Best Rhubarb Recipes: Pies, Cakes, Jams, and More

Photo by: RhubarbFarmer via Wikimedia Commons

Ready for rhubarb recipes? We love a good rhubarb pie, but we also adore rhubarb cake, rhubarb jam, and even rhubarb soup!

Rhubarb is a perennial plant with celery-like stalks, but the similarity ends there. Its tart, sour flavor is unique. In pioneer days, rhubarb was literally called the "pie plant" (for obvious reasons). It was a vital source of vitamin C to prevent scurvy.

In the garden, rhubarb is an ornamental vegetable; in the kitchen, it's cooked and eaten as a fruit. Many combine rhubarb with strawberries, blueberries, or other fruits to balance its tartness. (Some of us prefer rhubarb straight with just a little sweetener.)

Best Rhubarb Recipes

Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie with Coconut Crumb Topping

Strawberries, rhubarb, orange zest, coconut, and slivered almonds meld beautifully in this unforgettable dessert. Chill the dough while making the filling, and prepare the topping while the pie bakes!

Photo by Gabczi/Shutterstock

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Rows of rosy rhubarb glistening with reduced orange juice make this upside-down cake particularly beautiful. For rave reviews, serve warm with sweetened whipped cream.

Photo by Anna Witkiewicz/Shutterstock

Blueberry-Rhubarb Jam

Rhubarb adds a pleasant tartness to this jam, while blueberries provide color and texture. —Lanza's Country Inn, Livingston Manor, New York

Photo by Torok-Bognar Renata/Shutterstock

Rhubarb Bread

A very moist quick bread perfect for breakfast or tea. After baking, let the loaf sit 10–15 minutes before turning out. Cool completely—preferably overnight—before slicing. —The Ram in the Thicket, Wilton, New Hampshire

Photo by Timolina/Shutterstock

Rhubarb Sauce

Follow this 1920s recipe precisely for the most delicious rhubarb sauce you've ever tasted. —Stella Van Vloten, North Easton, Massachusetts

Photo by Shutterstock

Rhubarb Muffins

These pack-'n-go rhubarb muffins will brighten your day!

Photo by Brooke Becker/Shutterstock

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

What better way to start the morning than with steaming coffee and a generous slab of tangy rhubarb coffee cake with cinnamon-sugar topping?

Photo by Tuned In by Westend61/Shutterstock

Strawberry-Rhubarb Soup

This special flavor blend works as well in soup as in pie.

Photo by Lesya Dolyuk/Shutterstock

Apple-Rhubarb Crunch

Watch our video on making this delicious Apple-Rhubarb Crunch!

Rhubarb Trivia

Did you know "rhubarb" has other meanings?

• Mumbling "rhubarb, rhubarb" at parties mimics background chatter when you have nothing to say.
• "Rhubarb!" is an expression of exasperation, especially on the baseball field.
• The 1951 film "Rhubarb" stars a cat that inherits a baseball team.
• Rhubarb traces back to China in 2700 BC, used medicinally as a laxative, fever reducer, and body cleanser.
• Rhubarb leaves are poisonous—ONLY use the stalks in recipes.
• Try growing rhubarb! See our Rhubarb Plant Page.