How To Cook Kohlrabi: Creamy Potato Kohlrabi Soup
What the heck is kohlrabi? Come learn how to prepare and cook kohlrabi and get some recipe ideas like this easy to make and hearty potato kohlrabi soup.
Dietitian confession: Last year, if I got kohlrabi in my CSA share, it went into the swap box and was traded for another veggie that I had more of a clue on what to do with.
But that's not a good sign of a food blogger and self-claimed culinary dietitian, now is it? After all, I've tackled how to cook Jerusalem artichokes and how to cook rutabagas in the past. So, why neglect the poor kohlrabi?
So, last week when the ginoromus bulb appeared in my box, I figured it was time to embrace the kohlrabi and share my findings with you.
[bctt tweet="How to cook kohlrabi + recipe for Creamy Potato Kohlrabi Soup via @tspbasil"]
Did you know....?
- Kohlrabi is German for "cabbage turnip"
- Kohlrabi tastes like a cross between celery, jicama and very mild broccoli stalk (to me at least)
- You can eat it raw or cook it like a root veggie
- It's low in calories and a good source of fiber, Vitamin C and potassium
To prepare, first cut away the thick skin and remove any leaves (use them in this cheesy greens soup) and then chop, dice, grate or cut into sticks.
I decide to do a riff on Serena's Healthy Loaded Baked Potato Soup and I used equal parts chopped kohlrabi and potatoes. After chopping into ½-inch cubes, I boiled the kohlrabi and potatoes in broth for about 20 minutes over medium-high heat. After adding milk, cooked onions and seasonings, I pureed the entire batch.
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Creamy Potato Kohlrabi Soup
- Yield: 6-8 servings. 1x
Description
Not sure what to do with kohlrabi? Try it in this creamy and loaded potato soup this fall and winter.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1 kohlrabi, leaves and skin removed, cut into ½-inch cubes
- 4 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅔ cup low-fat milk
- ¾ cup shredded Cheddar cheese
- Toppings:
- Plain Greek-style yogurt
- Shredded cheese
- Chopped bacon
- Chopped chives
Instructions
- Place a large pot over medium heat and add oil. Once heated, add onion and saute for 5 - 7 minutes or until softened. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Return pot to stove and add potatoes and kohlrabi. Cover with broth. Turn heat up to medium-high and cover. Cook for about 20 minutes or until vegetables are soft.
- Turn off heat and add in the cooked onions, black pepper, salt and milk. Mix well.
- Puree with immersion blender or regular blender (if using regular blender, add soup back to pot after pureeing.)
- Turn heat back on to low and mix in cheese. Stir until melted and then remove from stove.
- Serve with toppings.
When serving, I had a topping bar of shredded cheese, chopped bacon and chives. Admittedly, I was the only one who ate it in my family but one of these days, I know my 8 year old will come around. (Probably not the hubby #lostcause.)
Besides pureeing into soup, here are more ways to eat kohlrabi:
- Cut into sticks and serve raw with olive oil or ranch dressing.
- Shred and use raw in slaw recipes.
- Grate and mix raw into a yogurt based dip.
- Shave or cut thinly and toss into salads.
- Shred and form into patties or add to potato pancakes. Saute or bake.
- Chop and mix with root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, turnips) and roast in the oven.
Have you ever eaten kohlrabi? What's a vegetable you've never tried?
It sounds delicious! I have to admit that I only properly ate kohlrabi last year - I used it in a coleslaw with carrots and cabbage and it was really tasty.
I want to try it in slaw next. I was so surprised you could eat it raw and I always thought of it more like a rutabaga vs. a cabbage.
I made the recipe with no milk or cheese and it is absolutely delicious!
Thanks for sharing - glad you got to try it and adapt it to your tastes!
I've always been afraid of this "alien-looking" vegetable and have never tried it. That soup looks likes the perfect way to give it a try!
Alien-looking veggie -lol! Yup, that's always how I thought of it until I bit the bullet. LMK if you try it!
Growing up my best friends dad always grew kohlrahi in his garden- we would eat them raw with salt. I've actually never had them as an adult though- will definitely have to try it again soon!
What a great memory and I bet it's delish raw with a bit of salt 🙂
I feel like at some point in my life I must have eaten kohlrabi, but after looking at the photo of it, now I'm not so sure. I love your creativity with it, and I'm sure with cheese and bacon, I would probably enjoy it myself 🙂 The meaning "cabbage turnip" is a little scary to me though, because, although I do like cabbage, turnips are still not my thing! Still, will enjoy giving kohlrabi a try!
If you like cabbage, I think you love it! It does not taste "turnip-y" at all to me - fresher and lighter - like cucumber/radish/celery/jicama - lmk if you try it!
Hi EA,
Get to a nearby farmers' market and buy baby organic turnips with greens--soak them in water, leaves and all. Pick off any yellowed or damaged leaves and any extraneous detritus and rinse several times, keeping leaves and roots intact. Boil with very small amount of water in saute pan, partially covered until fork slides easily into turnips and water nearly gone. Top with pat of butter and salt and pepper...it will change your mind, believe me! Do the same with baby beets and greens...um, unbelievable!
I just picked up my first bundle of kohlrabi this week at the grocery! Excited to experiment with it!
I've always been intimidated by kohlrabi! This is good inspiration to give it a try.
Confession: I never knew what kohlrabi was, until now!! What a creative use of this odd vegetable. I think I would really love it though!!
Before my girls were born we got kohlrabi in a CSA box and I have never tried it again. But now I want to! Your soup looks delish and love all the additional suggestions at the end of the post!
I often use kohlrabi for my meal. But I just know to fry them. This receipt is quite good. I will try to cook kohlrabi by this receipt . My son likes kohlrabi alot. I am sure He will like this new dish. Thank for sharing!
Just made this (got kohlrabi in my CSA box) and everyone loved it including my 3 year old. Thank you!
Thanks so much for the feedback and thrilled to hear even the 3 year old approved!
Thankyou for the recipe ..... I m Made this today as Kohlrabi is everywhere in the shops right now here in Vienna Austria .... my daughter has been poorly and thought this might be a light pick-me-up kind of feel good food. Made with vegan milk and replaced butter with olive oiling skipped the cheese as we don’t eat dairy. Soup tastes great. I love converting recipes to be vegan friendly.
I'm sorry to hear about your daughter and thanks for sharing your vegan version of it! Love hearing from readers overseas 🙂