Kohlrabi Noodles with Shrimp and Thai Peanut Sauce

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Pasta Alternative: Vegetable noodles are a great low carb alternative to regular pasta. But you don't have to stop at zucchini noodles! The possibilities for spiralizing vegetables are infinite and you'll love these kohlrabi noodles. They hold up great when cooked and have a great tender texture that's very similar to pasta.

Flavorful: This recipe is bursting with flavor from the homemade Thai peanut sauce. It's creamy, spicy, tangy, and oh-so delicious. It's the perfect complement to tender kohlrabi noodles.

Unique: Most people don't turn to kohlrabi as a go-to ingredient. But, once you try this unique recipe, you'll want to make it over and over again!

What is Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi is a cruciferous vegetable in the Brassica family. (includes cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, etc.) Kohlrabi is also sometimes referred to as a German turnip or cabbage turnip. It is a round bulb with leaves that shoot up off the sides and tops of the vegetable. While it looks like a root vegetable, it actually grows above ground.

Purple kohlrabi is one of my favorite vegetables to grow because they're low maintenance and they thrive in my garden zone (5a). You're more likely to find this unique vegetable at your local farmer's market or in CSA boxes from local farms but you can sometimes find them at your local grocery store too. 

Kohlrabi tastes similar to broccoli stems with a hint of radish-like spiciness. When it's cooked, it typically has a more mild flavor than when eaten raw. Kohlrabi bulbs have thick skin and a crisp texture that lends itself to a variety of dishes. There are many tasty ways to prepare kohlrabi! Here are a few ideas:

• Add kohlrabi to stir fry or spiralize them into noodles like in this kohlrabi noodle recipe.
• Make a kohlrabi salad with a lemon juice vinaigrette, fresh herbs, sunflower seeds, and parmesan cheese.
• Use it in a simple recipe like roast kohlrabi with olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper.
• Make kohlrabi fries for a unique potato alternative.
• Blend it into cream of kohlrabi soup.

Ingredients

• Kohlrabi: Large bulbs of kohlrabi will work better for spiralizing than smaller bulbs. Kohlrabi is a unique vegetable but it can be substituted. For a similar texture, you can use broccoli stems. However, you probably won't be able to spiralize them. But you can julienne them for a similar outcome. This recipe also works great with rice noodles if you're not into vegetable noodles. You also don't have to toss the leaves! You can use them like you would collard greens or Swiss chard in raw or cooked preparations. 
• Peanut Sauce: ​This recipe uses a homemade Thai peanut sauce that's zesty and flavorful. If you have a peanut sauce you like to buy or make, you can use that instead.
• Shrimp: I like to use shell-on raw wild-caught Argentinian shrimp for this recipe. You can use your favorite shrimp or other proteins like chicken or steak. Or you can omit the protein completely.
• Toppings: I like to add extra flavor and texture by topping this dish with roasted peanuts, toasted coconut, chili crisp, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. These are all optional and you can mix and match as you please!

Equipment

• Vegetable Spiralizer: The standard "as seen on TV" plastic spiralizer won't cut it (literally) for kohlrabi. You need a stronger metal spiralizer to cut through the tough kohlrabi. Alternatively, you can shred the kohlrabi in a food processor for a similar outcome.

How to Cut Kohlrabi Noodles

​Kohlrabi is the perfect vegetable to spiralize because it holds its shape well. Read below for how to make them!

Step 1: Cut off the top and bottom of the kohlrabi to make 2 flat ends. Be careful with the root side because it can be tough to cut through.

Step 2: Peel the outer skin of each bulb of kohlrabi with a vegetable peeler.

Step 3: Set up the spiralizer. Put the root side of the kohlrabi towards the handle of the spiralizer so that you start spiralizing the top of the kohlrabi. The root side can be too hard to cut through.

Step 4: Turn the handle clockwise to cut the kohlrabi with the spiralizer.

Step 5: Store kohlrabi noodles in an airtight container in the fridge until you're ready to cook them.

Step 6: You can also spiralize the carrots if your carrots are big enough.

Pro Tip: Use larger bulbs of kohlrabi instead of smaller bulbs. They fit the spiralizer better and will have a better yield.

How to Serve Kohlrabi Noodles

This dish is a full meal on its own! It can be served as a main course or in smaller portions as a side dish. The noodles in the sauce can be served hot or as a cold salad. No matter how you choose to serve them, you're going to love this unique recipe for this hearty vegetable!

Kohlrabi FAQ's