Mr. Dreamboat can smell it from upstairs within a few minutes. So yes, your pickled daikon is probably completely normal. Trust that it will not taste like it smells.
Japanese Pickled Daikon Ingredients
- Daikon - There are a few different types of daikon, but you one you want is the long white version. You can find daikon in the produce department of well-stocked grocery stores and Asian markets. Try to find one that isn't too big or you might have to cut it into smaller pieces.
- Kosher salt
- Sugar - just plain old granulated sugar is all you need here
- Rice vinegar - find rice vinegar in the same aisle as all the other types of vinegar. Don't substitute regular white vinegar here as it's harsher.
- Ground turmeric - this is optional an mostly used for color, but it does contribute some flavor too. If you're not a huge fan of the flavor of turmeric, but still want some yellow color, cut the amount in half. Find ground turmeric in the spice aisle.
Want more pickle recipes?
Japanese Pickled Daikon Nutrition Notes
The sodium content in the recipe below is an estimate as some of the salt is rinsed away after the daikon is salted. I have estimated that half of the sodium remains. I have also included all of the sugar in the nutrition calculations, though likely not all of the vinegar-sugar solution will be consumed.
These pickles are vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Japanese Pickled Daikon
Ingredients
- 2 ½ pounds daikon peeled
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon turmeric optional, for color
Instructions
- Cut the peeled daikon in half lengthwise (if your daikon is very large, cut the halves in half again so that will be wedges), and into ¼ inch half-moons. Toss the daikon with ¼ cup kosher salt in a bowl or colander, and let sit for 3 hours, uncovered at room temperature. Rinse the daikon with cold water and drain any excess water. Pack the salted daikon into a large jar or other airtight container.
- Combine ½ cup sugar, ½ cup rice vinegar, and ½ teaspoon turmeric together in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cool the vinegar mixture slightly while the daikon sits. Pour the sugar-vinegar mixture into the jar with the daikon. Note that the vinegar mixture should completely cover the daikon. If it doesn't, you may need to mix up a little more vinegar-sugar mixture, using a 1:1 ratio (there is no need to add additional turmeric).
- Refrigerate the daikon for at least 3 days before serving. It will keep in the fridge for up to a month.
Nutrition
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