Out With the Kale: The Newest Favorites Among U.S. Chefs

In with the kohlrabi, which is finally becoming popular with men and women in the kitchen

It looks more like a dinosaur than a vegetable. But kohlrabi—hiding inside jagged, armored skin—is likely to be this year's trendiest new food.

Kohlrabi (pronounced coal-raw-bee) is a pale green or purple bulb that sprouts multiple stalks of dark green leaves; both bulb and leaves are edible. The bulb is crunchy and slightly sweet, with the tang of a radish.

Though little known in the U.S., this veggie is popular around the world. In Nepal, Tibet, northern India and China, kohlrabi is often pickled with a mixture of spices and oils and enjoyed in large quantities with bread and yogurt. In countries closer to the equator, it is grated into pancakes, flat breads and fritters.

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