Allspice adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
kohlrabi
+ Add to WorkbenchAbout this ingredient
A brassica with a swollen stem that forms a turnip-like bulb — mild, slightly sweet, with a crisp texture between a water chestnut and broccoli stem. Both the…
37 pairings
Editorial
Flavor profile
Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea var. gongylodes) is the most underutilized brassica in most Western cuisines — its crunchy, mild, sweet flesh is genuinely delicious raw in ways that many brassicas are not. The key to raw kohlrabi is cutting thinly: thick slices reveal a slight fibrous quality; thin rounds or matchsticks are crisp and apple-like. The flavor is mildly sweet and brassica-adjacent (faint turnip note) without the pronounced bitterness of raw broccoli or cabbage. In Indian cooking, kohlrabi (knol-khol) is a common winter vegetable cooked as a dry curry with mustard seeds, ginger, and turmeric. In German and Austrian cooking, it appears stuffed and baked (the center scooped out and replaced with a meat filling) or braised in cream. The leaves, available when buying fresh kohlrabi, are nutritious and edible — treated like kale or chard, briefly sautéed with garlic and olive oil. Purple-skinned kohlrabi has identical white flesh to green-skinned; the color difference is superficial.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Pairs well with
allspice
basil
butter, unsalted
cabbage
carrots
celery
celery leaves or seeds
celery root
cheese
chervil
cilantro
coriander
cream
dill
fennel leaves or seeds
garlic
horseradish
leeks
lemon, juice
lovage
mace
mustard
mustard seeds
onions
parsley, flat-leaf
pepper, black
potatoes
rosemary
salt
sesame oil, seeds
soups
sour cream
soy sauce
stews
tamari
turmeric
vinegar, red wine
allspice
Allspice adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
basil
Basil adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
butter, unsalted
Butter, Unsalted adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
cabbage
Cabbage adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
carrots
Carrots adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
celery
Celery adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
celery leaves or seeds
Celery Leaves Or Seeds adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
celery root
Celery Root adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
cheese
Cheese adds salt, fat, and savory depth that give kohlrabi more structure and make the combination feel fuller.
chervil
Chervil adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
cilantro
Cilantro adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
coriander
Coriander adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
cream
Cream adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
dill
Dill's grassy freshness suits kohlrabi's crisp, cabbage-turnip character, especially in creamy salads and pickles.
fennel leaves or seeds
Fennel Leaves Or Seeds complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
garlic
Garlic supplies an allium backbone that deepens kohlrabi's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
horseradish
Horseradish complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
leeks
Leeks supplies an allium backbone that deepens kohlrabi's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
lemon, juice
Lemon juice lifts kohlrabi's crisp brassica sweetness and keeps it tasting fresh in slaws and salads.
lovage
Lovage adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
mace
Mace adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
mustard
Mustard complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
mustard seeds
Mustard Seeds complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
onions
Onions supplies an allium backbone that deepens kohlrabi's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
parsley, flat-leaf
Parsley, Flat-Leaf adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
pepper, black
Pepper, Black adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
potatoes
Potatoes gives kohlrabi a base or format that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
rosemary
Rosemary complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
salt
Salt adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
sesame oil, seeds
Sesame Oil, Seeds adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
soups
Soups gives kohlrabi a base or format that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
sour cream
Sour Cream adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
soy sauce
Soy Sauce adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
stews
Stews gives kohlrabi a base or format that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
tamari
Tamari adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
turmeric
Turmeric adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
vinegar, red wine
Vinegar, Red Wine adds acidity, sweetness, or aromatic depth that helps kohlrabi work in sauces, drinks, desserts, or cooked preparations.
Basil adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
butter, unsalted
Butter, Unsalted adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
Cabbage adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Carrots adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Celery adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
celery leaves or seeds
Celery Leaves Or Seeds adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Celery Root adds complementary vegetable character, giving kohlrabi more contrast in texture, sweetness, bitterness, or freshness.
Cheese adds salt, fat, and savory depth that give kohlrabi more structure and make the combination feel fuller.
Chervil adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Cilantro adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Coriander adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
cream
Cream adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
Dill's grassy freshness suits kohlrabi's crisp, cabbage-turnip character, especially in creamy salads and pickles.
fennel leaves or seeds
Fennel Leaves Or Seeds complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Garlic supplies an allium backbone that deepens kohlrabi's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
Horseradish complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Leeks supplies an allium backbone that deepens kohlrabi's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
lemon, juice
Lemon juice lifts kohlrabi's crisp brassica sweetness and keeps it tasting fresh in slaws and salads.
Lovage adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Mace adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
Mustard complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
mustard seeds
Mustard Seeds complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
Onions supplies an allium backbone that deepens kohlrabi's savory side and gives the pairing a more complete cooked flavor.
parsley, flat-leaf
Parsley, Flat-Leaf adds herbal lift and aromatic contrast, keeping kohlrabi from tasting too heavy, flat, or one-dimensional.
Pepper, Black adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
Potatoes gives kohlrabi a base or format that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
Rosemary complements kohlrabi by adding contrast, depth, or texture without overwhelming the ingredient's main character.
salt
Salt adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
sesame oil, seeds
Sesame Oil, Seeds adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
soups
Soups gives kohlrabi a base or format that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
Sour Cream adds richness and helps carry kohlrabi's flavor, giving the pairing a smoother texture and a more rounded finish.
Soy Sauce adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
stews
Stews gives kohlrabi a base or format that absorbs flavor and makes the pairing feel more substantial.
tamari
Tamari adds seasoning and contrast that helps kohlrabi read as part of a finished dish rather than a lonely ingredient with a clipboard.
Turmeric adds spice, bitterness, or warmth that plays against kohlrabi's natural base notes and pushes the pairing toward deeper, more layered dishes.
Vinegar, Red Wine adds acidity, sweetness, or aromatic depth that helps kohlrabi work in sauces, drinks, desserts, or cooked preparations.