Vegetable
Brassica oleracea
S tier
Brassica oleracea gongylodes group is kohlrabi—a swollen stem bulb above ground with leaf scars, crisp white or purple flesh tasting like mild sweet broccoli stem. Not a root despite appearance. Young bulbs are juicy; oversized ones turn woody and hot. Peel tough exterior, eat raw sticks, roast, or mash. Species links kohlrabi to cabbage cousins. Leaves are edible greens when tender.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
Leaf Green SauteMashRaw StickRoast WedgeSlaw
Traits
Above GroundBroccoli Stem EchoCrispCrisp Mild BrassicaMild SweetSpecies PrimarySpecies UmbrellaSwollen Stem Bulb
History
DE
Northern European selection produced swollen-stem kohlrabi from B. oleracea.
DE
German-speaking cuisines made kohlrabi an everyday vegetable.
Kohlrabi spread through European immigrant gardens worldwide.
Raw kohlrabi slaws revived interest beyond boiled school dinners.