How to Cook Rhubarb

Co-authored by Ollie George Cigliano

Last Updated: December 15, 2022 References Approved

Rhubarb is a vegetable with a unique, tart flavor. It is often sweetened with other ingredients to make it more enjoyable. The simplest ways to cook rhubarb are to stew or roast it with sugar. Rhubarb pie is perhaps the most popular rhubarb recipe and is fairly simple to make.^{[1]
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Things You Should Know

To make stewed rhubarb, cut small chunks, coat with sugar and water, and for 15 minutes, heat in a saucepan.
For roasted rhubarb, cut your pieces, coat with sugar, refrigerate for 2 hours, and bake for 20 minutes at 300 °F.
To bake rhubarb pie, pour your rhubarb, cinnamon, four, and sugar mixture over pastry dough, cover the mixture with more pie pastry, and bake for 20-30 minutes.
Be sure to discard rhubarb leaves, as they are not edible and toxic when ingested.

Ingredients

Stewed Rhubarb

6 cups (approximately 600 g) of chopped rhubarb
1 cup (200 g) of sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Yields about 3 cups.

Roasted Rhubarb

1 pound (450 g) of chopped rhubarb
1 cup (approximately 200 g) of white sugar

Yields about 2 cups.

Rhubarb Pie

6 cups (approximately 600 g) of chopped rhubarb
3/4 cup (150 g) of white sugar
1/3 cup (40 g) of flour
A pinch of cinnamon
2 unbaked pie crusts

Makes 8 servings.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Cleaning Rhubarb

1
Choose firm, healthy rhubarb stalks to cook. Inspect your rhubarb and throw away any stalks with large blemishes or bruising. These pieces are likely unhealthy and may have an unpleasant taste. Instead, choose healthy-looking stalks that are solid but snappable, which is an indication of freshness.^{[2]
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2
Remove and discard all rhubarb leaves. Rhubarb leaves are poisonous and should not be consumed under any circumstances. ^{[3]
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Research source} Using a sharp cutting knife, remove the tops of your rhubarb stalks where the leaves emerge. Dispose of the leafy stem tops and prepare the remaining stalks for cooking.^{[4]
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- You can use rhubarb leaves as garden mulch or compost them.^{[5]
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3
Rinse rhubarb under cool water and pat it dry. Before cooking it, wash your rhubarb in the sink under a stream of cool water. With your fingers, gently rub away any debris on the outside of the stalks. Pat them dry with a clean paper towel.^{[6]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Making Stewed Rhubarb

1
Chop 6 cups (approximately 600 g) of rhubarb. Place clean rhubarb stalks on a cutting board. Chop the rhubarb stalks into 0.75–1 inch (1.9–2.5 cm) pieces. Measure out 6 cups (approximately 600 g) of rhubarb and put it into a large bowl. ^{[7]
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2
Add 1 cup (approximately 200 g) of sugar and 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of water. After adding the sugar and water to the bowl containing the rhubarb, stir the mixture with a large spoon or spatula to combine the ingredients.^{[8]
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- As an optional seasoning, add a pinch of cinnamon to the mixture.
3
Heat the mixture in a saucepan over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Pour the contents of the bowl into a large saucepan and place it on the stove. Set the temperature to medium-low and let the rhubarb simmer for 15 minutes until the sugar dissolves and the rhubarb breaks down.^{[9]
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- Stir the mixture with a heavy spoon or spatula every few minutes to help the rhubarb cook.
4
Let the stewed rhubarb cool before serving it. Do not serve your stewed rhubarb right away as it will be burning hot. Let the rhubarb sit until it cools to around room temperature or slightly warmer. Serve it over ice cream, cake, or other desserts.^{[10]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making Roasted Rhubarb

1
Cut about 1 pound (450 g) of rhubarb into pieces. After trimming and washing your rhubarb stalks, place them on a cutting board. Chop the rhubarb into 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) chunks. Place the pieces in a large bowl.^{[11]
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- For thinner pieces, try chopping your rhubarb on a diagonal.
2
Coat the rhubarb with 1 cup (approximately 200 g) of white sugar. Using a large spoon or spatula, stir the rhubarb pieces to coat them with sugar. Make sure the sugar is evenly distributed.^{[12]
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- To make it easier to coat the rhubarb pieces, try sprinkling a few drops of water over them before adding the sugar.
3
Refrigerate the coated rhubarb in a baking dish for at least 2 hours. Your roasted rhubarb will turn out better if you allow the sugar to dissolve before cooking it. Transfer the coated pieces to a 9 by 5 in (23 by 13 cm) baking dish. Place it in the refrigerator for 2 hours or more to marinate.^{[13]
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- If the sugar is not dissolved after a few hours, try leaving it in the fridge overnight.
- Cover the dish with plastic wrap before refrigerating it.
4
Cover the rhubarb and bake it for 20 minutes at 300 °F (149 °C). Preheat your oven then remove the rhubarb from the fridge and cover it with a piece of parchment paper. Bake it for 20 minutes, then check to see if it is cooked by removing it from the oven and piercing it with a fork.^{[14]
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- If the fork does not pierce the rhubarb easily, put it back in the oven in 5-minute increments until it is cooked through.
5
Cool the rhubarb on a wire rack before serving it. Carefully remove your baking tray from the oven. Place it on a wire rack to cool down. Serve roasted rhubarb with meats, fish, vegetables, or other foods as a flavorful side dish.^{[15]
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Baking a Rhubarb Pie

1
Cut up about 6 cups (about 600 g) of rhubarb into pieces. After cleaning your rhubarb stalks, place them on a cutting board. Chop them into 1 inch (2.5 cm) chunks, then transfer approximately 6 cups (about 600 g) of rhubarb into a large bowl.^{[16]
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- As you start to prepare your pie ingredients, preheat your oven to 375 °F (191 °C).
2
Add 1/3 cup (40 g) of flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) of sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon. To make your pie filling, combine sugar, flour, and cinnamon with your rhubarb pieces. Stir them together with a large spoon or spatula until they are evenly combined. Put the filling aside.^{[17]
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3
Line a 9 in (23 cm) pie plate with a pie pastry dough. Prepare pie crust or purchase refrigerated, unbaked pie crusts from a grocery store. Carefully lay the pastry on top of the pie plate. Trim the pastry around the edge of the plate if it hangs over.^{[18]
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- Pre-made pie crust will usually be sold in packages of 2.
4
Pour in the pie filling and top it with more pie pastry. Transfer your pie filling into the middle of the pie plate and use a spatula to smooth it down evenly. Lay a second pie crust on top of the pie plate. Seal the 2 crusts together by pressing down on the entire edge of the pastry with a fork, merging the 2 crusts together with the indentations.^{[19]
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- If desired, dip a pastry brush in milk and coat the top of the pie with it. Sprinkle it with a pinch of granulated sugar.
5
Cover the pie and bake it for 25 minutes. Place a piece of aluminum foil around the edge of the pie to keep the crust from burning. Put the pie in the oven on the center rack. Let it bake for 25 minutes.^{[20]
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6
Bake it for another 20-30 minutes uncovered. Remove the pie from the oven. Take off the aluminum foil and place it back in the oven. Bake it for another 20-30 minutes, or until it is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.^{[21]
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- Let the pie cool on a wire rack before serving it.

Community Q&A

Question

I want to eliminate some of the water from rhubarb before using it in a pie. How can I do this?

Community Answer

Don't add any water to begin with. Put the cut pieces directly into the pie shell. You can use some flour or tapioca to thicken the juice. If using flour, coat the fruit before putting it into the pie shell. If using tapioca, sprinkle on top of the fruit before putting the top pie crust on.
Question

Do I have to peel the rhubarb for making a pie?

Community Answer

No, you do not.
Question

Can I use green rhubarb or does it have to be red?

Community Answer

You can certainly use green rhubarb. The Victoria variety is green with few red streaks, but the flavor rivals the reddest of rhubarbs.

Things You'll Need

Knife and cutting board
Large bowl
Large spoon or spatula
Large saucepan
9 in (23 cm) by 5 in (13 cm) baking dish
9 inches (23 cm) pie plate
Cooling rack

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Warnings

The consumption of rhubarb leaves can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal distress, and sometimes death.^{[23]
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