This homemade Rhubarb Compote recipe is a sweet and tangy sauce that’s easy to make – just like how grandma makes it! A super delicious spring and summer treat that you can enjoy with waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, ice cream, and more!
Easy Rhubarb Sauce Recipe
It is finally rhubarb season here in Germany and of course, I will not let it pass by without making myself a big batch of this easy homemade rhubarb compote! You only need 6 simple ingredients and a few minutes to have this yummy fruit preserve to use for anything between breakfast and dessert. It is preservative-free and does not require artificial flavoring- just pure fruity goodness! It is like bottling up all that is good in spring and summer in one amazing recipe!
A Super Healthy Vegetable
Rhubarb is a common household garden vegetable that is harvested from April to June. It is known for its sour taste and bright crimson stalks (though they also come in other colors like green and pink). Although many see it as a fruit because of its sour-sweet taste, rhubarb is actually classified as a vegetable and it comes with a lot of health benefits.
In fact, in a lot of Asian countries, this veggie is used for medicinal purposes. It is low in calories and is a great source of Vitamin K1 which provides our body with proteins to aid blood clotting and bone development. It also contains a good amount of fiber and antioxidants.
Add Strawberries, Raspberries or other Fruits!
This homemade rhubarb compote recipe is super customizable. You can add other fruits and berries to make it even more fruity and summery! I love the combination of strawberry and rhubarb, and since they are both in season here, I will also be making my Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Strawberry Rhubarb Cake too. Aside from making strawberry rhubarb compote, you can also add raspberries, blackberries, cherries, apples or any fruit you like. Take note though that you might need to adjust the amount of sugar depending on how sweet the add-ons are.
Ingredients Needed
- Rhubarb: I like using red or crimson when making the compote because the color is just so pretty. You only need the stalks for the recipe. You should definitely throw away the leaves, as they are rich in oxalic acid.
- Sugar: since rhubarbs are notoriously sour, we will need sugar to balance the acidity and sweeten the compote. You can use any variety you like for this recipe corn sub a healthier alternative like maple syrup.
- Lemon juice: this will help keep the rhubarb from discoloration, and also add fresh zestiness to the sauce.
- Ground bourbon vanilla: for added flavor and aroma! You can also use the pulp of 1 vanilla bean as an alternative.
- Cornstarch: this will help thicken the compote and give it that nice jammy texture.
- Water: use this to make the cornstarch slurry.
How to make Rhubarb Compote
As always, I recommend watching the recipe video and checking out these step-by-step instructions first. Then you can find the full recipe with the exact quantities in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Chop rhubarb and combine with sugar
Wash the rhubarb stalks thoroughly and cut them into pieces of about 2 cm, removing the woody ends. Put the rhubarb pieces in a heavy medium saucepan or pot. Add sugar and lemon juice, stir and set aside for 20-30 minutes, until the rhubarb releases some of its juices.
Step 2: Cook and serve!
Then turn on the stove and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb becomes tender, about 5 minutes. In a small container, dissolve cornstarch in water. Stir the slurry into the rhubarb compote with the vanilla and bring to a boil again until thickened. Remove from heat and pour into jars or serve immediately while still hot on waffles with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Tips when Making Homemade Rhubarb Compote
- Depending on the flavor and tanginess of the rhubarb, you may need a little more or less sugar. Sugar alternatives such as coconut sugar, xylitol, or erythritol can also be used.
- Make sure to remove the leaves and woody ends of the rhubarb. The leaves contain oxalic acid which can be harmful if ingested too much.
- Stir the rhubarb sauce occasionally when cooking. Cook it just long enough for the stalks to soften but not break down completely.
- Feel free to add more berries or fruits as you like.
- If you like, you can add other spices like cinnamon, fresh ginger, lemon zest, mint, cardamom, or tonka bean too.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- Should you peel rhubarb? It is not necessary to peel rhubarb when the stalks are young and fresh. However, if the rhubarb stalks are older, you can peel the outermost fibers.
- Can I use green rhubarb? Yes, you can. In terms of taste, there is not much difference between the two. You just have to get used to the color.
- Can I also use frozen rhubarb stalks? Yes, of course. Many people freeze rhubarb stalks because the harvest season is very short. Just make sure you thaw them before using.
- What takes the acids out of rhubarb? You can neutralize the acids with some baking soda or baking powder by adding a pinch when cooking. This mellows the flavor as it neutralizes the oxalic acid and other fruit acids.
- Why shouldn’t you eat too much rhubarb? Just like beet and spinach, rhubarb contains relatively high levels of oxalic acid, which in large amounts can lead to symptoms of poisoning and interferes with the absorption of iron, magnesium and calcium from food. The largest amount is found in the leaves, which should therefore not be eaten.
- Can I also use frozen rhubarb stalks? Yes, of course. Many people freeze rhubarb stalks because the harvest season is very short. Just make sure you thaw them before using.
- Is compote the same as a jam? While they have similarities, compotes, and jams are different from each other. Jams are usually smoother in consistency while compotes contain chunks of fruits. Compotes also contain less sugar compared to jams, which is why their storage life is shorter.
How to Store Homemade Rhubarb Sauce
- In the fridge: place the rhubarb compote in a glass jar or airtight container and place it in the fridge once it has cooled down. It can stay chilled for up to two weeks.
- In the pantry: You can also preserve the rhubarb compote after cooking in sterile jars in a water bath, oven or preserving pot. Preserved rhubarb compote will keep for several months in a cool, dark place.
- In the freezer: if you want the compote to last longer, you can keep it frozen for about two months.
Serving Suggestions
This rhubarb sauce be enjoyed warm or chilled. You add this to pancakes, waffles, yogurt, ice cream, overnight oats, or chia pudding. You can also lather them on toast, croissants and bagels and use them when making cakes, cupcakes, pies, and other delicious desserts! I also like adding this to my snacking boards as a dip, or as a side on savory dishes.
This Rhubarb Compote recipe is:
- Easy
- Simple
- Healthy
- Preservative-free
- Customizable
- Sweet
- Tart
- Just like grandma’s recipe!
Recipe Video
If you try this rhubarb compote recipe, feel free to leave me a comment and a star rating! And if you take a photo of your fruity sauce and share it on Instagram or Facebook, please tag me @biancazapatka and use the hashtag #biancazapatka because I love seeing your creations! 🙂
Homemade Rhubarb Sauce - How to make Rhubarb Compote
Author:Ingredients
- 35 oz (1 kg) rhubarb preferably red
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar type of choice
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp ground bourbon vanilla or the pulp of 1 vanilla bean
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ¼ cup (50 ml) water
Instructions
*Note: Feel free to check out the recipe video + step-by-step pictures above!
- Wash the rhubarb stalks thoroughly and cut them into pieces of about 2 cm, removing the woody ends.
- Put the rhubarb pieces in a pot. Add sugar and lemon juice, stir and set aside for 20-30 minutes, until the rhubarb releases some of its juices.
- Then turn on the stove and cook the compote for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, depending on the desired consistency.
- In a small container, mix cornstarch with water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the rhubarb compote with the vanilla and bring to a boil again until thickened.
Notes
- Depending on the flavor and tanginess of the rhubarb, you may need a little more or less sugar. Sugar alternatives such as coconut sugar, xylitol or erythritol can be used too.pancstrawberries or raspberries into the rhubarb compote to make it even more fruity and summery!
- If you like, you can add other spices like cinnamon or tonka bean.
- More helpful tips, FAQ's, storing notes and lots of interesting facts about rhubarb and more information about the recipe are mentioned in the blog post above!
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