How to prepare dinner with kohlrabi, that curious cruciferous vegetable

Here’s what you need to know.

Kohlrabi is a term borrowed from German that is a mash-up of kohl (cabbage) and rübe (turnip). When the taste reminds me of a turnip — incredibly delicate with the ever-so-slightest hint of sweetness — it is not a root vegetable. The bulb is essentially the stem of the plant that grows earlier mentioned ground. Alternatively of a root, it is a cruciferous vegetable, like Brussels sprouts, cabbage and broccoli. (It is typically as opposed to broccoli stems.)

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If you’re in the market for kohlrabi and they’re not foisted upon you in a deliver box, you want to continue to be away from these with blemishes or wilted leaves. (Raw or cooked, the leaves can be eaten too!) Glance for smaller bulbs — with a diameter up to 3 inches — as they can come to be woody when greater. Like cabbage, kohlrabi should really be stored in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator exactly where it can last for weeks. If the leaves are attached, you are going to want to individual them variety the bulb and they must be employed in just a few of times.

Prior to having fun with kohlrabi, be certain to get rid of the rough, fibrous outer layer with a knife. The lesser, extra tender bulbs are most normally eaten uncooked in slaws, salads and as crudité to get gain of their enjoyable crunch. (I discovered myself munching on them like carrots for a snack.) Help you save the bigger bulbs for cooking — they can be grilled, mashed, roasted, fried, sauteed, etcetera. — so you can soften the harder flesh.

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Kohlrabi’s neutral flavor suggests it’s adaptable adequate to go into just about any savory dish you can assume of. But if you’re looking for a head begin, here are a few recipes that put kohlrabi to fantastic use.

Kohlrabi joins apple, carrots and snow peas for a delightfully crunchy salad. Get the recipe.

Black Lentil Salad With Veggies and Herbs

In this summer season salad from Nourish columnist Ellie Krieger, matchsticks of kohlrabi increase pale, crisp contrast to black lentils, juicy tomatoes, shallots and herbs dressed in a mustard vinaigrette. Get the recipe.

Fennel and Kohlrabi Salad

Just a handful of substances tossed in a easy lemon vinaigrette is all you require to toss together this crisp, refreshing aspect dish. Get the recipe.

Kohlrabi is also often compared to potatoes, so this recipe brings together the two into a comforting soup topped with Asian pear, pecans and parsley. Get the recipe.