Perfect Pairings & Recipes for
Kohlrabi

Top flavour pairings and kohlrabi recipes, revealed through the hidden methmatics of flavour.

Kohlrabi conjures the embrace of cabbage and the kiss of mustard, but beneath its sweetness lies a complex symphony of subtle flavour notes, such as cucumber, asparagus, and hints of flint, contributing remarkable depth. Understanding how these elements interplay is the secret to unlocking kohlrabi's pairing potential.

To illuminate these harmonies, we embarked on an ambitious journey, analysing thousands of ingredients. Each was meticulously deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, allowing us to pinpoint precisely which notes complement in both classic and unexpected ways. Our analysis reveals, for example, how gelatin's iodine-like tones enrich kohlrabi, and how juniper berry's balsam notes create a surprising synergy with its pungent vegetal notes.

An ingredient's flavour profile is determined by its core characteristics (e.g. vegetal, earthy, and acidic) enhanced by layers of subtle aroma notes (outer bars). When pairing ingredients, aim for a mix of core traits to build balance, and select complementary aroma notes to create harmony.

Unlocking Flavour Combinations

To understand exactly which flavours harmonise, we compiled a database of over 50,000 ingredient pairings commonly used in cooking. We then analysed these pairings, identifying the specific flavour notes that frequently appear together.

The Flavours That Harmonise With Brassica Notes

Our analysis shows that the flavour of cabbage is strongly associated with the flavour of balsam. This suggests we should look for ingredients with a balsam flavour, such as juniper berry, when pairing with the cabbagy aroma accents of kohlrabi.

The recipe below provides inspiration for pairing kohlrabi with juniper berry.

Harmonious Flavours Of Kohlrabi

Just as our ingredient analysis revealed that cabbage and oaky flavour notes harmonise, we can identify the full profile of flavours that harmonise with each of the flavour notes present in kohlrabi. For instance, the cucumber notes of kohlrabi are strongly associated with oystery and glutamic flavours.

The aroma accents complementing the various aromas of kohlrabi can be seen highlighted in the pink bars below.

Matching Flavour Profiles

The flavour profile of gelatin offers many of the aromas complementary to kohlrabi, including oyster and tomato aroma accents. Because the flavour profile of gelatin has many of the of the features that are complementary to kohlrabi, they are likely to pair very well together.

The chart above shows the unique profile of gelatin across 150 dimensions of flavour, while the recipes below offer inspiration for bringing these flavours together with kohlrabi.

Recipes That Pair Kohlrabi With Gelatin

Linked Flavour Notes

Looking at the aroma accents that are most strongly associated with the various flavours of kohlrabi, we can identify other ingredients that are likely to pair well.

The left side of the chart above highlights the aroma notes of kohlrabi, along with the complementary aromas associated with each note. While the right side shows some of the ingredients that share many of the aroma accents complementary to kohlrabi.

What To Drink With Kohlrabi

The oyster notes in cooking wine make it a perfect pairing with kohlrabi. Likewise, the oyster flavours in fino sherry (sherry) create a match made in heaven. Explore a variety of ingredients below that beautifully complement the unique character of kohlrabi below.

Which Spices Go With Kohlrabi?

Choose spices that awaken its greenness or awaken its fresh aroma. Pickling salt offers vibrant, clean counterpoints, its verdant freshness lifting the palate. Tamarind paste add a gentle, oniony brightness, while cayenne pepper introduces a sophisticated, anise-tinged elegance.

Alternatively, embrace spices that harmonise with kohlrabi's pungency. The addition of guajillo chilli, with its subtle capsaicin notes, can complement the mustard beautifully. Espelette pepper bridges earthiness and citrus zest, while dried chilli lends a fiery sensation.

How Flavonomics Works

We've pioneered a unique, data-driven approach to decode the intricate art of flavour pairing. Our goal is to move beyond intuition and uncover the science of why certain ingredients harmonise beautifully. This rigorous methodology allows us to provide you with insightful and reliable pairing recommendations.

Our analysis begins with over 50,000 carefully selected recipes from acclaimed chefs like Galton Blackiston, Marcello Tully, and Pierre Lambinon. This premium dataset ensures our model distils genuine culinary excellence and creativity.

Each ingredient from these recipes is deconstructed across 150 distinct flavour dimensions, creating a unique numerical "flavour fingerprint." This quantification allows us to apply advanced analytical methods to identify complex patterns between flavour notes.

We identify popular ingredient combinations that frequently appear in our recipe database. Regression analysis is then performed on these pairings to statistically validate and pinpoint truly harmonious flavours.

These insights drive our predictive model, which allows us to take any ingredient (e.g., Kohlrabi), analyse its detailed flavour profile, and accurately reveal its complementary flavours and perfect ingredient partners.