kohlrabi

American  

[kohl-rah-bee, -rab-ee, kohl-rah-bee, -rab-ee] / koʊlˈrɑ bi, -ˈræb i, ˈkoʊlˌrɑ bi, -ˌræb i /

noun

kohlrabies plural

1. a cultivated cabbage, Brassica oleracea gongylodes, of the mustard family, whose stem above ground swells into an edible, bulblike formation.

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kohlrabi British  

/ kəʊlˈrɑːbɪ /

noun

1. Also called: turnip cabbage.  a cultivated variety of cabbage, Brassica oleracea caulorapa (or gongylodes ), whose thickened stem is eaten as a vegetable

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• kohlrabies
  plural

Etymology

Origin of kohlrabi

First recorded in 1800–10; from German, from Italian cavolrape (plural of cavolrapa literally, “stalk or cabbage turnip”), with German Kohl “cabbage” for Italian cavol-; see cole, rape ²

Explanation

Kohlrabi is a vegetable that looks like a turnip but is actually a type of cabbage. You can eat kohlrabi raw in salads and slaws, or you can cook it. Kohlrabi gets its name from the German words for "cabbage" and "turnip," Kohl and Rübe, and that's just what this strange vegetable is, a kind of cabbage-turnip. Sliced and eaten raw, kohlrabi tastes a bit like a slightly spicy radish, but if you roast it in the oven, it takes on a sweet flavor. Kohlrabi is especially popular in Kashmir, India, where it's called ganth ghobi or munj.

Example Sentences

Recent highlights include kohlrabi or steamed Dungeness crab with herbs, fruits and almond milk and a crispy black cod that’s been cured and then pan-roasted.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 24, 2023

The meal itself will kick off with crab cakes along with cabbage, kohlrabi, fennel and cucumber slaw.

From Reuters • Apr. 24, 2023

The first course will include Maryland crab cakes, along with a cabbage, kohlrabi, fennel, and cucumber slaw dish.

From Washington Times • Apr. 24, 2023

You grab kohlrabi or a mushroom, it's going to be the best.

From Salon • Apr. 22, 2023

He fished out a brass skeleton key with a tiny kohlrabi at the end.

From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova