Have you seen kohlrabi, but avoided it because you have NO idea how it is meant to be eaten?

If you want to know more about kohlrabi (you should, it's a wonderful root vegetable), I have imparted all of my kohlrabi wisdom here in my "The Dirt on Produce" section of the site. I remember the first time I saw kohlrabi in one of the seed catalogs and I thought that it looked very strange. As you probably know by now, gardening is a passion of mine that I get from my father who is the ultimate gardener. I am just his little minion who helps him decide what crops we are growing in our FOUR gardens. Mainly, I come in handy when it is time to making meals out of our produce (or prah-duss as my dad says in his Bronx accent). There is always a glimmer in his eye on the frigid cold winter afternoon when we plan out our spring/summer/fall gardens. We planned out our whole garden for 2019 a few weeks ago and like all the years before - it was a thrill. Seriously. We get excited about produce the way I imagine 12-year-old girls react at a Shawn Mendes concert when he walks on stage. Kohlrabi grows great in our garden. Red Lentil Kohlrabi soup turns this funky vegetable into its highest calling - a really tasty, filling and health-supportive meal.

This kohlrabi soup is incredibly easy to make and each bite is teeming with nutrients.

I love making this dish with red lentils, but I encourage you to play around with this soup and try white beans or chickpeas! If you were ever wondering how to eat a healthy meal without breaking the bank, then this recipe is the answer. There are less than 10 ingredients! Woohoo! Have a friend who is vegan or gluten-free? Make them a batch! This is the lesson that I hope my readers learn because I am sure of this... sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.

Kohlrabi Red Lentil Soup

Recipe Type: Soup

Author: Michele Wolfson Broder

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 kohlrabi bulb, peeled and diced
1 TBS thyme, chopped
1 cup red lentils, rinsed and picked over
Salt and pepper to taste
4-5 cups of vegetable broth or water
3-4 collard green leaves (or 3 handfuls of spinach or young kohlrabi greens), stemmed and chopped

Instructions

Heat coconut oil on medium-high heat until it has become liquid and has become simmering in the pan.
Saute the diced onion for 5-7 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté one minute more. Add thyme, lentils, seasoning, herbs, and broth (or water). Simmer and cook about 15 minutes, until lentils are soft, but not mushy. Add collard greens and continue to simmer another 5 minutes.