Have you ever seen a kohlrabi before? They are bizarre. Completely weird. They look like a cross between a spaceship and a Pokemon.
This is what I'm talking about, in case you've never seen one.
I'd never cooked with one before I made these kohlrabi fritters - in fact I'd never even seen one in real life. They're not exactly common in the supermarkets around here. To be honest I was genuinely impressed that I was even able to name it when it appeared in a veg box I had delivered the other week. I definitely felt a bit smug about that for a while, even if I did have to Google it to double check.
It's not often that I get to try an entirely new vegetable. I had literally no idea what it would be like - did it have layers like a cabbage? Or like an onion? Was it full of seeds? Did it have a core?
Turns out: it has none of these things. Actually, below the tough skin, the texture is almost exactly like an apple - pretty juicy, and slightly grainy. It was perfect for making these kohlrabi fritters!
Flavour-wise, it's pretty mild - it smells faintly of broccoli. It's got a fresh crunch to it when eaten raw, but I decided to do something a bit more exciting than just chopping it up and eating it raw.
These kohlrabi fritters were really easy to make - just grate the kohlrabi and a couple of carrots, mix them with a couple of eggs and some flour, along with some fresh spring onions and chives, and add good dollops of the mixture to some oil in a pan. They end up perfectly crispy on the outside, with a nice soft middle.
I really enjoyed my first experience with kohlrabi! What bizarre vegetable should I try next? (and, more importantly: where on earth can I get weird vegetables from?)
📖 Printable Recipe
Kohlrabi fritters
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Print Pin CommentIngredients
- 1 kohlrabi
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 large spring onions or a few more if they have smaller bulbs, sliced
- 3 tablespoon fresh chives chopped
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoon plain flour
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Oil for shallow frying
Instructions
- First, prepare the kohlrabi. Cut off the leaves and stalks, and then peel the vegetable. It can be quite tough, so I found that it was much easier to use a knife than a peeler. Once peeled, cut out any particularly tough areas, such as the root, and then grate the remaining flesh.
- Squeeze the grated kohlrabi in kitchen paper to remove any excess moisture (don’t worry if you can’t get every last drop).
- Peel and grate the carrots, and mix the two grated vegetables in a large bowl. Add the chopped spring onions and chives, along with the eggs, flour, and plenty of seasoning. Mix thoroughly.
- Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large frying pan. Once the oil is hot, turn the heat down just a touch and begin to add the fritter mixture. You'll need to cook the fritters in a few batches I did about three in the pan simultaneously. Use about two heaped tablespoons of the mixture per fritter, and gently press it down so that the fritters don't end up too thick in the middle. Cook for around 3 minutes, until the underside is golden brown and crispy, and then carefully turn each fritter over with a flat spatula. Repeat with the other side.
- When the fritters are ready, transfer them to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain off any excess oil. If you want to, you can keep them warm in the oven while you cook the next few batches. You will probably need to add a touch more oil to the pan in between batches, to ensure that the fritters become golden brown rather than charring.
- Serve warm.
Nutritional information is approximate, and will depend on your exact ingredients. Please calculate your own nutritional values if you require accuracy for health reasons.
Soupe du Jour says
Great blog post Becca! We are absolutely in love with this Kohlrabi fritters!
Nazima, franglais kitchen says
love these fritters Becca. They certainly are scary looking vegetables but I am tempted to try them out. Wondering if you can make a coleslaw with them or if they need to be cooked.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Nope you can eat them raw too! :)
Christine @ Ciao Veggie says
Oh my gosh, kohlrabi is my nemesis. I used to get them every single week in my veg box despite, like you, never seeing them in any UK supermarkets! So I had to put them on my dislikes list! I could never find a way to enjoy them so I won't be much help with ideas for next time but- in all seriousness- this is a totally awesome idea which I would actually try if another kohlrabi should ever be allowed to grace my kitchen :)
Elizabeth says
I love kohlrabi but I usualy only use it in slaws so I'll have to try these.
Deena kakaya says
They look lovely and slim Becca, bet they have gentle warmth running through them x
Handmade by Lorna says
A cross between a pokemon and a spaceship! He He, that made me giggle. Made into a fitter - that sounds gorgeous.
Fish Fingers for tea says
I've never eaten a kohlrabi or seen one in real life but I'm going to have to try and hunt one down. Loving the fritters!
Holland's Reverie says
ummmmm, yes please-looks amazing!
Johanna says
I must live in a different part of Germany - we're basically drowning in parsnips AND Kohlrabi! haha
I've just made Jamie Oliver's zucchini fritters, so I must give these a try next.. thanks for sharing!
eLdritch says
drowning in parsnips... what a wonderful way to go <3
eLdritch says
how fitting that this entry was so bizarre to read for me ^^
In germany Kohlrabi is ridiculously common, to the point where you can pretty much buy it in any super market all year round.
parsnip and kale on the other hand are like the white whale ;)
Also a great idea to turn them into fritters! gonna try that right away.
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
Haha! And there I was thinking I'd discovered something unusual ;) I've never ever seen them in the supermarket here!! So funny to think that parsnips are rare for you, we get them year round too!!
The Steaming Pot says
In the matter of vegetable availability, India and Germany seem to be alike :-) Other than kale, I also struggle with finding asparagus and rocket leaves over here, though greens like amaranth and fenugreek are around aplenty.
Love the way you describe the kohlrabi.