This spiralized daikon salad recipe is a fresh, flavorful salad that tastes delicious. Daikon radish, tart green apples, and pepitas flavor combine to make this a fabulous salad that is almost too pretty to eat.

a fork full of daikon salad spirals

Have you seen Japanese daikon radishes in your grocery store or farmer’s market?

This daikon radish salad recipe started with a silly mistake. I was hunting for carrots, and the store I like to shop at for produce had daikon with complete green tops attached next to the carrots. I grabbed a bunch in a hurry, thinking they were heirloom white carrots.

Once I got home, I realized these were not even remotely close to a carrot. I am sure I am not the only one to be fooled. Daikon radishes look like long white carrots, but they are Chinese radishes!

If you love salads as we do, check out all of my delicious salad recipes for some more yummy ideas.

Freshly picked daikon on a plate.

Why this salad is great:

  1. This easy daikon salad recipe is ready in just minutes and is pretty enough to grab attention at any get-together.
  2. Daikon has an absolutely delicious and very mild flavor!
  3. Daikon is considered a high water-content vegetable, which is refreshing, especially during hot summer days.
  4. Daikon can be sliced, shredded, or julienned, offering versatility in terms of presentation and texture!

You may also love this homemade Kale and Apple Salad. Even my picky eater loves this salad recipe!

Allergen Information:

This Japanese daikon salad recipe is gluten free, vegan, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, and paleo, so it is perfect for any diet.

Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the daikon salad ingredients.
  • Japanese Daikon – Most grocery stores carry this root vegetable.
  • Pepitas – Pepitas add crunch and some protein. Be sure to make sure the white shell has been removed.
  • Rice Vinegar – I love rice vinegar, but apple vinegar is also good. Be sure to verify it is gluten free. Some vinegar has malt.
  • Orange Juice – Fresh or bottled orange juice is fine.
  • Green Apples – Tart apples are best in this recipe. I loved using Granny Smith.

My daikon salad recipe combines fun flavors that all play nicely together. (*If you love apples as much as we do, here are our favorite gluten free apple recipes.

Top Pick
Spiralizer 7-Blade Vegetable Slicer, For Veggie Pasta Spaghetti

This is the spiralizer that I own. It cuts all different sizes of noodles out of zucchini, carrots, beets, and more. It is easy to clean and set up.

Buy Now
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Step-By-Step Directions:

This daikon radish recipe is so easy to make! It is delicious with sushi and seafood recipes!

  • Wash the daikon and remove the leafy top and bottom.
  • If you plan to spiralize the daikon, insert it into your spiralizer and spiralize the whole thing. Repeat until you spiralize all of the daikon. (If you don’t have a spiralizer, use a large-sized grater to grate the daikon. Grated daikon is also very good!!
  • Add it to a large salad bowl with the pepitas, chopped parsley, and chopped green apples.
  • In a small bowl, add the dressing ingredients and whisk to blend.
  • Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. I find letting the daikon sit with the dressing for 15 minutes helps the flavors build up nicely.

How to Store Daikon Salad:

Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. With dressing, the salad will keep fresh for up to 2 days in the fridge. If you don’t dress the salad, the daikon will keep fresh for up to 4 days.

Daikon and Green Apple Salad with Pepitas in a black bowl. Plates and forks are in the background

Recipe FAQ:

What does daikon taste like?

Daikon has a very mild, sweet, slightly peppery flavor. You wouldn’t even suspect it was in the radish family!

What are pepitas?

Pepitas are special pumpkin seeds that grow in the pumpkin without their tough coating. They are deliciously roasted and make a delicious snack. They have tons of protein, fiber, and micronutrients.

More Delicious Salad Recipes to Try:

Daikon and Green Apple Salad with Pepitas

Sandi Gaertner
A delicious salad with daikon, green apple and pepitas
5 from 18 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Gluten Free Salad Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 197 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients
  

  • 2 daikon
  • 3 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons clementine juice
  • 1 granny smith apple
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
  • 2 tablespoons pepitas unsalted
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice

Instructions
 

  • In a bowl, add oil, vinegar, juices, and parsley. Whisk to blend.
  • Spiralize the daikon and green apple. If you don’t have a spiralizer, feel free to chop it.
  • Toss the daikon and green apple with the dressing. Allow to sit for 5 minutes so the flavors blend.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 3gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gSodium: 62mgFiber: 4gSugar: 14g
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




27 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Daikon was one of the first things I spiralized! Haha! First way I ever ate it too 😉

  2. 5 stars
    What a great idea to spiralize the daikon! And pepitas add so much good nutrition to a salad. Pinning!

  3. 5 stars
    I love daikon but never think to use it in salads other than the classic accompaniment to sashimi. I love this salad idea!

  4. I’ve seen daikon radishes in the store and have often thought to put them in my cart, but get scared because I wouldn’t know what to do with them. Now I know. This sounds amazing!

  5. I’ve tried a lot of different vegetables, but daikon never came in my farm share so haven’t tried it yet. Will have to pick them up and try this recipe, it looks good!

  6. I grow Daikon radishes in my garden over the summer. I am always looking for recipes and creative ways to use them. This sounds delicious and healthy.

  7. This salad looks amazing! I’m glad you made that mistake, because I can’t wait to try this salad out! I’ve never had a Daikon radish before so I’m so curious to try it!