Spicy Spiralized Kohlrabi Slaw

I can’t seem to stay away from kohlrabi, the alien-looking cruciferous veggie that’s packed full of flavor and nutrients.

If you’ve tried my soup or fried snacks, then you know what a treat it can be. If you haven’t yet braved the adventure of eating something that looks so crazy, then it’s time to give it a try!

Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, with a flavor similar to turnip and a texture like the stems of broccoli. It’s a round bulb with several large stalks and leaves that branch out from the sides.

When peeled, it’s the perfect size and texture to pass through a spiralizer. Which means I just had to find a way to use kohlrabi noodles to make a nice slaw.

Topped with a spicy dressing following the flavor profile of Asian cuisine, this salad is sure to become your new favorite. It comes together quickly with just a few basic ingredients.

I prefer to add the avocado as a topping right before serving rather than mixing it in with the slaw. This helps to keep the avocado looking and tasting fresh.

Never sure which avocado to pick at the store? Our guide will help you to choose the perfect avocado, and learn how to store it.

This slaw is super versatile. Eat it alone as a flavorful snack, top it with grilled shrimp for a light meal, or serve it as a side with grilled chicken and fried rice for a full meal.

Spiralize your way to this delicious recipe below!

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Cooking by the Numbers…

Step 1 – Mix the Dressing

This dressing comes together really quickly. Just mix together the minced garlic, minced ginger, sesame oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, and red pepper flakes.

I like to do this in the bottom of a large salad bowl, mixing with a whisk to emulsify the oil and vinegar.

Set the dressing aside for at least 5 minutes while you prep the vegetables. As it sits, the flavors will begin to pull together.

You want to give the ginger and red pepper flakes in particular enough time to add a nice kick to the dish.

Step 3 – Prep the Kohlrabi

In order to get to the nice tasty flesh of your new favorite veggie, you must do a little prep work first…

Cut off the long stems and leaves, and cut off both ends of the kohlrabi bulb with a sharp knife. Remove any thick, large layers around the bulb before peeling.

Peel the skin – any sturdy vegetable peeler should be up to the job!

But before you throw away those stems and leaves, check our guide to kohlrabi for some ideas about how to put them to use!

Step 4 – Spiralize

Once peeled, follow the manufacturer’s directions to spiralize the vegetable into thin noodles.

Below, I’ll demonstrate the spiralizing technique using the Paderno World Cuisine tri-blade spiralizer.

Depending on which brand or style you own, each spiralizer will work a little differently. So be sure to follow the directions provided with your own tool!

Secure the base on a solid surface like a table or a counter by firmly pressing down on its suction feet.

Insert the shredder blade – it has the smallest holes that will yield long, spaghetti-like spiral strands.

Then, insert the handle attachment on the other side, sliding it up or down to accommodate enough space for the vegetable.

Pierce the center of one flat end of the kohlrabi onto the small circular metal corer on the blade, and press the other end of the vegetable into the plastic prongs on the handle attachment to secure it in place.

Crank the handle attachment, gently pushing it towards the blade as you apply more pressure on the kohlrabi to spiralize it. The noodles will fall out on the opposite side of the blade.

You did it! You should now have a successfully spiralized veggie. Repeat the process again with the second peeled vegetable.

Step 5 – Toss

Once the veggies are sliced, toss them together with the crushed peanuts, sliced green onion, sesame seeds, and the dressing.

Top the salad with thick slices of avocado and a few cilantro leaves.

This salad is perfect as is for a light snack. But there are plenty of options available to add some extra protein if you want to make it a meal.

You could top it with shrimp prepared the same way as the seafood in these yummy shrimp tacos, or you could whip up Kung Pao Chicken and a side of wild rice for something a little different.

You could also use it as a topping on a sandwich or a side with barbecue. However you serve this slaw, it’s sure to be delicious.

A Cruciferous Crowd Pleaser

Got a lot of mouths to feed? Not a problem.

This delicious, crowd-pleasing dish is easy to double or quadruple to serve a group of four or more.

If your hands get too tired spiralizing so many kohlrabi, you could even bulk it up with some shredded cabbage and carrots.

Try the shredding disc on your food processor to make short work of this task in a matter of seconds.

Keep your eyes peeled for some green or purple varieties next time you’re at the market or grocery store. Maybe you’ve never noticed it before, but as soon as you find it, you’ll want to give this salad a try.

What’s your favorite way to prepare kohlrabi? Let us know in the comments below!

And if you’re looking for more tasty spiralizer recipes, you’ll love these:

• Spiralized Sweet Potato Noodles with Roasted Red Peppers and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Zucchini Spaghetti with Peaches and Pumpkin Seed Pesto
• Bright Kale and Grapefruit Salad with Spiralized Apple and Red Onion

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Photos by Nikki Cervone, © Ask the Experts, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. See our TOS for more details. With additional writing and editing by Nikki Cervone.

*Nutritional information derived from a database of known generic and branded foods and ingredients and was not compiled by a registered dietitian or submitted for lab testing. It should be viewed as an approximation.