How Long Does Kohlrabi Last and How to Tell It’s Bad?

Bought kohlrabi for the first time and not sure how long will it keep? How long does kohlrabi last?

Here’s a short kohlrabi primer. In it, we go through the shelf life, spoilage signs, and storing kohlrabi at home.

Let’s dive right in.

• Shelf life
• Spoilage
• Storage

How Long Does Kohlrabi Last?

Kohlrabi will last for up to two months in the fridge. Place the kohlrabi in the crisper drawer or a ventilated plastic bag and cut off the leaves before refrigeration. Cut kohlrabi keeps for 4 to 7 days in an airtight container or freezer bag in the fridge.

If you leave kohlrabi bulbs at room temperature, they will retain quality for 4 to 7 days before they start to soften, and their quality quickly declines.

Kohlrabi is a member of the cabbage family, but it lasts longer than cabbage. It keeps longer than celery root lasts, and its storage time is more similar to the shelf life of beets.

If you don’t cut off the tops, kohlrabi won’t last as long. The storage time will be closer to 2 to 4 weeks tops.

To ensure your kohlrabi lasts as long as possible, choose firm and heavy bulbs with no bruises or cracks, advises South Dakota State University.

Knowing that, let’s talk about spoilage signs.

How to Tell if Kohlrabi is Bad?

Discard kohlrabi bulb that’s soft, squishy, or slimy, or has large brown or black spots. Also, throw out kohlrabi that’s moldy or smelling off, or cooked kohlrabi that’s been in the fridge for more than four days.

That’s kohlrabi spoilage 101.

The rules here are pretty simple, and they shouldn’t come as a surprise if you know a thing or two about spoilage of veggies.

We usually throw out squishy and slimy produce as their quality is too bad for consumption. Kohlrabi should have a crunchy texture when eaten raw, not a mushy one.

We also toss kohlrabi bulbs with large discolored spots or one that smells funky.

(You can cut off minor bruises and cracks, but if the damaged area is like one-third of the veggie, it’s time to let it go.)

Finally, moldy kohlrabi is not good. Again, you can discard small patches of fuzzy mold (and some extra), but if the white fuzz is the size of your thumb, that bulb is done for.

Next up, let’s talk about kohlrabi storage.

How to Store Kohlrabi

Remove the leaves on top and refrigerate the bulb in a perforated plastic bag to keep kohlrabi fresh. Stored this way, it’ll keep in good quality for 1 to 2 months.

First off, if your fresh kohlrabi comes with the leaves attached, you should cut them off. You can discard them or store them wrapped in moist paper towels in a plastic bag for a couple of days.

Cutting of greens is a common storage practice. You do the same when storing beets or before putting fresh carrots in the fridge.

Second, according to the University of Illinois, kohlrabi prefers a cold and humid environment. That’s why the crisper drawer is the best storage spot.

But if your vegetable drawer is full, you can store it elsewhere in the fridge. You just need to let it breathe without quickly drying it out. That’s why a plastic bag with some holes works wonders.