Can You Freeze Kohlrabi? – Here’s The Best Way For Freezing Kohlrabi In The Freezer

by

Can You Freeze Kohlrabi? Kohlrabi is an extremely nutritious veggie that belongs to the family of wild cabbage. However, it is also referred to as turnip cabbages and German turnips.

Being a leafy vegetable, you can use it in your recipes in both its cooked form as well as when it is raw. But, can you freeze kohlrabi? This article will tell you everything you need to know about if you can freeze this leafy veggie, and if you can, then how to go about it. Let’s dig in!

Can You Freeze Kohlrabi

Can You Freeze Kohlrabi?

Yes, you can freeze Kohlrabi and we must say that it is a boon. In fact, when you do it properly, this leafy vegetable can be preserved to serve your dietary needs throughout the year.

The process is not entirely straightforward but that does not go to say that it is a difficult one. It just involves a few more steps apart from cutting, sealing, and freezing. But fret not. We’ll tell you exactly what you need to do to enjoy this nutrition bomb all around the year.

How To Freeze Kohlrabi?

Freezing Kohlrabi involves 5 major steps. And in order to execute these steps perfectly, you must have access to boiling water, ice cubes, sheets that are used for baking, and of course, handy Ziploc baggies. So, let’s get to it.

  • First things first, you must chop the kohlrabi into your preferred size. Most people go with cubical shapes but you can cut them long if you like.
  • The next step is all important and this is where the boiling water and ice will come into play. You need to blanch the veggie. To do that, you must place it in the boiling water, cook it for a couple of minutes, and then immediately transfer the cooked German turnip into a bowl that is filled to the brim with ice. Once again, you need to let it sit there for a couple of minutes or till the vegetable returns to normal temperature.
  • Once the kohlrabi has cooled down, you need to lay it all out on the baking sheet in order for it to dry completely. Once it has dried, make sure you separate it into portions of a size of your choosing.
  • After this step, you can move on to packing the blanched veggies in your Ziploc baggies. Do make sure that you get rid of all the excess air in the packet before your seal it.
  • And the final step is, as always, labeling the baggie based on when you’ve sealed it and then finally storing it in your freezer.

How Long Can You Freeze Kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi can actually be frozen for up to a maximum period of 8 months. That means if you freeze and store the vegetable early in the year, you can use it till winter comes, thereby guaranteeing you a year-long supply of the nutritious vegetable.

That said, the vegetable is actually fairly resilient to spoilage. So if you only need to store it for a few days or even a couple of weeks, you just need to store it properly in your refrigerator.

How To Defrost Kohlrabi?

Ideally, you should only resort to your refrigerator if you wish to defrost Kohlrabi. You could use the microwave if you want to defrost it for urgent use but microwaving, because of the rapid fluctuation in temperature, can cause the Kohlrabi to change in taste.

Because placing the vegetable in the refrigerator ensures a gradual reduction in temperature and helps elongate the shelf life of Kohlrabi while also allowing you to defrost it in a matter of a few hours.

Read More:

Tips And Tricks To Follow When Freezing Kohlrabi

To make sure that you get the most out of your green veggies, we offer you the very best tips you need to follow and remember when trying to freeze kohlrabi!

  • You must execute the process of blanching the leafy vegetable to perfection. If you happen to skip this step, your vegetable might rot much earlier than you want it to.
  • Avoid storing Kohlrabi in Borosil containers. Glass tends to crack when subjected to the pressure that Kohlrabi puts on it from the inside. The vegetable actually expands when it freezes. Therefore, the optimal way to store it is to use good and thick Ziploc baggies.
  • Creating and separating portions of the size of your preference is of utmost importance because constantly freezing and defrosting it can result in the vegetable going bad very quickly. Slow and gradual temperature changes are your best friend in dealing with this leafy vegetable.

Can You Refreeze Kohlrabi?

You can refreeze kohlrabi but doing so will subject the vegetable to repeated temperature fluctuations. Such environments are known to drastically affect the taste and feel of the leaves. And once these leaves lose their texture and crunchiness, most of their appeal goes away.

However, if you must defrost and then refreeze the vegetable, we would advise you to do the same using your refrigerator to defrost it. Once you’re ready to refreeze it, follow the process we have outlined above without blanching the vegetable. You should certainly never try to refreeze it after you’ve defrosted the vegetable using a microwave.

Refer to our guide on Can You Freeze Lettuce and know the entire freezing process and its impact on the shelf life.

FAQs on Can You Freeze Kohlrabi

1. Can you skip the blanching of the vegetable before freezing it?

No, you cannot skip blanching the vegetable before putting it in your freezer. The simple reason is that when you skip the blanching, the vegetable tends to mature and thereby lose its appealing taste and texture.

2. Can you freeze kohlrabi in glass containers?

You should avoid storing kohlrabi in your freezer in glass containers because this vegetable is known to increase in size. Therefore, if the vegetable is already in a cramped up space, it can exert extra pressure on the glass, causing it to crack.

3. Does Kohlrabi Freeze Well?

Yes, kohlrabi does freeze extremely well. You will have to be mindful of the number of times you defrost it and refreeze it since this can result in some loss of crunchiness and texture.

Key Takeaways

Kohlrabi is a great vegetable to freeze and store. And hopefully, this article is the answer to all your queries about “can you freeze kohlrabi?” At the risk of being repetitive, never skip blanching the leafy vegetable. You can extract maximum benefit for a longer period of time if you remember to blanch the kohlrabi!

Leave a Comment