Blog › Seasonal › Spring
By Amanda Paa – Updated June 6, 2023
5 from 3 votes
1 comment
From rhubarb crisp to pie, jam and sauce, ice cream to muffins, these popular recipes are a delicious way to embrace this Spring ingredient. There's even a few rhubarb co*cktails included too! With it's tart and tangy flavor, rhubarb goes incredibly well with things like strawberries, raspberries, mint, and ginger just to name a few. To preserve rhubarb, you can freeze it, which you'll find details on in the post.
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I’m harvesting an armful of rhubarb every day from my garden right now, and maybe you are too. Or you’ve picked some up from the farmer’s market and are excited to use, but just aren’t sure how. I have plenty of delicious recipes in this post for you to make the most of your bounty, from rhubarb cobbler and pie, to crisp and bars, and even co*cktails.
What is rhubarb?
This perennial plant is technically a vegetable, even though it’s used like a fruit in cooking and baking. The long, pinkish red and green stalks grow from the ground when warmer temperatures return in April or May, depending on where you live. Rhubarb has a tart and puckery flavor, so it’s an ideal addition to desserts, contributing wonderful flavor and counter to the sweetness. It’s an ingredient I use often when making gluten-free desserts.
The leaves of rhubarb are poisonous to humans and animals, so be sure to toss them in the compost or garbage.
Rhubarb flavor pairings:
As I mentioned, rhubarb has a particular tartness that goes well with sweeter flavors, and warmer herbs and spices. Here are a few ideas for you to play with in your kitchen!
- any type of berries, but especially strawberries
- vanilla
- almond
- cardamom
- lemon
- apples
- mint
- ginger
When to harvest rhubarb:
Rhubarb is a spring plant, best harvested beginning in May until the 1st week in July. During this time, the stalks will be firm, crunchy, and juicy with their best flavor. When the stalks are 12-18 inches long, go ahead and harvest and use for cooking.
Do you have to peel rhubarb before you cook with it?
Rhubarb is easy to cook or bake with, no peeling needed! Just remove the leaves (which are poisonous), and trim the root end. Then cut into pieces. The thin outer skin of rhubarb stalks break down with heat, and have a lot of flavor while also contributing to its beautiful pink color.
How to freeze rhubarb:
Freezing rhubarb is easy and an excellent way to preserve it to be used throughout the rest of the year. There’s few things better than the smell of rhubarb crisp baking in the depths of winter, reminding you that Spring will come again.
To freeze rhubarb, simple cut the clean stalks into 1/2 inch pieces. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the rhubarb onto it. Freeze tray for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight. Transfer frozen rhubarb pieces into a plastic or glass storage container. Rhubarb will last for 9-10 months in the freezer.
1
Best Strawberry Rhubarb Jam (for canning!)
This strawberry rhubarb jam is bursting with sweet and tart flavors, fruit forward and delicious with a hint of vanilla! No commercial pectin is needed to make this jam set. It cooks on the stovetop until thickened with the help of sugar and lemon juice, then water bath canned to be preserved.
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2
This homemade gluten-free rhubarb crisp has an oat and brown sugar topping! The rhubarb turns sweet and jammy in the oven. Easy to make and can be baked in the oven or on the grill.
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3
4-Ingredient Fresh Rhubarb Sauce
This rhubarb sauce is perfectly sweet and tart, with soft hints of orange and vanilla bean. Easy to make in a blender! Use as a topping for ice cream, oatmeal, or on toast.
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4
Moist Rhubarb Sourdough Discard Cake
This delicious rhubarb cake is incredibly moist with a light and airy crumb thanks to sourdough discard! The soft texture has rhubarb in each bite, complemented by lemon zest to bring out its flavor.
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5
Deliciously Moist Gluten-Free Rhubarb Muffins
These soft and tender gluten-free rhubarb muffins are made with almond flour and are a breakfast or snack delight! Naturally sweetened with coconut sugar, these muffins are healthy and delicious.
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6
Easy Rhubarb Syrup (for drinks!)
This vibrant rhubarb simple syrup is great for mixing into co*cktails and mocktails! It's sweet and tart, with lovely rhubarb and vanilla bean flavor. All real ingredients, easy to make in 30 minutes. Stir into sparkling water and lemonade, and or use for making margaritas, mimosas, and gin & tonics.
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7
Gluten-Free Raspberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars
These tasty gluten-free rhubarb bars a fruity raspberry rhubarb filling in between an oat crust and oat crumble topping. They're an absolutely delicious way to bake with rhubarb!
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8
Honey Sweetened Rhubarb Fig Jam (pectin-free)
This naturally sweetened rhubarb jam is made with dried figs and lemon, no water bath canning needed! These lovely spring preserves are fruity and balanced, with floral notes from the honey.
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9
Rhubarb Blackberry Streusel Buns
These rhubarb blackberry streusel buns have become a favorite breakfast treat. They’re tender with a perfect swirl of fruity jam and vanilla icing.
10
Refreshing Rhubarb Margarita
This tart, salty, just-sweet-enough rhubarb margarita is a house favorite! It has fresh orange and lime flavors like a classic margarita, then is elevated with a delicious rhubarb simple syrup. Super refreshing and easy to make at home.
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11
Classic Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Rhubarb adds a wonderful, tart element to this lattice-topped strawberry rhubarb pie. The pie crust is flaky and buttery, creating the perfect base for this spring dessert.
12
Almond Rhubarb Picnic Bars
A classic frangipane with toasted almonds and extract meet chevron slices of rhubarb, a delicious pairing. These bars travel well and are a light treat.
13
Raspberry Rhubarb Sorbet
This smooth sorbet is ideal forcelebratingthe summer months because it requires so few ingredients.Raspberries and rhubarb are boiled down into a sweet sauce and frozen into a soft sorbet. Honey is used as a naturalsweetener, and it complements the fruit flavors well.
14
Strawberry Rhubarb Shortbread Tart
Sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, and the butteriest short bread crust come together in a heavenly combo to make your tastebuds so so happy. It’s a melt in your mouth crust with a sweet tart curd filling. Definitely recommend!
15
Blackberry Rhubarb Vodka co*cktail
This delicious drink features a deeply sweet blackberry rhubarb syrup that is rich in color and fruity, refreshing taste. Add a little vodka and ice to the syrup and finish it off with fresh, fragrant mint and a squeeze of lime, and you’ve got yourself one incredible co*cktail.
16
Rhubarb Fool: a creamy, tangy chilled dessert recipe
Creamy, tangy chilled Rhubarb Fool is an easy dessert recipe that is a must during rhubarb season! It’s a simple recipe that everyone will love, will layers of rhubarb sauce folded into whipped cream.
17
Strawberry Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars
Thick, creamy cheesecake squares dotted with strawberries and rhubarb and a brown sugar and oat crumble.
18
Rhubarb Empanadas
Rhubarb Empanadas are little pockets of spring! These sweet dessert hand pies are filled with rhubarb and are perfectly portable, with a flaky, buttery pie crust.
19
Blueberry Rhubarb Cobbler
What’s more satisfying than baking a deliciously sweet and tart Blueberry Rhubarb Cobbler? Eating it a la mode! This easy recipe will be on repeat while the rhubarb lasts.
20
Strawberry Rhubarb Galette
This rustic take on a classic Strawberry Rhubarb Pie features a flaky, golden pie dough that is folded over a simple to make strawberry rhubarb filling. The filling also includes orange zest and elderflower liqueur for a nice floral summery-touch. Easy to make, gorgeous to look at, and an absolute delight to eat with ice cream.
21
Strawberry Rhubarb No-Churn Ice Cream
This strawberry rhubarb no-churn ice cream is so easy to make, and super creamy. Full of fruit flavor, no ice cream maker needed. A cool and refreshing treat that's a summer delight.
21 Delicious Rhubarb Recipes + Easy Rhubarb Sauce
From rhubarb crisp to pie, ice cream to muffins, these tasty rhubarb recipes are a delicious way to embrace Spring! Plus a recipe for an easy vanilla rhubarb sauce that can be used as a tasty topping for oatmeal, yogurt, and pancakes.
5 from 3 votes
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Prep Time :10 minutes minutes
Cook Time :12 minutes minutes
Resting Time :30 minutes minutes
Yield: 2 cups
Author: Amanda Paa
SCALE:
Ingredients
- 650 grams rhubarb cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 130 grams cane sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 4 strips of fresh orange peel
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large bowl, mix rhubarb with sugar, salt, and orange peel. Let sit for 30 minutes.
Add all of the mixture including juices to a medium pot and gently simmer for 10 minutes with cover on, stirring occasionally. Rhubarb will soften and break down.
Remove from heat and let cool.
Discard orange peel and blend mixture until smooth.
Stir in vanilla bean paste. Sauce will thicken a bit as its refrigerated, just an fyi. Store in refrigerator for 3 weeks or freezer for 4 months.
