Raise your hand if you have ever felt intimidated by kohlrabi. I sure have! Maybe you haven’t even heard of kohlrabi, or you just know it as the weird green, alien-looking veggie that shows up at farmers markets around this time of year. Well, good news guys. After creating today’s Shaved Kohlrabi Salad for all of you, I am no longer scared of this AWESOME vegetable!
And you shouldn’t be either. In fact, you should be looking for ways to stock your kitchen with kohlrabi immediately…
Still not sure what vegetable I’m talking about? Take a peek below.
Looks strange, right? Well let me tell you that underneath that green exterior, you will find a tasty white flesh that’s got just as much crispness as the wind chill in Minneapolis right now. (That’s a lot!!!)
Biting into kohlrabi feels similar to eating a radish, but without the spicy zing that comes with radishes. Instead, you taste a delicate sweetness. I have heard the taste compared to a broccoli stem. I would say that’s pretty accurate!
With the color scheme I picked for these photos, this Shaved Kohlrabi Salad looks like a recipe I should post on the first day of spring. Don’t those pale blues and whites just make you excited for warmer days ahead?!
Warmer days, huh? A girl can dream, at least…
This recipe isn’t just a pretty face. It’s so darn easy, you can whip it up in less than 10 minutes! I know it may sound and look difficult, which is actually good for you. When you serve it to your family or friends, they’ll think you slaved away for hours. Ha, if only they knew it takes no time at all! I won’t tell if you won’t….
If you use a mandoline, another one of my favorite kitchen tools, you will “cut down” the prep time even more (see what I did there?)! You can certainly use a sharp knife as well, but using a mandoline is the best way to get your slices thin enough to fold them over to make a pretty presentation.
Speaking of presentation, see those itty bitty greens on top of the salad? Those are microgreens that were grown hydroponically right here in Minnesota, just across the pond in St. Paul! I picked them up at the Mill City Farmers Market this weekend. As you can imagine, I was sooo glad to get to a market at this time of year. It’s been a while since I could load up on locally grown goods.
Not only are microgreens absolutely adorable, they are LOADED with nutrients. Really…they are so incredibly concentrated and usually more nutritious than mature salad leaves (read more about that here).
So, there you have it, there are lots of reasons to make this vegetable dish ASAP: ease, nutrition, and appearance!
Shaved Kohlrabi Salad
Ingredients
- 1 kohlrabi - peeled
- 2 large handfuls microgreens - plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup pistachios - plus more to taste
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon - juiced
- Sea salt and ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Using a mandoline, carefully slice the peeled kohlrabi into thin pieces. Depending on the size of your kohlrabi, you may have enough for 2-4 people as a side dish. Layer kohlrabi on small plates. Top with microgreens and pistachios.
- Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper. Drizzle dressing over kohlrabi salad. Enjoy cold or at room temperature!
Nutrition
Enjoy this easy vegetable dish! I promise kohlrabi will be your new favorite vegetable in no time…
Have a happy and healthy week,
Lizzie
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