Kohlrabi tastes like cabbage and looks like a turnip. It is packed full of nutrients and can be used in all sorts of ways such as roasted or steamed. Use it in a slaw or salad, make fritters out of it, or turn it into a soup. You can even make it into fries.
However, it isn’t available all year round so can you store it so that you have it when it’s out of season? The simple answer is yes. You can freeze it, and in this article, we will tell you how to freeze kohlrabi and how to defrost it.
How To Freeze Kohlrabi
1. Dice and blanch the kohlrabi.
We recommend that you blanch your kohlrabi as this ensures that the nutrients, texture, and taste, are retained. This is because blanching destroys the enzymes that are responsible for food decaying.
After you have diced the kohlrabi into small chunks, blanch them in boiling water for one minute. Then, plunge the chunks into cold water for another minute. This stops the cooking process.
2. Drain and dry the kohlrabi.
Dry the kohlrabi on paper towels. You don’t want to put the kohlrabi in the freezer while it is still wet as this will make it mushy when defrosted.
3. Split the kohlrabi into portions.
It is a good idea to split the kohlrabi into meal size portions so that you only defrost as much as you need each time you want to eat it. This saves on wastage.
4. Put the kohlrabi in freezer bags.
Fill the bags about two-thirds of the way up and squeeze out as much air as possible. If you don’t, freezer burn may occur and your kohlrabi will lose taste and texture. Put labels on the bags with the date and contents.
5. Put the freezer bags in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Kohlrabi
- When you blanch the kohlrabi, make sure that the pieces are fully covered in water. This ensures that the kohlrabi cooks evenly. In addition, it ensures that you can regulate the temperature of the heating and cooling.
- Dry the kohlrabi thoroughly after blanching. If you put the pieces of kohlrabi in the freezer while it is wet, they will become mushy.
- Squeeze out all the air from the freezer bags to avoid freezer burn.
- It’s better not to freeze kohlrabi whole without peeling or blanching as it will go bad quickly. It probably won’t keep for longer than a week in the freezer.
For How Long Can You Freeze Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi freezes for up to eight months so you can enjoy it for long after it has gone out of season. Kohlrabi has so many nutrients such as vitamin B6, potassium, copper, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus that it is a good food to have on hand.
How Do You Defrost Kohlrabi?
The best way to defrost kohlrabi is slowly and steadily. This ensures that it keeps its taste and texture. Take it out of the freezer and put it in the fridge for a few hours to defrost.
If you are in a hurry, you can defrost the kohlrabi in the microwave. However, make sure that you put it on defrost and when defrosted, heat it conventionally. This should help to stop it from becoming mushy.
Can You Refreeze Kohlrabi?
Refreezing kohlrabi is safe but it isn’t really recommended as the texture will change. Ice crystals are formed when food is frozen and while this isn’t a major problem when you first freeze an item, refreezing means that more ice crystals will appear and the food may become soggy.
If you do intend to refreeze, we suggest you only do this if you have defrosted the kohlrabi in the fridge and not in the microwave.
It is a much better idea to freeze your kohlrabi in portions so that you only defrost as much as you need. Then there is no reason to refreeze.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi does freeze well as long as you blanch it. However, it may discolor slightly but this won’t ruin the taste at all. It is definitely a good vegetable to freeze because its nutritional value won’t be affected by freezing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing kohlrabi but in case you still have questions about kohlrabi, we have answered a few questions here.
Kohlrabi lasts for up to two weeks in the fridge so if you intend to use it up within this time, there’s no reason to freeze it. This vegetable is one of the longest-lasting in both the fridge and freezer, so is a good one to keep on hand.
You can but we don’t recommend it as a lot of the taste and texture will be lost as well as the nutrients. Yes, it takes a bit of effort to blanch the kohlrabi, but it is worth it in the long run. Try doing a big batch in one go and then you will have a good stock of kohlrabi in your freezer.
Yes, you can. The best way to do this is to divide them into bundles and flash-freeze them. Put the bundles on a baking tray, making sure that they aren’t touching each other. In this way, the bundles won’t stick together when they are bagged up, and you can remove only as many as you need for your meal. Once the bundles of kohlrabi noodles are frozen, transfer them into a freezer bag, put a label on it, and put it back in the freezer.
You can freeze cooked kohlrabi. Ensure that it has cooled down completely before you put it in the freezer otherwise the texture of the kohlrabi may be compromised. In addition, it may also bring up the temperature in the freezer and other food will start to defrost and may even spoil.
