Kohlrabi in Winter: Growing, Storing, and Cold-Weather Recipes

Kohlrabi is primarily thought of as a spring and fall vegetable, and in most gardens, that’s when it performs best. But kohlrabi has more cold tolerance than it gets credit for, and with the right approach — choosing the correct varieties, timing your planting, and using season-extension techniques — you can grow and enjoy kohlrabi well into winter or even through it entirely in milder climates.

Even if you’re not growing your own, kohlrabi stores exceptionally well in cold conditions, making it one of the most reliable winter pantry vegetables available. A fall harvest, properly stored, will keep you in kohlrabi until spring.

Growing Kohlrabi in Winter

Cold Tolerance

Kohlrabi handles cold better than most brassica vegetables. Mature plants tolerate light frosts down to about -4°C (25°F) without damage. Some varieties can handle even colder temperatures, particularly if they’re hardened off gradually rather than hit with a sudden freeze.

The key word here is “mature.” Young kohlrabi seedlings are more vulnerable to cold. If you’re starting plants for winter harvest, you want them well-established before the first hard frost arrives.

Interestingly, light frost actually improves kohlrabi’s flavor. Cold temperatures trigger the plant to convert starches into sugars as a natural antifreeze mechanism. Post-frost kohlrabi is noticeably sweeter and more complex than summer-grown kohlrabi — the same phenomenon that makes parsnips and Brussels sprouts better after a freeze.

Best Varieties for Winter Growing

Not all kohlrabi varieties handle cold equally well. For winter growing, choose these:

Superschmelz — A giant variety that produces bulbs up to 25cm across without turning woody. Its large size means more thermal mass, which helps it resist freezing damage. It’s also one of the best storage varieties.

Kossak — Another large variety bred for long-season growing. Excellent cold tolerance and storage qualities. Can stay in the ground longer than most varieties without losing quality.

Kolibri (purple) — Among the purple varieties, Kolibri has notably good cold tolerance. The purple skin may provide some additional UV protection during the shorter days of winter, and the anthocyanins that produce the color are also associated with improved frost hardiness.

Gigante — Lives up to its name. Like Superschmelz, the large bulb size helps with cold tolerance, and the flesh stays tender even at impressive sizes.

For a complete overview of variety options, see our kohlrabi varieties guide.

Timing Your Winter Planting

The goal is to have kohlrabi reach harvestable size just as cold weather sets in, then either harvest and store it or leave it in the ground under protection.

Count backward from your first expected hard frost date:

• Standard varieties need about 55–60 days from transplant to harvest
• Giant varieties need 70–80 days
• Add 2 weeks if direct-sowing rather than transplanting

So if your first hard frost typically arrives in mid-November, you’d want to transplant standard varieties in mid-September and giant varieties in late August.

In zones 7 and warmer (mild winters), you can succession-plant kohlrabi through fall and into early winter. The plants won’t grow much during the shortest days, but they’ll survive and resume growth as days lengthen in late January and February.

Season Extension Techniques

Cold frames are the simplest and most effective way to grow kohlrabi through winter. A basic cold frame — even just a salvaged window on top of a raised bed — adds 4–6°C of frost protection and creates a microclimate that keeps kohlrabi growing weeks longer than open-ground plants. Vent the frame on sunny days to prevent overheating.

Row covers (floating row cover or garden fleece) provide 2–4°C of protection and can be laid directly over the plants. Double-layering increases protection. Row cover also blocks wind, which is often more damaging than cold temperatures alone.

Mulch heavily. A thick layer of straw, leaves, or shredded bark around kohlrabi plants insulates the soil and roots. This doesn’t protect the above-ground bulb from freezing air temperatures, but it prevents the ground from freezing solid, which makes it possible to continue harvesting through winter.

Hoop tunnels — low tunnels made from bent PVC or wire hoops covered in plastic — combine the benefits of cold frames and row covers. They’re cheap to build, easy to ventilate, and provide enough protection to keep kohlrabi growing through zone 5 winters.

Storing Kohlrabi for Winter

If you’d rather harvest everything in fall and store it for winter use, kohlrabi is one of the best-storing fresh vegetables available. It’s not as long-lasting as root vegetables like carrots or beets, but with proper conditions, it keeps for 2–3 months.

Ideal Storage Conditions

Kohlrabi stores best at 0–2°C (32–35°F) with high humidity (90–95%). These conditions exist naturally in:

• Root cellars — the traditional and still best option
• Unheated garages — in cold climates, these often stay in the right temperature range
• Refrigerator crisper drawer — works well for smaller quantities

For our full guide on storage methods, see how to store kohlrabi.

Preparing Kohlrabi for Storage

Remove the leaves, leaving about 2cm of stem. The leaves draw moisture from the bulb during storage, causing it to soften and shrivel. Don’t wash the bulbs — a thin layer of garden soil actually helps preserve moisture. Just brush off loose dirt.

Don’t trim the root end either. Leaving the root intact reduces moisture loss and prevents rot from entering through the cut surface.

Storage Methods

Root cellar or cold room: Pack kohlrabi in damp sand, sawdust, or peat moss in wooden crates or boxes. The medium maintains humidity around the bulbs and prevents them from touching each other (which can spread rot). Check monthly and remove any bulbs showing signs of softening or decay.

Refrigerator: Wrap individual bulbs loosely in damp paper towels, then place in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer. They’ll keep for 4–6 weeks this way. For longer storage, the damp-sand method in a cold garage or basement is better.

Freezing: For the longest storage, blanch peeled and cubed kohlrabi for 3 minutes, plunge into ice water, drain, and freeze flat on sheet pans before transferring to freezer bags. Frozen kohlrabi keeps for 8–12 months. The texture changes — it won’t be crisp anymore — but it works perfectly in soups, stews, and gratins. See our complete freezing guide.

Winter Kohlrabi Recipes

Cold weather calls for warm food, and kohlrabi adapts beautifully to the hearty dishes that define winter cooking. Here are preparations specifically suited to the season.

Kohlrabi and Potato Soup

A simple, warming soup that makes the most of stored kohlrabi.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium kohlrabi, peeled and diced
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 liter chicken or vegetable stock
• 200ml cream
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Nutmeg, salt, pepper to taste

Method: Melt butter in a large pot. Sauté onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add kohlrabi, potatoes, and stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes until vegetables are very tender. Blend until smooth (or leave chunky if preferred). Stir in cream, season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Serve with crusty bread.

The potatoes provide body and starch while the kohlrabi provides a subtle sweetness that makes this more interesting than plain potato soup.

Roasted Winter Kohlrabi with Brown Butter and Sage

Roasting concentrates kohlrabi’s sweetness and creates caramelized edges. Brown butter and sage are classic winter flavors that complement it perfectly.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium kohlrabi, peeled and cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• Salt and pepper

Method: Toss kohlrabi wedges with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast at 220°C (425°F) for 30–35 minutes, turning once, until golden and tender. While the kohlrabi finishes, melt butter in a small pan over medium heat. Cook until the milk solids turn nutty brown and the butter smells like toasted hazelnuts — about 4 minutes. Add sage leaves and fry for 30 seconds until crisp. Pour brown butter and sage over the roasted kohlrabi. Serve immediately.

Kohlrabi, Sausage, and White Bean Stew

A one-pot winter meal that’s filling and straightforward.

Ingredients:

• 3 medium kohlrabi, peeled and cubed
• 400g smoked sausage (kielbasa or similar), sliced
• 2 cans (400g each) white beans, drained
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 400g canned crushed tomatoes
• 500ml chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• Fresh parsley for serving

Method: Brown the sausage slices in a large pot or Dutch oven. Remove and set aside. In the same pot, sauté onion until soft. Add garlic and paprika, cook 1 minute. Add kohlrabi, tomatoes, stock, and browned sausage. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook 20 minutes until kohlrabi is tender. Add beans, heat through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve topped with fresh parsley.

Kohlrabi and Cheddar Soup

A richer alternative to the potato version above, using cheddar for warmth and depth.

Ingredients:

• 4 medium kohlrabi, peeled and diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 750ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 200ml cream
• 200g sharp cheddar, grated
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard

Method: Melt butter, sauté onion until soft. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Add flour, stir 2 minutes. Gradually add stock, whisking. Add kohlrabi. Simmer 20 minutes until very tender. Blend until smooth. Return to heat, add cream, mustard, and cheddar, stirring until cheese melts. Don’t boil after adding cheese. Season with salt and pepper.

Winter Kohlrabi in Different Cuisines

Kohlrabi isn’t just a European winter vegetable. Several culinary traditions have their own cold-weather kohlrabi preparations:

Korean: Kohlrabi kimchi — kohlrabi is an excellent kimchi candidate, with a crunch that holds up through fermentation. Make it in fall when kohlrabi is abundant, and it’s ready to eat through winter.

Indian: Kohlrabi (known as knol-khol in Hindi) appears in winter curries and dals across northern India, where it’s valued for its ability to absorb spice flavors while maintaining texture.

German: Beyond the classic cream sauce (Kohlrabigemüse), German cooks braise kohlrabi with roasted meats throughout winter, using stored bulbs from the fall harvest.

Planning Your Winter Kohlrabi Supply

A practical approach: plant a succession of kohlrabi in late summer and early fall, harvest before hard freezes, and store using the methods above. A family of four eating kohlrabi once or twice a week through winter needs about 20–25 bulbs in storage — roughly a 3-meter row of giant varieties or two rows of standard varieties.

Supplement stored whole kohlrabi with frozen cubes for soups and stews, and you’ll have kohlrabi available from harvest through late winter without buying any from the store.