The name comes from the German Kohl (“cabbage”) plus Rübe ~ Rabi (Swiss German variant) (“turnip”), because the swollen stem resembles a turnip. But in fact it is not a turnip but a member of the Brasica (or cabbage) family. A cool-weather crop that’s at its best from early Autumn through Spring.
Kohlrabi is a commonly eaten vegetable in German-speaking countries and American states with large ancestral German populations such as Wisconsin, but is also very popular in the northern part of Vietnam where it is called su hào, and in eastern parts of India (West Bengal) and Bangladesh where it is called ‘Ol Kopi’.
The taste and texture of kohlrabi are similar to those of a broccoli stem or cabbage heart, but milder and sweeter, with a higher ratio of flesh to skin. The young stem in particular can be as crisp and juicy as an apple, although much less sweet.
The bulbous kohlrabi stem is frequently used raw in salad or slaws. It has a texture similar to that of a broccoli stem, but with a flavor that is sweeter and less vegetal.
Kohlrabi leaves are edible and can be used interchangeably with collard greens and kale.
Enjoy it raw.
When raw, kohlrabi is slightly crunchy and mildly spicy, like radishes mixed with turnip. You can toss them in a salad, make a slaw out of grated kohlrabi, or eat them on their own with a drizzle of good olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt.
Purée into soup
While kohlrabi can be thrown into a basic chunky vegetable soup, we particularly like it in a creamy, puréed soup with mild spices so that sweet kohlrabi flavour can really shine through. Kohlrabi can also be added to recipes for cream of potato, cream of broccoli, and even cream of mushroom soup!
Roasted.
Like most other vegetables, when roasted in the oven, the outside of the kohlrabi caramelizes, and the flavour sweetens and mellows. Toss it with other roasted veggies like eggplant and potatoes for a hearty side dish.
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall says –
Kohlrabi can be grated raw into salads, used as an alternative to celeriac in a rémoulade, or simply dressed in a garlicky, lemony vinaigrette. Or toss thinly sliced kohlrabi with finely chopped red onion, some capers and lamb’s lettuce. And don’t forget the leaves – you can use them in soups or stews just as you would spinach or kale, or fry them in a little oil with mustard seeds, garlic and ginger.
Kohlrabi carpaccio
This elegant salad shows off kohlrabi’s finer qualities, making the most of its radish-y, water chestnut-y crunch, and takes only minutes to make. Serves four.
1 medium (or 2 small) kohlrabi
4-6 anchovy fillets (I always use Fish-4-Ever anchovies, from fish-4-ever.com), cut into thin strips
50g hard goat’s cheese
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Peel the kohlrabi, slice it into thin slivers with a vegetable peeler and divide these between four plates (or even one larger platter). Scatter the strips of anchovy fillet on top of the kohlrabi, then shave the goat’s cheese over, again using a vegetable peeler. Sprinkle on the thyme leaves, squeeze over a spritz of lemon juice and trickle on a little rapeseed oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve at once.
