Kohlrabi Delivery or Pickup

Kohlrabi, which in German reads "cabbage turnip," is a biennial vegetable, which means that its biological life cycle spans two years. The vegetable is also known as the German turnip; however, kohlrabi isn't related to the turnip. Rather, it forms part of the same species as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and kale. It's a very popular vegetable in the northern and eastern parts of Europe and Asian countries, such as Vietnam and India.

The vegetable has a round bulb surrounded by two layers of stiff leaves attached in a rosette shape, similar to cabbage. Its color ranges from white or green to purple, and there are also 22 different varieties to choose from, including the White Vienna, Purple Vienna, and Quickstar. The color variation is superficial, though, as the flesh of all bulbs is a creamy white color. Different varieties also differ in bulb size. An heirloom variety called the Gigante, for instance, produces massive bulbs, whereas another heirloom, called the Early White Vienna, is a dwarf.

Although the peak season for kohlrabi is from fall through spring, you can buy the vegetable all year round. While it's not always the case, smaller kohlrabi bulbs are generally preferable since larger bulbs tend to become woody and stringy. You also want to look for bulbs that feel firm and heavy and don't contain blemishes or dark spots. If the leaves are still attached, check that they're firm and deep green in color. If they're wilted or have become yellowish, it's best to give the kohlrabi a pass.

As soon as you bring kohlrabi home, you want to give it a good wash and then separate the stems from the bulb. You can keep all the parts in the fridge. While the leaves should be placed in a sealed plastic bag, the bulbs don't need to be covered and stored loose in the fridge. 

To prevent cross-contamination with other foods in the fridge, such as meat, the bulbs can also be kept in a paper bag. Stored this way, the bulbs can last for up to a month. However, the leaves and stems wilt quite quickly, so you want to cook with them within a day or two after separation from the bulb.

You can also freeze the kohlrabi bulb. Start by cutting off the tops and roots and then peeling off the skin. You can either leave the bulb whole, or you can cube it. If you decide to use the whole bulb, blanch it in water for three minutes. If you cut your kohlrabi into cubes, they should be blanched for roughly one minute. Then, drain and promptly cool the bulb or cubes, after which it should go in a sealed bag in the freezer.

If you're thinking about delicious ways to use kohlrabi, open the Instacart app and place it in your virtual shopping basket. Once you've placed your order, an Instacart shopper will select fresh kohlrabi for you and deliver it to your home in as little as 2 hours! In this way, you get to spend fewer hours in the shop and more hours at home doing the things you love.