How do you solve a problem like kohlrabi? You may ask yourself this question the first time you encounter one of these slightly alien-looking vegetables, with their orb-like shapes sprouting stems and leaves like many spidery tentacles. Kohlrabi can be a mystery to many home cooks. Although it’s not always available in supermarket produce sections, this cruciferous vegetable will look familiar to anyone who frequents farmers markets or subscribes to a CSA program (community-supported agriculture, aka farm share).
We love this vegetable oddball and suggest you add more variety to your cooking repertoire by learning how to buy, store, and prepare kohlrabi in slaws, salads, soups, stews, side dishes, and more. Read on to learn more.
What Is Kohlrabi?
Cultivated from a type of wild cabbage, kohlrabi is part of the brassica genus, along with cabbage, Brussels sprouts, kale, collard greens, mustard greens, broccoli, and cauliflower. The flavor and texture are comparable to broccoli stems or radishes—crunchy and mild with a faintly spicy bite.
The name kohlrabi is derived from the German words for “cabbage turnip.” Its moniker is part literal and part poetic: kohlrabi is, in fact, cultivated from a type of wild cabbage, but earns its turnip title based only on its similar appearance to this unrelated root vegetable.
A popular ingredient in Northern European cuisines, kohlrabi is commonly served in cream sauce as a side dish or mit schinken (“with ham”) as a main dish casserole, as well as in hearty soups with potatoes and root vegetables. Beyond these strictly traditional preparations, you can swap kohlrabi for cabbage, radishes, or root vegetables in most recipes.
Ready to Get Cooking? Here’s How to Eat Kohlrabi
Similar to broccoli stems, kohlrabi is most tender and sweet when it’s small; the skin becomes tougher and more woody as it grows. It’s usually not necessary to peel smaller kohlrabi, but you may wish to do so with larger ones. A sharp vegetable peeler or paring knife should be up to the job.
After trimming and peeling, slice the bulbs in half and cut out any brown or spongy spots. From here, you can slice, dice, julienne, shred, or thinly shave the kohlrabi for your recipe—or simply snack on it raw.
Using Kohlrabi in Salads, Slaws, and Snacks
Crunchy, juicy, and mild with a slight peppery bite, raw kohlrabi is perfect for any kind of slaw, or in salads and snacks. Use it the same way you might use jicama, celery, carrots, radishes, or even apples. Try these recipes as a starting point:
Using Kohlrabi in Soups, Sides, and Main Dishes
Ready to turn up the heat on kohlrabi? Add variety to your recipes by swapping your new favorite crucifer for cauliflower, celery root, parsnips, turnips, or potatoes.
Using Kohlrabi Greens
Collards and mustard greens are part of the same genus, so feel free to cook with kohlrabi greens the same way you would use either of these leafy vegetables. Here are two of our go-to recipes:
How to Buy and Store Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is a cool-weather crop that grows best in spring and fall and stores well for several weeks, so you’ll find it in most farmers markets even during the in-between seasons.
Varieties can be either purple or green on the outside (like cabbage) and greenish-white inside.
Storing
If you’re not planning to use your kohlrabi immediately, it’s best to trim off the greens so they don’t continue to draw moisture away from the bulb (technically, a swollen stem). Store the bulb and greens separately in the refrigerator: wrap the greens in a damp paper towel then a plastic bag, and place the bulbs in a sealed, perforated plastic bag. The leaves should be used within a couple of days, but the bulbs will keep well for two weeks or more.
