Kohlrabi Image by iStock Photo/@aloha_17

Serves: 6

An unusual ingredient for chili — kohlrabi (pictured)— lends its sweetness and light crunch to this dish. If you can’t find the vegetable, broccoli stems can be substituted. Just remove the florets and reserve for another dish, and chop the stems in small pieces before adding to the chili in Step 2 (they don’t need roasting). The bulgur adds body and helps make the chili nice and thick.

1 pound whole kohlrabi, peeled and ¼-inch diced (about 2 cups)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Salt
2 cups chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 tablespoons hot sauce
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
Two 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with juices
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen and thawed
One 14-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
One 14-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ cup uncooked bulgur
Chopped fresh cilantro or sour cream for garnish

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis of the crisis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Toss the kohlrabi in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and a sprinkling of salt. Place the kohlrabi in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring once during cooking. When the kohlrabi has started to soften and has a little color, remove from the oven and set aside.

2. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering and fragrant. Sauté the onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and hot sauce in the oil for 5 to 7 minutes. When the onion is soft, stir in the bell peppers and the roasted kohlrabi and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the vegetable stock, tomatoes with their juices, corn, and both types of beans, and bring to a simmer. Cover the pot and lower the heat to maintain the simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Add the bulgur, mixing well, cover the pot, and continue to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the bulgur to soften. Add salt to taste before serving, and garnish with fresh cilantro or a dollop of sour cream.

Excerpted from The Berkshires Farm Table Cookbook. Copyright 2020 by Elisa Spungen Bildner and Robert Bildner. Reproduced by permission of The Countryman Press. All rights reserved. 

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda

At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..

Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount