How Long to Cook Kohlrabi

Preparation

How to Prepare Kohlrabi Before Cooking

Remove the leaves and stems if attached. Peel the bulb deeply enough to remove the tough, fibrous outer layer, especially near the base.

Use a knife rather than a light vegetable peeler if the skin is thick. Remove the fibrous outer layer until you reach the pale, crisp, juicy flesh underneath.

Kohlrabi is a crisp, mild brassica with a flavor somewhere between cabbage stem, turnip, and broccoli stem. It can be eaten raw when young, or cooked until tender for soups, sides, mash, gratins, and creamy dishes.

Cut kohlrabi into even slices, cubes, or sticks so the pieces cook at the same rate.

Method

How to Cook Kohlrabi Step by Step

1. Remove leaves and stems if attached, then trim the base.
2. Peel deeply enough to remove the tough outer layer, especially on large bulbs.
3. Cut into even slices, cubes, or sticks.
4. Add kohlrabi pieces to boiling salted water for a clean side dish, or simmer them directly in broth for soup.
5. Cook until a knife slides in easily. For mash or puree, cook longer until the pieces crush easily.
6. Drain well and season while warm.

Cooking chart

Kohlrabi Cooking Time Chart

Basics

What Is Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi is a mild brassica with a crisp texture and a flavor similar to cabbage stem, turnip, and broccoli stem.

Young kohlrabi can be eaten raw in salads, slaws, dips, or crunchy snacks. Cooked kohlrabi becomes tender and works well in soups, mash, gratins, creamy dishes, and simple sides.

Age

Young vs Large Kohlrabi

Young kohlrabi is usually tender, juicy, and mildly sweet. It cooks faster and often has a cleaner flavor.

Large or older kohlrabi can have thicker skin and a more fibrous outer layer. Peel it more deeply and cut it into smaller pieces so it cooks evenly.

Leaves

Can You Cook Kohlrabi Leaves?

Yes. Kohlrabi leaves are edible and can be cooked like kale, collards, turnip greens, or other sturdy greens.

Young leaves cook quickly in 3 to 6 minutes. Larger leaves may need longer and are often better sauteed, simmered, or added to soups.

Methods

When Another Cooking Method Is Better

Boiling is useful for soups, mash, simple sides, and cream sauce dishes. Steaming keeps kohlrabi's flavor slightly cleaner and less watery.

Roasting gives kohlrabi a sweeter, nuttier flavor and browned edges. Sauteing works well for thin slices or sticks. Young kohlrabi is also excellent raw in salads or slaws.

Texture

How to Know When Kohlrabi Is Done

For a side dish, kohlrabi should be tender with a slight bite, not mushy. A knife should slide into the thickest piece easily, but the pieces should still hold their shape.

For mash or puree, cook kohlrabi longer until the pieces crush easily with a fork.

Flavor

Best Seasonings for Kohlrabi

Classic kohlrabi seasonings include butter, parsley, dill, chives, lemon, black pepper, and breadcrumbs.

For creamy dishes, use cream sauce, bechamel, sour cream, yogurt, or cheese sauce. Kohlrabi also pairs well with nutmeg, caraway, cumin, paprika, vinegar, mustard, apples, potatoes, carrots, peas, leeks, cabbage, and cauliflower.

Avoid this

Common Mistakes

• Not peeling deeply enough, leaving a tough fibrous layer.
• Treating large old kohlrabi like young tender kohlrabi.
• Cutting pieces unevenly.
• Boiling small slices as long as large cubes.
• Overcooking until the pieces crumble.
• Throwing away tender kohlrabi leaves.
• Using too much water for a simple side dish, which can dilute the mild flavor.

Rescue tips

How to Fix Kohlrabi

Small texture problems can often be redirected into another dish.

• Still toughSimmer a few minutes longer, or cut large pieces smaller and return them to the pot.
• Too wateryDrain well and finish in a pan with butter, cream sauce, breadcrumbs, herbs, or lemon.
• Too softMash with potatoes, blend into soup, or use in a gratin where a softer texture works.

Serving

What to Serve With Kohlrabi

For a simple side, drain kohlrabi well and finish with butter, parsley, dill, chives, lemon, or breadcrumbs.

Use cooked kohlrabi in soups, gratins, mash, stews, cream sauce dishes, roasted sides, or potato and carrot mixtures.

Recipe ideas

Kohlrabi Recipes You May Like

These ideas work well with cooked kohlrabi.

• Kohlrabi with butter and parsleyBoil slices until tender, drain well, and finish with butter, parsley, lemon, and black pepper.
• Kohlrabi in cream sauceCook cubes until tender, then coat with bechamel, cream sauce, dill, or chives.
• Kohlrabi and potatoesBoil kohlrabi and potatoes separately or together by size, then toss with butter and herbs.
• Kohlrabi slawUse young raw kohlrabi, peeled and cut into matchsticks, with lemon, yogurt, mustard, apple, or herbs.

Leftovers

How to Store Raw and Cooked Kohlrabi

Store raw kohlrabi in the refrigerator. Remove the leaves before storing the bulb because the leaves pull moisture from it. Store leaves separately and use them within a few days.

Peeled or cut kohlrabi should be refrigerated in an airtight container and used soon. Cooked kohlrabi can be refrigerated for 3 to 4 days and reheated gently with butter, cream sauce, broth, or a splash of water.

Tools

Useful Tools for Cooking Kohlrabi

• Medium or large potUse enough room so the vegetables cook evenly.
• ColanderDrain quickly when the texture is right.
• Small knife or forkCheck the thickest pieces for tenderness.
• Kitchen timerStart checking near the early end of the range.

Keep cooking

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