If spring has you craving something sweet and refreshing while still staying nutritionally sound, then consider adding rhubarb to your rotation of produce. This vegetable has a short season, usually peaking in April and lasting through June, but its fresh flavor is strong enough to leave a culinary impression you’ll probably be thinking about all year long. Plus it’s packed full of nutrients.
Native to China, rhubarb is a food you might think of as a fruit, even though it’s, strictly speaking, a vegetable. While this might be partly because of its sweet taste, this misconception likely started in the 1940s when the U.S. Department of Agriculture classified it as fruit to avoid high tariffs set on vegetable imports (fruit was much more lightly tariffed).
You also might be surprised to know that rhubarb naturally has a sour taste when it’s raw and unsweetened—think mouth-puckering levels of sourness you would experience if you bit into a lemon or lime! But when prepared, rhubarb takes on the balance of sweet and tart you’d get with a green apple. It’s usually paired with strawberries, not only because they are in season around the same time but also because their flavors balance each other out, offering sweet-and-sour perfection.
Rhubarb gets its bright red color from flavonoids known as anthocyanins, the same found in other bold-colored foods like red onions, red grapes, plums, and black beans. These anthocyanins offer greater cancer-fighting antioxidant benefit than kale, and they can help reduce inflammation and even lower blood pressure.
Additionally, rhubarb is a great source of vitamin K, which strengthens your bones and improves blood clotting. Its high quantity of fiber is good for healthy digestion and lowering cholesterol, and it’s a great source of plant-based calcium, which, like vitamin K, is important for strong bones. You’ll also get healthy doses of vitamin C for immunity and vitamin A for healthy skin and eyes.
When you’re incorporating rhubarb into your culinary repertoire, start by mastering a great strawberry rhubarb pie. But don’t limit yourself—rhubarb is also great in savory recipes too. Here are some amazing ways to use rhubarb in the kitchen:
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 teaspoon lemon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup flour
- 4 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 large egg yolk
- 8 sheets phyllo dough (9x14 inches)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and flour, then stir in strawberries and rhubarb. Add lemon juice and salt. Allow to sit for approximately 30 minutes. In a small bowl, combine melted butter and honey. In a 9-inch pie dish, lay out your first sheet of phyllo dough, allowing the edges to hang over the sides of the dish. Press the dough to the shape of the dish. Brush with the honey-butter mixture and layer a second sheet of dough. Repeat until you have 5 sheets. Add the strawberry-rhubarb filling into the pie dish. Cover with remaining three layers of phyllo dough and seal the edges with water. Brush the top of the pie with the egg yolk. Cut 2 small holes in the top to allow steam to vent. Bake for approximately 40 to 45 minutes. The pie’s crust should be golden-brown. Allow to cool completely before serving.
Rhubarb Pilaf
Ingredients:
- 2 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
- 1/4 cup almonds, toasted
- 1/4 cup sunflower seed kernels, toasted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup red onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
In a large skillet over medium heat, warm the oil and add onions and garlic. Allow to simmer until soft and fragrant. Add rhubarb and sauté for about 2–5 minutes until soft. Stir in red wine vinegar, raisins, cinnamon, salt, and honey or maple syrup. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes until the mixture thickens. Stir in rice and top with toasted almonds and sunflower seeds. Serve warm.
Rhubarb Relish
Ingredients:
12 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups sugar
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan on the stovetop over high heat and stir until the vinegar starts to boil. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for approximately 2 hours. Stir occasionally. Once the mixture starts to thicken, remove from the heat and allow to cool. Serve as a spread with fresh bread or as a garnish for grilled chicken. Relish can be refrigerated for about 3 weeks.
