First foods database
🥬 Kohlrabi for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat kohlrabi? Yes, from about 6 months, peeled and cooked until soft. It tastes like a sweet, mild cross between cabbage and turnip.
Good source of: Vitamin C, Fibre, Potassium
How to serve kohlrabi by age
6 to 9 months
Peel away the tough skin, chop, then steam or boil until very soft and mash or purée. Soft roasted batons can be offered as finger food. Mashing with potato and a little butter makes it creamy.
9 to 12 months
Offer soft cooked batons, or mash kohlrabi with potato. Finely grated raw kohlrabi can go into fritters. Roasting brings out its sweetness.
12 months and up
Serve kohlrabi roasted, in stir fries or soups, or grated raw into slaws. Raw grated kohlrabi works well in a yoghurt slaw. Kohlrabi sticks roasted with a little olive oil make a sweet side dish.
Choking safety
Raw kohlrabi is crisp and hard. Cook it soft for babies and keep raw kohlrabi grated or in very thin strips for toddlers. Check that pieces squash easily. Thin, grated raw kohlrabi is fine for confident chewers.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Easy ideas
- Kohlrabi and potato mash
- Roasted kohlrabi batons
- Kohlrabi fritters
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat kohlrabi?
Can babies eat kohlrabi? Yes, from about 6 months, peeled and cooked until soft. It tastes like a sweet, mild cross between cabbage and turnip.
Do I need to peel kohlrabi?
Yes. The outer skin is thick and fibrous, so peel it before cooking. Use a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.
Can babies eat kohlrabi leaves?
The leaves are edible and can be cooked like spinach, then chopped finely. Chop them finely for babies.
Sources
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).