Learn All About Kohlbrabi, Including How to Prepare It (2024)

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Have you ever eaten kohlrabi? These little sputnik-shaped vegetables come in green or purple, can be eaten raw or cooked, and taste a bit like broccoli stems, but milder and slightly sweeter.

What Is Kohlrabi?

The word kohlrabi is German for "cabbage turnip" (kohl as in cole-slaw, and rübe for turnip) though kohlrabi is not a root vegetable at all. It's a brassica—like cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower—and those cute bulbous shapes grow above ground, not below.

Kohlrabi is a rather versatile vegetable when it comes to how to prepare. We usually eat them raw—peeled, sliced and added to a salad or used for serving with a dip.

How To Prepare Kohlrabi

You can also steam, boil, bake, grill, or roast them. Just peel away the outside thick skin first. Add them to soups or stews. Grate them and toss with grated carrots or apples.

Boil them and mash them with potatoes or other root vegetables. Stir-fry them with other vegetables, or julienne them and fry them like potatoes. Look for Indian recipes using kohlrabi as they are often used in Indian cuisine.

The leaves are also perfectly edible, and can be cooked up like kale.

What Does Kohlrabi Taste Like?

Kohlrabi tastes similar to a broccoli stalk, but a bit more tender and sweet. Don't forget to remove the tough outer peel, then use the bulb either raw or cooked. It can be prepared much like a broccoli stalk, too—if raw, shred it and use it in slaw or thinly slice and use in a salad. Small or thin pieces are best since the raw bulb is very crunchy.