The Kohlrabi, also known as the German turnip, is as tasty as it looks! These vibrant microgreens with its purple-rose stem and dark green leaves are nothing but a luscious nutrition bomb to your next dish.
What Are Kohlrabi Microgreens?
Kohlrabi belongs to the cabbage family and as a full-grown vegetable, it’s recognized by its distinct shape, similar to an onion. As microgreens, it stands out due to its delicious mild but sweet taste and its remarkable colored stems.
| Growing period | 10-13 days |
| Flavor | Crunchy and mildly spicy, cabbage flavor |
| Growing difficulty | Easy |
| Buy seeds | Kohlrabi seeds from True Leaf Market |
Description
The Kohlrabi belongs to the brassica family same as cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and kale among others. It originated in Europe and is quite young compared to some other microgreens. It’s said it was developed in northern Europe not long before the 16th century and later entered into American society.
The name comes from the German Kohl which means cabbage and Rabi which is the Swiss-German variant of the turnip.
General Nutrition & Benefits
As with all microgreens, the Kohlrabi is not short on healthy benefits! It is filled with nutritions such as vitamin C, anthocyanins, isothiocyanates, and glucosinolates. These are known to help with digestion, weight loss, vision and other health issues.
Kohlrabi microgreens are also high in calcium, iron, and manganese which are beneficial when it comes to boosting bone strength.
RELATED: The 14 Most Nutritious Microgreens to Grow and Eat
How to Grow Kohlrabi Microgreens
Kohlrabi microgreens are great microgreens for beginners to plant, raise, and harvest.
| Growing timeline (estimated) | |
| Presoak | No |
| Preferred medium | Coco Coir, Soil or Hydroponic mat |
| Avg. seed weight (10/20 tray) | 1 oz / 20 grams |
| Germination period (blackout) | Day 1-4 |
| Growth time (sunlight) | Day 5-9 |
| Harvest | Day 10-13 |
These seeds don’t need to be soaked before planting and the kohlrabi microgreens can be grown in as little as 2 weeks. They’re ready to be eaten once the first leaves appear and have purple-colored stems with green leaves.
You can plant these microgreens in soil or soilless. What’s important is that you keep them “blacked out” for the first four days for the germination. After this, you will see them grow as they are being introduced to light.
Once they are ready to be harvested, you can cut the stem and actual leaves with scissors and enjoy them raw.
Culinary Guiding
As a full-grown veggie, the Kohlrabi is often used raw in salads and slaws. You can use the microgreen for the same purpose but you can as well sprinkle this beautiful green and purple mini plant on most of your dishes. With its lavish beauty, it is perfect as a garnish!
