Kohlrabi is a really strange looking vegetable related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts. It’s delicious and nutritious and easy to prepare. This simple slaw recipe will help you get the most out of this tasty, odd little vegetable.
Kohlrabi Nutrition
Kohlrabi is a powerhouse of Vitamin C, but only if you eat it raw. A single cup of raw kohlrabi has almost 84 mg of vitamin C! Kohlrabi also has a good amount beta-carotene, vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
Kohlrabi is a powerhouse of minerals, too. A cup of raw kohlrabi contains 14% of the Required Daily Allowance (RDA) for potassium and 9% of the RDA for copper and manganese. Kohlrabi also has small amounts of magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron and selenium.
Selection and Storage of Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is at its best during winter months from November until March. Choose smaller kohlrabi, which are the sweetest and most tender. The purple variety is sweeter than the green. Bulbs bigger than the size of a tennis ball won’t be very tasty and often have tough, fibrous flesh.
If the leaves are attached, make sure they are firm and green. When you get home, trim the leaves off and store them separately. They will need to be eaten within a day or two.
The bulbs should be stored, unwashed, in a bag. Small kohlrabi will hold for about a week in the refrigerator; the large, woodier bulbs can last up to a month.
Preparing Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi is delicious raw. Peel the outer skin, then slice, dice, or grate, and add it to salads. Cut kohlrabi up into crudité and enjoy with your favorite dip.
You can sauté, steam or boil kohlrabi bulbs and leaves until tender, then season with butter, salt, and pepper or some kind of sauce.
Grated kohlrabi can be added to slaw, but it helps if you lightly salt it first and let stand for several minutes. Squeeze to remove any excess water before adding dressing.
Related:
Tricolor Kohlrabi Slaw
Ingredients
Slaw
- 2-3 medium beets, trimmed and peeled (you can use golden beets, which will prevent the whole salad from turning pink.)
- 5-7 carrots, trimmed and peeled
- 5-7 small kohlrabi , or 2-3 larger kohlrabi, trimmed and peeled
Dressing
- 3-4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. raw honey, (optional)
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
- 1 large sprig fresh dill, chopped, to taste
- dash sriracha, Tabasco or other hot sauce, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- parsley, for garnish (optional)
- black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Grate or process the beets in the food processor until medium fine. Place in a large mixing bowl.
- Grate or process the carrots in the food processor until medium fine. Add to mixing bowl.
- Grate or process the kohlrabi in the food processor until medium fine. If they are very small, chop them finely. Add to mixing bowl. (You want to end up with equal amounts of grated beet, grated carrot and grated kohlrabi.)
- Whisk dressing ingredients together in a small bowl (or blend in Vitamix or blender), then pour over the salad and mix until well combined.
