When can babies eat kohlrabi?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Kohlrabi

A mild cousin of cabbage. Cook it soft and it mashes beautifully.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat kohlrabi from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsHigh choking risk as servedNot a common allergen

How to serve kohlrabi by age

6 months+

Soft-cooked wedges or mashed kohlrabi

Peel the kohlrabi thickly, cut it into finger-sized wedges, and steam or boil until very soft. Or mash cooked kohlrabi, on its own or with potato, and serve it on a pre-loaded spoon. Never offer raw kohlrabi.

Size: Wedges about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in), or mashed.
Check before serving: Squash a wedge between your thumb and finger. It should flatten easily. If you have to press hard, cook it longer.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare kohlrabi

1
Scrub the kohlrabi under running water with a clean vegetable brush, and cut off the leaves and stems.
2
Peel it thickly, so the tough, woody layer under the skin comes off too. Cut it into finger-sized wedges (6 months), or chunks if you'll mash it.
3
Steam or boil for about 15 to 20 minutes, until a knife slides through with no resistance. Don't add salt to the cooking water.
4
Do the squash test, then mash or chop as needed and let it cool before serving.

How much to offer

Start with one or two wedges or a spoonful of mash. Your baby decides how much to eat: stop when they turn away or close their mouth. Lots of licking, squashing and dropping is normal at first.

Common mistakes

Offering raw kohlrabi

Raw kohlrabi is hard and crunchy, and the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard. For babies, always cook it until it squashes between your fingers.

Peeling it too thinly

The layer just under the skin stays stringy and tough after cooking. Peel it thickly, down to the smooth, pale flesh.

Cooking it just tender

The texture adults like is too firm for babies. Cook it longer, until it passes the squash test.

Stopping after a few refusals

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering a little, alongside foods your baby already likes.

Where US and UK guidance differ on kohlrabi

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

Keep serving kohlrabi cooked soft. The AAP says that apart from mashed banana, most fruits and vegetables should be cooked until soft for babies, and lists raw vegetables among foods to avoid under 1. The CDC lists hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard for young children, and the AAP advises holding back raw vegetables until about 4 years, depending on the child.

United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting

Cook kohlrabi until soft in the first year: the NHS says to avoid hard foods like raw carrot for babies. From 12 months, the NHS snack list includes cooked or raw vegetables. For very young children, the NHS suggests grating, mashing, steaming or simmering firm vegetables. If you offer raw kohlrabi to a toddler, grate it finely, and stay with them.

We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.

Questions parents ask

Can kohlrabi be a choking hazard for babies?

Raw kohlrabi is hard and crunchy: the CDC lists pieces of hard raw vegetables as a choking hazard for young children, and the NHS says to avoid firm foods. Before 12 months, serve kohlrabi only cooked until very soft, in finger-sized wedges or mashed, then in small soft pieces once your baby can pick them up. For toddlers, US and UK advice differs on raw vegetables: see the guidance note below. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to kohlrabi?

Kohlrabi is not a common allergen.

Is kohlrabi healthy for babies?

Cooked kohlrabi is a good source of vitamin C (about 54 mg per 100 g), and babies 7–12 months need 50 mg a day. It also has potassium (about 340 mg per 100 g). Vitamin C helps the body absorb the iron in plant foods, such as beans, lentils and iron-fortified cereal. Kohlrabi itself is not a major source of iron.

Can babies eat kohlrabi?

Yes, from around 6 months, cooked until it squashes easily between your fingers. Soft-cooked wedges or mashed kohlrabi are both good first forms.

When can toddlers eat raw kohlrabi?

Not under 1 year. The AAP advises holding back raw vegetables until about 4 years, depending on the child. The NHS lists raw vegetables among snacks from 12 months, but suggests grating firm vegetables for very young children, so grate raw kohlrabi finely if you offer it. See the US vs. UK note.

Can I mash kohlrabi with potato?

Yes. Mixing it with a food your baby already likes is a good way to offer a new flavor. Don't add salt to the mash, and keep the texture lumpier as your baby gets used to it.

Can kohlrabi help with constipation?

Kohlrabi has some fiber, and the NHS suggests plenty of fruit and vegetables, plus enough to drink, to help prevent constipation. If your baby is constipated, talk to your pediatrician.

If your baby refuses kohlrabi

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Try another form: soft wedges, lumpy mash, or mashed with potato.
Eat some yourself at the same meal. Babies copy what they see.
Funny faces don't mean they dislike it. They're getting used to a new taste and texture.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing kohlrabi

Keep raw kohlrabi in the fridge. Cut off the leaves first.
Cooked kohlrabi keeps for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Rice dishes are the exception: cool them within 1 hour, keep them in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat them only once.
Cooked kohlrabi wedges or mash can be frozen and used within 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge, use them within 24 hours of thawing, and reheat them only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered kohlrabi?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

Helpful guides

Sources

More first foods

Acorn squash

Artichoke

Arugula

Asparagus

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