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There’s not much better than biting into freshly fried kohlrabi hash browns. They’re hot; they’re crispy; they’re a perfect way to eat kohlrabi for breakfast.
When I first mentioned to my husband how much I liked kohlrabi, he responded that he had the best kohlrabi hash brown recipe. I’m happy to say that I’ve improved it: the hash browns that we love to make are now Whole30 compliant, so we can enjoy them anytime!
Why Kohlrabi Makes For Great Hash Browns
You’ve probably realized by now that I am a huge kohlrabi fan, since I’ve posted multiple recipes where it’s the key ingredient. But, so far, I’ve only posted recipes where the kohlrabi is used raw; this time, you’ll get to try cooked kohlrabi. When fried, the kohlrabi will have more sweetness and nuttiness. Combine that with the crunch factor, and you’ll be eating some of the best hash browns you’ll ever make.
Kohlrabi is lower in carbohydrates and higher in fiber than white potatoes, so if you are looking to cut down on net carb consumption, substituting some of the potatoes in hash browns with kohlrabi is a great solution. However, I wouldn’t say this is a fully keto-friendly recipe, as my recipe calls for about a 50/50 mix of kohlrabi to potato.
While kohlrabi might not be super common in American grocery stores, it is pretty commonly found in farmers markets during the spring and fall.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Kohlrabi
I strongly recommend using kohlrabi in this recipe for all the reasons I mention in the above section. However, if you don’t have kohlrabi available to you, this recipe will work with broccoli stems, which can be shredded the same way as the kohlrabi. The final hash browns will have more of a broccoli flavor (as you would expect) than the original kohlrabi version.
White potatoes
White potatoes help to round out the shredded vegetables in these hash browns and help provide starch to keep them together.
Don’t use sweet potatoes in this recipe. The sweet potato flavor will compete with the kohlrabi. White potatoes are the best option here for both texture and flavor compatibility.
Arrowroot Starch
Arrowroot starch is a Whole30 binder that I use in this recipe instead of flour. It will also soak up any excess moisture in the raw mixture (after all the water is squeezed out), which is crucial to getting a crispy hash brown.
You can substitute with tapioca starch, which is another Whole30 option. Flour would also work, but would violate Whole30 requirements, and I haven’t tested the recipe quantities using all-purpose flour as a binder.
Helpful Tips and Tricks for Crispy Kohlrabi Hash Browns
Moisture is the enemy of crispy food, both before and after the food is cooked. I use a nut milk bag to drain as much water out of the shredded kohlrabi and potatoes as possible. If you aren’t familiar with them, nut milk bags have a super fine mesh that is used to hold the ground nuts while extracting the “milk” (or, realistically, the nut flavored water). If you don’t have nut milk bags, using several layers of cheesecloth will work in a pinch.
I do not recommend using paper towels to drain the moisture from the raw, shredded, kohlrabi and potato mixture. If the paper towels are not strong, you could end up with bits of paper towel getting fried up in the final dish. However, I do recommend paper towels for after the hash browns are fried up; this will soak up the excess oil from the frying process and help keep everything crispy for longer. Once initial amount of oil has been soaked up by the paper towels, either serve immediately, or move to a wire rack. They will get soggy if they continue to sit on the used paper towels.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these hash browns while they are hot! The longer they sit, the longer the moisture in the air will be hanging around and the hash browns won’t be nearly as crispy as when they were fresh out of the cast iron pan.
These can be topped with all sorts of great things. My personal favorite is adding a little chili crunch oil, which adds a nice spice to the hash browns. My favorite is the spicy chili oil from CHILEE Oil in Chicago (not a sponsored link). I got the chance to try it out at the Renegade Craft Fair, and knew I couldn’t walk away without buying a jar. The best part is that this chili oil is Whole30 compliant, so it’s a great topping while you’re doing a Whole30 (or anytime, honestly).
Other Whole30 toppings that I love for these hash browns are kimchi (watch out for added sugar in many brands) and fried eggs. Delicious!
Crispy Kohlrabi Hash Browns
There's not much better than biting into freshly fried kohlrabi hash browns. They're hot; they're crispy; they're a perfect way to eat kohlrabi for breakfast.
Ingredients
Kohlrabi Hash Browns
- 2 medium kohlrabi bulbs
- 1 large russet potato
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- ½ tsp salt
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- ⅓ cup avocado oil; more may be needed if using a large pan
Optional Toppings
- Chili Crunch Oil, such as Spicy CHILEE Oil
- Kimchi (check ingredient list to ensure that it is Whole30 compliant)
- Fried egg
Instructions
- Peel and shred kohlrabi bulbs and russet potato. Place shredded mixture into a nut milk bag, and squeeze out all excess water. Place drained mixture into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Add egg, arrowroot starch, garlic, salt, and red pepper flakes into the bowl. Toss everything together until thoroughly coated.
- Add avocado oil to a 10-inch cast iron pan. Heat on medium-high until oil is shimmering.
- Scoop ¼ cup of the kohlrabi potato mixture into the hot oil to fry. I fried 4 hash browns at one time. Flip once one side becomes golden brown.
- Remove kohlrabi hash browns from the hot pan and drain excess oil on paper towels. If not eating immediately, transfer to a wire rack.
- Fry remaining kohlrabi potato mixture (recipe should make 8 hash browns total). Drain excess oil.
- Add toppings if desired, and serve immediately!
