Kohlrabi — The Vegetable You Need to Know About
by Margeaux Vittoria
What the Heck is Kohlrabi?
Whether you’ve gotten some in your CSA box or just noticed it at your local grocery store, kohlrabi is definitely an unusual and eye-catching vegetable. It looks a bit like a turnip crossed with an octopus, and since it’s an unfamiliar item in American cuisine, it can be easy to pass on in favor of more commonly used vegetables. However, it’s worth giving this homely cabbage varietal a try. Kohlrabi is cheap, low-calorie, and it packs more vitamin C than oranges. It has a bright, juicy, crunchy flavor that is uniquely appealing, similar to radishes or jicama. If you’ve never given it a taste, you don’t know what you’re missing!
Kohlrabi is sometimes called a German turnip or turnip cabbage, and is unsurprisingly popular in German and eastern European cuisine. It’s also common in north Indian cooking, where its served braised in a spicy gravy. Much like its cousin cabbage, kohlrabi is equally delicious raw or cooked (in Poland, people often eat whole kohlrabi like apples!). Both purple and green kohlrabi is sold in the US, though the green variety is more common. Like beets, the greens of the kohlrabi plant can be eaten in addition to the actual vegetable (use them wherever you’d use other leafy greens like arugula or kale). Incorporate this versatile vegetable into your healthy cooking repertoire when you need to mix things up.
Image credit: @sengquist
What Are the Health Benefits of Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi contains more vitamin C than vitamin C’s typical poster child, the orange. Vitamin C supports your immune system and promotes skin and bone health through its ability to increase collagen production. Adding kohlrabi to your diet during the winter months is a simple way to help your body fight off seasonal colds and flus. Much like other cruciferous vegetables, kohlrabi is full of remarkable phytochemicals that reduce inflammation and your risk of cancer. Inflammation is linked to increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and a host of other common life-threatening diseases. A diet full of a wide assortment of fresh vegetables is one of your best bets in the fight against modern diseases.
How Should I Prepare Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is in season between late fall and early spring. When selecting kohlrabi, look for uncracked, blemish-free vegetables that are medium in size, approximately 4” in diameter. Cut off the leaves and use them within a few days. The bulb, much like cabbage, will keep for a few weeks in the refrigerator. If the kohlrabi skin seems thick and fibrous, peel the vegetable first. If it’s still relatively young and tender, you can keep the skin on.
Even after learning what kohlrabi is, why it’s good for you, and how to purchase it, it can still be challenging to come up with ways to incorporate it into your daily meals — it just looks intimidating! Here are five recipes that illustrate the incredible variety of delicious ways that this vegetable can be prepared. Soon you’ll be adding it to your cooking with confidence.
Kohlrabi Home Fries: Like potatoes, kohlrabi can be sliced into thick wedges and baked to create delicious, dip-able home fries. This is a great way to introduce kohlrabi to children or adults who don’t love trying new things. Switch up the seasonings to create new flavors of fries if you like — rosemary, garlic, and Parmesan would all be delicious additions (via NYTimes).
Crispy Apple Kohlrabi Salad: This fresh and bright salad allows raw kohlrabi to shine. Gouda, fresh tarragon, apples, lemon juice, and sunflower seeds add depth of flavor and sweetness to the salad. This would be the perfect accompaniment for barbequed meat or other rich, savory dishes (via Cookie and Kate).
Spicy Kohlrabi Noodle Salad: Kohlrabi steals the show in this fresh, modern take on pad thai. Instead of completely replacing rice noodles with kohlrabi, this recipe combines both ingredients 50/50 to create a lighter recipe that doesn’t skimp on deliciousness. If you’re fan of Thai food, this is the perfect way to give kohlrabi a try for the first time (via Love and Lemons).
Mashed Kohlrabi with Brown Butter: Much like the home fry recipe listed above, this recipe replaces potatoes with kohlrabi for a low-carb, nutrient-rich version of a high-calorie favorite. Brown butter, hazelnuts, and heavy cream take the indulgence to a whole new level. This would be a unique and scrumptious dish to bring to a holiday get-together in lieu of typical mashed potatoes (via Epicurious).
Main Image Credit: @_joannac_
