A delicious alternative to traditional French fries, these kohlrabi fries are tossed in a simple spice mixture and oven baked. Enjoy as they are or with your favourite dipping sauce. Either way, these homemade baked fries are super yummy!
Today I’m sharing another kohlrabi recipe that’s been in regular rotation in our home for the past little while.
Hearty greens, root veggies and cabbage grow quite well here in Newfoundland.
As kohlrabi is part of the cabbage family, I wasn’t surprised when I came across locally grown kohlrabi at the farmers’ market.
I’ve had kohlrabi in the past and it was a little pricey, but grabbed some just the other day on the cheap. I loaded up my cart and knew what had to happen. Kohlrabi all day, every day.
These kohlrabi fries are combined with avocado oil and some seasonings and are baked in about 30 minutes.
Trust me, just like regular baked fries, they don’t last long in our home!
Why We Love These Kohlrabi Fries
- They’re prepped in minutes.
- Kohlrabi fries are something a little different for when you’re trying to mix up the ol’ fry routine.
- The recipe is made with just 6 simple ingredients.
- These fries can be enjoyed on their own, with your favourite dip (I love garlic aioli with these) or as a side to a main dish.
- Of course, they taste delicious!
How To Make This Recipe
Full details are in the recipe card below, but here are the basics:
- Prep the kohlrabi: remove the stems, leaves and tough end from the kohlrabi, slice the kohlrabi in half, cut out and discard the core and peel. You’re basically left with two halves (of each kohlrabi) at this point.
- Turn each half down so the large flat portion is on the surface and cut into ½-inch slices
- Cut those slices into fries.
- Place kohlrabi fries into a clean tea towel and dab dry of any excess moisture. Then place kohlrabi fries in a bowl with some seasonings and avocado oil, tossing or stirring to coat.
- Spread fries out onto a greased sheet pan.
- Bake, flipping once. When they’re golden brown and tender, they’re ready to serve and enjoy!
What Do Kohlrabi Fries Taste Like?
Though kohlrabi is technically in the cabbage family, it does smell something like turnip (in my opinion) and tastes kinda like crunchy broccoli stems.
So if you’re a turnip fan (or simply a cruciferous veggie fan), chances are you’ll love these!
Do They Crisp up Like Regular Fries?
Because they’re different veggies, kohlrabi fries are not as crispy as regular potato fries.
You know how oven-baked sweet potato fries don’t get quite as crispy as regular fries? Well, kohlrabi fries bake up kinda like those.
Having said that, kohlrabi fries are a great alternative to traditional French fries, especially when you’re trying to mix things up and try something new.
Tips and Variations
- Peel your kohlrabi of the thick outer skin. It’s tough (especially tough in larger kohlrabi and does not bake up good). You’ll want to remove all of that.
- If the core of your kohlrabi is particularly fibrous, you can cut out.
- If the leaves are still attached to your kohlrabi bulbs (and in good shape), you can clean, reserve and use in another recipe.
- Cut your fries into roughly equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Mix up the spice blend with your favourite seasoning. If you want to go simple, just use salt and pepper.
- I like to garnish with chopped green onion, but you can omit. Alternatively, try chopped chives, parsley, cilantro or grated Parmesan cheese.
More Delicious Sides
If you make these oven-baked kohlrabi fries, be sure to leave a comment below!
Kohlrabi Fries Recipe
Ingredients
- 2.5 pounds kohlrabi, about 2 medium to large bulbs or about 4 pounds before peeling)
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- 1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- Sliced green onion or chives, garnish to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Meanwhile, prepare the kohlrabi. If they have stems/leaves attached you can remove and discard. Remove the tough end. Note: If you like, you can reserve the kohlrabi leaves for use in another recipe.
- Carefully cut each kohlrabi in half, remove/discard core (if necessary) and peel. Turn each half down so the large flat portion is on the surface and cut into ½-inch slices. Then cut those slices into fries, about ⅓-inch to ½-inch thick (see body of post above, if necessary).
- Place kohlrabi fries in a clean tea towel to remove any excess moisture (optional).
- Place kohlrabi fries in a bowl and toss with 2.5 tablespoons of avocado oil, garlic powder (if using), ancho chili powder, black pepper and salt, ensuring the kohlrabi fries are well coated with the oil and seasonings.
- Grease a large sheet pan (or two smaller ones) with the remaining ½ tablespoon of avocado oil.
- Place the kohlrabi fries onto the prepared sheet pan and spread them out in a single layer. Bake the fries for 15 minutes, then remove the sheet pan from the oven and flip the fries with a spatula (again, try to ensure that the fries are in a nice, even layer so they bake up nicely). Place the sheet pan back in the oven and continue baking the fries for another 15 minutes or until the outside of the fries is golden brown and they're tender inside.
- Transfer kohlrabi fries to a serving dish. Garnish, if desired, with green onion. Serve and enjoy! Yields 4 side servings or 2 larger servings
Notes
- Peel your kohlrabi of the thick outer skin. It’s tough (especially tough in larger kohlrabi and does not bake up good). You’ll want to remove all of that.
- If the core of your kohlrabi is particularly fibrous, you can cut out.
- If the leaves are still attached to your kohlrabi bulbs (and in good shape), you can clean and reserve and use in another recipe (if you like).
- Cut your fries into roughly equal-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Mix up the spice blend with your favourite seasoning. If you want to go simple, just use salt and pepper.
- I like to garnish with chopped green onion, but you can omit. Alternatively, try chopped chives, parsley, cilantro or grated Parmesan cheese.
A note on times provided: appliances vary, any prep and/or cook times provided are estimates only.
Tried this recipe?
If you do make this recipe, thank you!! It would mean so much if you could leave a comment below. Love to know how you enjoyed it, and it helps other readers too!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
Kohlrabi is such an interesting root vegetable. I love how you’ve turned it into oven roasted fries and used ancho chili powder! Such great flavor!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Thank you Kathy!
David @ Spiced
Hmmm, I can’t say that I’ve ever had roasted kohlrabi before. But I really want to try it out now – the browned bits on top look amazing! Plus, everything tastes better in fry form. 🙂 Hope your week is going well so far, my friend!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Agreed! Thanks David! Back at ya!
Katherine | Love In My Oven
These would be a great afternoon snack! I love the seasonings you used Dawn! Happy Monday my friend!
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers
I obviously need to get some kohlrabi! These looks fantastic. Love the spicing and such a great way to enjoy this root vegetable.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Yes! Thank you Jennifer!