Spiral Cut Kohlrabi Stir Fry
This spiral cut kohlrabi stir fry is a healthy, satisfying dinner that’s done in just about 40 minutes—even faster if you meal prep in advance. Substituting kohlrabi for actual noodles or rice cuts down on the carbs and calories. And is a great gluten free option.
What Is Kohlrabi?
When I first saw kohlrabi at my local grocery store, I had no idea what it was. I was faced with a new and previously unknown vegetable. I bought some. Then, I went online to find out exactly what kohlrabi was. I learned that kohlrabi is a cruciferous vegetable, it belongs to the same family as kale, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower.
How To Use Kohlrabi
Texturally speaking, I’d say that kohlrabi lies somewhere in between radish, potato, apple, and broccoli stem. Its flavor reminded me of a mild cross between cabbage and broccoli, with just a hint of radish. Kohlrabi has a ton of versatility, much like broccoli. It would be fantastic in a cold “noodle” salad, for example—especially with both red and green kohlrabi varieties. It would also work well in soups, risotto, salads, and even frittatas.
Kohlrabi in a Stir Fry
The idea of a kohlrabi noodle stir fry immediately appealed to me, since I recently fell in love with the spiral attachment to my electric mixer I got for my birthday. I decided to make the kohlrabi noodle stir fry with beef and lots of veggies (I’m vegan, but the rest of the fam is not). This was the first time that I had tried a spiral cut vegetable other than zoodles (zucchini). I am happy to report that the texture of kohlrabi noodles (koodles?) holds up to the high heat better than zucchini. Check out this great video on spiral cutting veggies. Furthermore, it adds a nice, mild, radish-like flavor.
For the protein in my kohlrabi noodle stir fry, I had some thinly sliced ribeye on hand that I found at an Asian market. I had planned to use it in a Bulgogi recipe, but I figured that it would be great this way too. This stir fry would also be a fantastic vegetarian dish, of course, or you could use chicken, pork, or even shrimp (simply adjust your cooking times as needed).
The sauce for this kohlrabi noodle stir fry is a spicy twist on my usual teriyaki sauce that I use in other stir fry dishes, with mirin, rice vinegar, soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and a hit of chili garlic sauce. I thicken it with a slurry of equal parts cornstarch and cold water.
Recipe Steps
Alternatives to Kohlrabi Noodles
If you’re not in the mood to spiral cut, this meal would also be fantastic with actual noodles: I like to make alkaline noodles (Serious Eats has a great video tutorial on that) and toss them with the stir fry and sauce right before serving. Or simply serve over rice. Note that if you spiral cut the kohlrabi and prep all of the veggies in advance (I do mine the night before), this meal comes together in about 15 minutes—perfect for a crazy busy weeknight.
How to Make Kohlrabi Noodle Stir Fry
A flavorful stir fry with spiral cut kohlrabi noodles. Delicious, but without all of the added carbs of the traditional stir fry served over rice.
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Total Time: 40 Minutes
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1 lb. pre sliced ribeye (or vegan equivalent)
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 1 inch section of ginger, peeled and sliced
- ⅛ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 1 tsp. sesame oil
For the Stir Fry
- 2 Tbsp. peanut oil (can substitute sunflower if allergic)
- 3 small kohlrabi, peeled and spiral cut
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced on the bias
- 1 large onion, cut into large dice
- 1 pint shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, sliced.
- 1 inch section of ginger, peeled & finely minced
- 3 Tbsp. garlic, finely minced
- 2 cups cabbage, coarsely chopped
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
- ½ cup soy sauce (can substitute Shoyu)
- ¼ cup mirin
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar (can substitute coconut sugar or Splenda)
- 1 Tbsp. Sriracha sauce
- 1 Tbsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 Tbsp. cold water (can substitute arrowroot, more if needed: see Recipe Notes)
Instructions
- Mix the ingredients for the marinade in a reusable silicone zip top bag with the beef. Massage into the meat and allow to marinate in the refrigerator up to 8 hours, or overnight.
- Mix the soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, Sriracha sauce, and sesame oil in a bowl; set aside.
- Remove the beef from the marinade; discard marinade. Set a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add the peanut oil: when it begins to smoke, add a few slices of beef at a time and quickly sear both sides until caramelized. Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining beef, reducing heat slightly if needed.
- If necessary, wipe any fat out of the pan and add more peanut oil. Add the onions and carrots. Stir fry for 2 minutes, then add the ginger, garlic, and shiitake mushrooms. Stir fry an additional 2 minutes. Add the cabbage; stir fry until wilted. Add the scallions and kohlrabi; stir to combine.
- Move the vegetables to the outer edges of the wok as best as you can (if you have a small wok, you may need to remove some veggies and add them back in at the end). Add the sauce to the center of the pan. Stir the cornstarch mixture one last time and add to the sauce; mix well. Allow the sauce to boil briefly until thickened; remove from the heat (see Recipe Notes below). Garnish with cilantro and serve over rice (noodles, zoodles, or zucchini squash also work well). Enjoy!
Recipe Notes: If you like a thicker sauce, simply combine another tablespoon of cornstarch with a tablespoon of cold water and mix in. Briefly boil until thickened.
How to Spiralize Kohlrabi
A Cruciferous Crowd Pleaser
Got a big family to feed? No worries. This delicious, crowd pleasing dish is easy to double or quadruple to serve a group of four or more. Before you throw away those stems and leaves, check out my vegan cream of kohlrabi soup recipe for some ideas about how to put them to use.
If your hands get too tired spiraling all those 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 veggie a try.
If you try this kohlrabi stir fry, be sure to leave a comment below. Love to know how it worked out. If you enjoy this recipe and are fascinated by this bulbous produce, give my kohlrabi fries recipe a try.
Nutrition Information
| Nutrition Facts | Amount Per Serving | % Daily Value* |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 540 | |
| Calories from Fat | 378 | |
| Total Fat | 42g | 65% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 16g | |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 18g | |
| Sodium | 416mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 944mg | 27% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 42g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber | 10g | 40% |
| Sugars | 26g | |
| Protein | 16g | 32% |
| Vitamin A | 4% | |
| Vitamin C | 152% | |
| Calcium | 12% | |
| Iron | 12% |
Let me know if you grow your kohlrabi and how it turns out. It can be quite different growing it indoors versus outdoors. I find indoors is always much slower. If you like this stuff, sign up for the newsletter and you’ll get new homesteading ideas delivered right to your inbox.
Sources and photo credits:
Kohlrabi Noodle Stir-fry by Flipped-Out Food
https://www.flippedoutfood.com/kohlrabi-noodle-stir-fry/
by Michelle, Published: Jul 22, 2016. Modified: Jan 30, 2021