The purple and green space-creature in your CSA boxes for the past few weeks has been a Kohlrabi. I like to describe it as “two vegetables in one” and a cross between an apple and a broccoli stem. The bulbous stem is crispy, crunchy and a little sweet. Enjoy it sliced thinly or in match-sticks in salads, Korean ban-chan/kimchi, and stir-frys. We enjoy it in a kale salad as small dices. It’s delicious sauteed and steamed down with the greens – think turnip and turnip-greens style. The greens are like a collard or kale leaf, you can use them in any cooked dish. You can also juice the whole darn thing!
According to Local Harvest: “Kohlrabi belongs to the cabbage family and got its name from a German word meaning ‘cabbage-turnip’. They were popular in Germany during the 16th century and only recently have they been appreciated elsewhere….Diced or julienned kohlrabi is good in salads, stir-fries, coated in batter and deep fried or steamed, and accompanied with a cheese sauce.”
Kohlrabi is one of the few vegetables I do recommend peeling. The outer skin can stay rather tough even after cooking. You can also eat the greens of the kohlrabi. Treat them just like collards or kale, and remove the stem.
Kohlrabi Nutrition
Kohlrabi is low in calories, and is a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper and Manganese. It also contains Thiamin, Folate, Magnesium and Phosphorus.
Kohlrabi, like other brassicas, is high in antioxidants such as vitamin C. Many sources also point to cancer-protective phytochemicals, and even some vitamin B6!
Recipes
Here are some great recipe ideas from Simply Recipes.
Recipe: Roasted Kohlrabi with Parmesan Cheese
Kohlrabi bulbs, peeled
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to Taste
1/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Cut the kohlrabi into 1/4 inch thick slices, then cut each of the slices in half. Combine olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Toss kohlrabi slices in the olive oil mixture to coat. Spread kohlrabi in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Bake until browned, 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally in order to brown evenly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Return to the oven to allow the Parmesan cheese to brown, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.
Optional: add other root vegetables like turnips to the mix, season with herbs like oregano and thyme.
Kohlrabi also makes for excellent Korean banchan with gochujang pepper paste seasoning.