Introducing Kohlrabi/ A Vegetarian Delight - Kohlrabi Stuffed with Spinach and Feta Cheese

​Kohlrabi has been a staple of German cuisine for hundreds of years. It was bred as a hardier version of cruciferous vegetables to grow in harsh conditions. In Germany  it is a basic staple that everyone knows and can afford. You can find kohlrabi in almost every German garden. Even though I am not usually into trends and food fads, who knows, kohlrabi could be the next kale!

Kohlrabi tastes similar to a broccoli stem, but with the flavor of cabbage—almost like  radish crossed with jicama. It has a crisp and crunchy texture when eaten raw.  According to the internet, kohlrabi has amazing health claims and is low in calories. It is full of nutrients and minerals like copper, potassium, manganese, iron and calcium, and other vitamins. Kohlrabi promotes digestive health and helps with weight management. Do not mistake kohlrabi for a rutabaga or a turnip. It’s almost impossible to find in California grocery stores.

Kohlrabi is one of the most versatile vegetables around. My husband likes kohlrabi raw, thinly sliced. You can easily add it to any salad or soup. The leaves can be steamed like most greens, although I have not tried that. I was super excited when I found out that “Route 1,” a local organic farm, was selling kohlrabi at the Westside farmer’s market (on Saturday morning) here in Santa Cruz. I bought several  bunches last week and two more this week.

My favorite recipe for kohlrabi is the one I made with my mother when would visit her in Germany. Basically, it’s meatballs cooked with kohlrabi in a white sauce. Here’s the link to one of my earliest posts:

I found a vegetarian recipe using kohlrabi on a German website that I liked. The kohlrabi is hollowed out and stuffed with a mixture of spinach and feta cheese. The kohlrabi stays firm and crunchy and compliments the soft stuffing. The sauce is made from the hollowed out kohlrabi meat mixed with the cooking water and some cream. This dish makes an impressive lunch or dinner. I ate it  for lunch for a week since I had to work on the recipe and enjoyed it while losing a couple of pounds. ​

I am on my way to Germany to visit friends and family for two weeks. I hope you all have a wonderful Easter holiday. Here are some previous posts where I celebrated Easter in Germany  and some ideas for you to make something special for your loved ones. ​

These elegant crepes filled with salmon and fennel make a great brunch or dinner. Add a salad and you have a great meal. ​

Here is a recipe for a nutty lemony cake using whole lemons.
Happy Easter
​Frohe Ostern

Kohlrabi comes in different colors (purple and white), but once peeled, it all have a creamy white interior. When preparing kohlrabi, you should always peel off the tough outermost layer with a sharp knife. Kohlrabi is a treasure of the vegetable kingdom. A cup of raw kohlrabi has just 36 calories. I would think that goat cheese is a good substitute for feta cheese.

Print Recipe

Ingredients:
​
4 large Kohlrabis or 8 smaller ones
4-5 cups of baby spinach ( pressed down) 
7 ounces ( 200 grams) feta cheese
2-3 TBS olive oil
4 TBS finely chopped shallots
1 TBS scant finely chopped garlic (a large clove)
​2 small eggs 
½ cup cream or half and half
salt and pepper to taste
 a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit (180° Celsius).

Peel the kohlrabi with a sharp knife and cut them in half lengthwise. Put the halves in boiling salted water and simmer for 10 -12 minutes. The kohlrabi halves should still be firm. Keep the cooking water and hollowed out kohlrabi meat to use with the sauce. 
Using a serrated grapefruit spoon or small knife , hollow out the center of each kohlrabi half, making a bowl in the center, so you can stuff the kohlrabi. If the kohlrabis are small buy 8 kohlrabies and use the whole Kohlrabi for the the bowl. Peel and cut of both ends, then hollow out the Kohlrabi. 

The Stuffing:

Peel and finely chop the shallots and garlic cloves. Sauté them in  olive oil. Add the cleaned spinach and cook with a lid until the spinach wilts, about three minutes. Drain the spinach in a sieve (to get all the liquid out) and cool. 
Chop the spinach and mix it with the eggs and crumbled feta cheese. Season with salt, pepper and freshly ground nutmeg. Fill the the kohlrabi halves (you might have some leftover stuffing). I baked my extra stuffing in a small, greased baking dish. 
Puree about 2 cups of the cooking water with the leftover kohlrabi meat that you saved when you hollowed out kohlrabi in a food processor. Add the cream and season with salt, pepper, and  nutmeg.

Put the stuffed kohlrabies in a baking dish and pour the sauce around the kohlrabies The sauce should cover the kohlrabies by about an inch (2 cm ).
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​Bake the stuffed kohlrabies for about 30 minutes.
This dish will keep in the refrigerator for several days.

Guten Appetit!
Recipe adapted from a German recipe
by©Sunnycovechef