How to Freeze Kohlrabi

When you expand your cooking horizons, you are sure to come across some ingredients that you have never heard of before. Take the kohlrabi, for example.

Kohlrabi is part of the cabbage family but sits somewhere between a turnip and water chestnut. The crunchy sweetness can be used in a range of recipes though it can be expensive to buy outside of its harvesting seasons, especially as it only survives up to 2 weeks in your fridge.

The next time you want to experiment with kohlrabi, stock up on the vegetable when it is in season and try freezing the rest! 

To freeze kohlrabi, you can blanch it beforehand or simply prepare it as you usually would before bagging it up, sealing the bags tight and freezing it.

How to Freeze Kohlrabi

There are 2 methods you can use to freeze kohlrabi. You can either freeze the kohlrabi completely raw or you can blanch it beforehand. Which method you follow should be dictated by how long you plan to freeze the kohlrabi for:

How to Freeze Raw Kohlrabi

The quickest way to freeze kohlrabi is to freeze it raw. You will not be able to keep the kohlrabi frozen for longer than a month if you freeze it raw as it will start losing its texture and flavour quality.

However, this is a good method to use if you only have a handful of kohlrabi left in your fridge about to go bad, letting you prolong its life. Here is how:

  1. Prep 
    Before freezing your kohlrabi, wash, dry, peel and chop the kohlrabi however you wish. You don’t have to prep the kohlrabi before freezing but it will make defrosting the vegetable much easier. 
  2. Bag Up 
    Place the prepared kohlrabi in a large freezer-safe bag. 
  3. Secure
    Push as much air out of the freezer bag as possible. Close the bag and ensure it is as airtight as possible. 
  4. Double Bag
    Place that secured freezer bag in another plastic bag for double protection. Secure that bag shut too. 
  5. Freeze
    Take your double-bagged kohlrabi and store it at the back of your freezer. You can freeze raw kohlrabi for up to 1 month. 
How Do You Defrost Raw Kohlrabi?

When you are ready to use your raw kohlrabi, leave it in your fridge to defrost naturally. Or, if you have peeled and prepped the raw kohlrabi before you froze it, add it directly to your pan from the freezer. 

How to Freeze Blanched Kohlrabi

When you have larger batches of kohlrabi you want to freeze for longer periods of time, the best way to ensure a long freezer life is to blanch the vegetable and then freeze it: 

  1. Boil Water
    Start by putting a pot of water on a high heat to boil. 
  2. Prep The Veg
    Clean, peel, and chop up the kohlrabi into your desired size. Roughly 1/2-inch cubes work best for this method. 
  3. Blanch 
    Dunk the kohlrabi into your boiled water for 1 minute and then quickly remove it, setting it in an ice-cold bath of water. 
  4. Cool 
    Leave the kohlrabi to cool completely in the cold water. 
  5. Dry 
    Remove the kohlrabi from the water and use a paper towel to dry the kohlrabi as thoroughly as possible. 
  6. Portion Out
    Now you can separate your kohlrabi into an air-tight container, portioning the kohlrabi as you wish. Only fill the containers 1/2 inch from the top. 
  7. Secure Shut 
    Push all of the air out of the freezer bag if you have used one. Then seal the bag or the container shut to make it airtight. 
  8. Label 
    Use a marker and masking tape to make a label detailing the contents of your container. Also, make a note of how many portions are stored. 
  9. Freeze
    Place the kohlrabi directly into the freezer and leave it to freeze. You can freeze blanched kohlrabi for up to 8 months. 
How Do You Defrost Blanched Kohlrabi?

The best way to defrost blanched kohlrabi is to add the frozen kohlrabi directly to your pan. It will take a little longer to cook, but the veg is robust enough to defrost okay with the heat with little texture change. 

How to Freeze Kohlrabi Successfully

Though there are 2 ways you can freeze kohlrabi, it is not a very fussy vegetable. It does not require much preparation to retain its taste and texture once frozen.

That being said, there are a few tips you can keep in mind to ensure that your kohlrabi freezes as best as it possibly can: 

  • Pick The Right Veg – Kohlrabi is best brought between July and mid-November, which is when the kohlrabi is at its peak harvest season. Buying kohlrabi outside of this season will not only be far more expensive, but the kohlrabi itself will not be the best quality, giving the veg a low quality once it freezes. 
  • Be Prepared – When blanching your kohlrabi, have your bowl and water ready, as blanching is a speedy process. It will make preparing the kohlrabi for freezing significantly easier. 
  • Don’t Refreeze – We have detailed above how long you can keep kohlrabi frozen depending on which method you use to freeze the veg. However, what you cannot do is refreeze the kohlrabi once it is defrosted, no matter how long it was previously frozen. Once you have defrosted the kohlrabi, you either need to use it up or throw it away. 
  • Portion Before Freezing – No matter if you are freezing raw or blanched kohlrabi, consider the portion sizes you are likely to defrost at one time when prepping and separating the kohlrabi. This way, you can easily defrost the perfect amount of the veg without wasting any.

Does Kohlrabi Freeze Well?

Kohlrabi is very similar to turnip in its texture and consistency. As such, kohlrabi is robust enough to freeze very well without losing its crispy texture or sweetness.

It will freeze better blanched as the moisture in the veg is less likely to expand and alter the texture in the freezer, but raw kohlrabi can also be frozen successfully. 

Freezing Kohlrabi FAQs

Do you need to know more about freezing kohlrabi with success? Then check these FAQs out:

Can You Freeze Cooked Kohlrabi?

Fully cooked kohlrabi can be frozen but you may find it becomes mushy once it has been thawed and reheated. It will be perfectly fine to eat, though.

Can You Freeze Kohlrabi Slaw?

Yes, kohlrabi slaw that has been dressed with oil can be frozen. However, if the dressing is mayonnaise-based, you’ll want to avoid doing so.

Sources

Where we obtain our information and verify the facts in this article:

Freeze It

How to freeze kohlrabi, how long for, how to defrost it and whether it freezes well.

NCHFP

How to safely freeze kohlrabi.

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