Kohlrabi Fritters with Kohlrabi Greens Pesto

These kohlrabi fritters with kohlrabi greens pesto are a delicious example of enjoying the entire vegetable! The bulbous stem is grated and incorporated into the fritters while the leaves are steamed and blended into a quick pesto with hemps seeds and lemon. Enjoy these vegan and gluten free kohlrabi fritters as an appetizer or side dish.

I love vegetables like kohlrabi that have multiple edible components. Not only do you get to eat the crunchy stem, but the leaves as well! In order to make use of the entire vegetable, I created a recipe that uses both the stem and the leaves. The bulbous stem is grated and cooked into a simple fritter while the greens are steamed and blended up with hemp seeds to make a quick pesto. If you are worried about pan frying the fritters, I’ve included instructions at the end of the recipe for baking them in the oven instead!

Grab These Ingredients

• Kohlrabi — you’ll need 1-2 bunch of kohlrabi with the leafy greens attached. If your kohlrabi doesn’t have the greens attached, you can substitute an equal amount of kale or collard greens for the kohlrabi greens.
• Hemp Seeds — these give the pesto a lovely nutty flavor along with their great nutritional benefits. You can use an equal amount of sunflower seeds in their place if you prefer.
• Nutritional Yeast — gives the pesto a cheesy flavor without the cheese. If you eat dairy, feel free to substitute parmesan here.
• Olive Oil — you’ll use olive oil in the pesto as well as to cook the fritters.
• Lemon Juice — gives the pesto a bright and zingy flavor.
• Sea Salt — seasons and balances flavors.
• Ground Flaxseed — paired with water and allowed to thicken, this helps bind the fritters in a similar way to eggs. If you eat eggs, feel free to swap in two large eggs instead.
• Flour — helps thicken the fritter batter. I’ve used both an all-purpose flour and a 1:1 gluten free flour blend and both work great!
• Baking Powder — helps the fritters puff up a little during cooking.
• Milk — thins out the fritter batter. Feel free to use any plant milk you like!

Key Steps in Making These Kohlrabi Fritters and Pesto

Make the pesto first. Toss everything in a blender or food processor and process until mostly smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. The pesto is fairly thick so you may need to scrape down the sides a few times during blending.

Make your flax egg first by mixing the ground flaxseed and hot water. Allow it to thicken for about 10 minutes before proceeding with the fritter batter. Mix the batter then fold in the grated kohlrabi.

Cook the fritters in a skillet. Or, you can bake them in the oven if you prefer to use less oil. Enjoy the fritters topped with the pesto.

Kohlrabi Fritters with Kohlrabi Greens Pesto

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• Author: Courtney West
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 16 fritters 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

These kohlrabi fritters with kohlrabi greens pesto are a delicious example of enjoying the entire vegetable! The bulbous stem is grated and incorporated into the fritters while the leaves are steamed and blended into a quick pesto with hemps seeds and lemon. Enjoy these vegan and gluten free kohlrabi fritters as an appetizer or side dish.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

for the pesto:

• 2 cups kohlrabi greens, lightly steamed
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/2 a large lemon, juiced
• Sea salt, to taste

for the fritters:

• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• 1/2 cup all-purpose gluten free flour blend
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup oat milk, or other plant milk
• 2 cups grated kohlrabi, packed
• Sea salt, to taste
• Olive oil

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Instructions

Add all of the ingredients for the pesto to a blender. Blend until nearly smooth. Set the pesto aside while you make the fritters.

Mix the ground flaxseed with 6 tablespoons of hot water in a small bowl. Allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes or until it thickens. If you eat eggs, you can use 2 large eggs in place of the flaxseed mixture. To the flaxseed mixture add the flour, baking powder, and milk. Whisk the ingredients together until smooth and thick. It should resemble pancake batter. Season with salt, then fold in the grated kohlrabi until it is evenly distributed in the batter.

Add just enough olive oil to a skillet to cover the bottom then warm it over medium heat. To make the fritters, place heaping spoonfuls of the batter in the pan, then gently flatten them out with the back of a spoon. Cook the fritters for about 2-3 minutes per side or until deeply golden brown. Continue with the remaining batter. Cool the fritters for at least 5 minutes before eating.

Top each fritter with pesto and some freshly grated lemon zest if desired. Makes about 16 fritters.

Notes

• Watching your fat intake or don’t feel like standing over the stove? You can bake the fritters in the oven instead: Place spoonfuls of the batter on a lined baking sheet then bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until the tops are firm and the edges/bottoms are golden.
• If your kohlrabi does not have the leafy greens attached, you can use an equal amount of kale or collard greens.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: side