6 Startlingly Good Ways to Make Kohlrabi

A close cousin of cabbage and kale, kohlrabi has a very distinct appearance—the large bulb (which looks like a root, but is actually a stem!) can be either green, white, or purple, and is crowned with spindly stalks that culminate in large, floppy leaves (it reminds us of the golden snitch from the Harry Potter movies).

The leaves and bulb are edible—the stalks are pretty tough, so discard them or save them for the compost pile. This Thai-inspired stir-fry showcases both the leaves and bulb. To make it vegan-friendly, swap out the fish sauce for soy. To make it gluten-free, swap soy for tamari.

If you’ve never tasted kohlrabi, this is the perfect recipe to start with! The kohlrabi bulb is starchy, so it grates into sturdy shreds that hold up well to pan-frying. A food processor makes this super easy, and you can even grate the kohlrabi in advance, because it doesn’t turn brown like potatoes.

Paired with a sweet and tangy mixture of sour cream and applesauce, this low-carb riff on latkes makes a great party appetizer.

Call on your cast-iron skillet to whip up this one-dish dinner. Crunchy kohlrabi brings gut-friendly fiber to the table; lean turkey sausage delivers heart-healthy protein. If you’d like to tame down the heat and make this dish more kid friendly, pick up mild turkey sausage. Serve over your favorite mashed potatoes or quick-sauteed greens.

Upgrade your steak dinner game by adding this super-savory side. Don’t be scared of anchovy fillets; they’re a mega umami bomb that drenches these oven-tender kohlrabi wedges with rich flavor. When shopping for kohlrabi, choose bulbs that are firm and smooth; they’re the freshest.

Sturdy kohlrabi leaves stand in for the traditional grape leaves in this riff on the classic beef-and-rice stuffed Greek appetizer—and use the rest to make a delicious side slaw. 

Although we love using brown rice whenever we can, it's important to use the quicker-cooking white rice here to retain moisture and keep the beef from overcooking. This process is a little time consuming for a weeknight, but it makes a fun weekend cooking project. Whip up the slaw while the dolmades are cooking so everything’s done on time.

Upgrade your pickle game with these crunchy and zesty fast-fix pickles. Great for topping tacos, stir fries, salads, or snazzing up an appetizer board, these crunchy pickles deliver a pop of flavor to everyday dishes. Don’t be alarmed by the amount of sugar in this recipe—just a small amount gets absorbed by the pickles. If you have a mandolin, use it to slice the kohlrabi—it gets the job done much faster than a sharp knife.