Sweet and Spicy Kohlrabi Apple Slaw

Kohlrabi. What is it? What do you do with it? Happily, I have plenty of ideas and one of my favorites is this sweet and spicy kohlrabi apple slaw.

Hey, how is August treating you?

It’s treating me to heat and humidity, day after day! *whew* And that means grilling, salads, and cold drinks. Right? Right!

I know I shared an awesome raspberry salad just last week, but it is time for another salad. Because not only is it meltingly hot and humid around here, but the farmers’ market is in full swing. I mean there is just so much beautiful produce out there and I want to eat it all. 🙂

Today’s entry in the Interesting Salads™ category (because life is too short to eat boring salads) is a kohlrabi slaw. Kohlrabi is honestly one of my favorite salad veggies when I can find it. It’s crunchy, peppery, a little sweet, and reminds me of a cross between a cucumber and an apple with a little radish thrown in.

So is it any wonder that when I was thinking ‘what do I put into a kohlrabi slaw??’ I ended up with apples and radishes? I don’t think so! It was meant to be.

Oooh, and look at the radishes I found! They’re purple! Standard white radishes will work just fine (and provide some color from their skins like the apples), but if you happen to run across purple radishes or watermelon radishes or one of the other great radish varieties, pick some up and make slaw.

How to Make Kohlrabi Apple Slaw

This is simple, because it’s too hot for complicated.

The first thing you going to do is heat up the oven (it’s just for a few minutes!) so that you can toast the walnuts. While you’re waiting, give the walnuts a rough chop and put them on a baking sheet.

Tip: I often toast extra nuts when I need to toast them for a recipe and then store the extra in a sealed container for quick tossing into salads and pastas and so on.

Then cut the kohlrabi, apples, and radishes into matchsticks. Which isn’t complicated though it can take a while if you’re using a knife and doing it the old-fashioned way. Which is why I recommend that you use one of these:

• Mandoline (I have a GSD snap-in mandoline.)
• Food Processor (use the shredding blade – I have a Cuisinart.)
• Spiralizer (This hand-cranked model is simple to use.)

I personally like the mandoline – being very careful to keep my hands away from the blades and using the safety equipment – since it’s quick to use and quick to wash when I’m done. Taking care of the whole pile of veggies only took me about 10 minutes.

At some point while you’re cutting the veggies, the oven will beep. Pop the nuts into the oven and toast them for 5 minutes.

Give the parsley a chop and put all the veggies into a bowl. Next, make the dressing and pour it into the bowl. Toss to combine. Top with the nuts and shavings of parmesan. Done.

What is Kohlrabi?

If you’re reading this post and thinking ‘I’m still not sure what that weird veggie is and what’s it all about,’ I have a great post all about kohlrabi – What is Kohlrabi? Ingredient Spotlight. That post delves into the history, nutrition, and other interesting details about knobby vegetable.

And, if you need another kohlrabi recipe, try my Cold French Lentil and Kohlrabi Salad. The earthiness of the lentils makes a great counterpoint to the peppery kohlrabi.

Using a Mandoline to Cut the Slaw

As I said, I used my GSD Mandoline to cut all the veggies. It’s a simple snap-in mandoline with a few thicknesses and two sets of matchstick/french fry blades. I find it easy to use and to clean, but there are a couple tips I want to give you before we get to the the recipe.

First, while dense vegetables, like kohlrabi and radishes, will go through the line of blades fairly easily (you will need to use some pressure to keep the veggies in line), going back is probably not going to work. When I’m just making slices, like for a gratin, I slide the item back and forth quickly. With the matchstick blades I find I have to lift the item and bring it back to the top after each slice.

Second, keep your hands away!! Use the guide. Pay attention. Don’t work too fast. And, if you are still worried/clumsy/etc., get a protective glove. You want to end the recipe with the same number of fingers your started with.

If you try my recipe for Kohlrabi Apple Slaw, I would love to hear from you in the comments with your experience and rating! You can connect with me by subscribing to my emails (see the form in the sidebar or below the recipe card), liking my FACEBOOK page, or by following me on PINTEREST.

– Happy Eating, Annemarie