Photo by: RhubarbFarmer via Wikimedia Commons

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

Rhubarb is a perennial plant with stalks that resemble celery. But here the difference ends. The tart, sour flavor of rhubarb is like nothing else. In pioneer days, rhubarb was literally called the “pie plant” (for obvious reasons if you’ve ever enjoyed rhubarb pie). It was a ready source of vitamin C to prevent scurvy.  

In the garden, rhubarb is an ornamental vegetable, however it’s cooked and eaten as a fruit in the kitchen. Many folks combine rhubarb with strawberries, blueberries, or other fruits to balance its tart flavor. (Some of us, however, prefer rhubarb straight with 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 you make the filling, and make the topping while you bake the pie!

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, and the 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 best suited for breakfast or tea time. After baking, let loaf sit for 10 to 15 minutes before turning it out of the pan. Cool completely—preferably overnight—before slicing.
—The Ram in the Thicket, Wilton, New Hampshire.

Photo by Timolina/Shutterstock

Rhubarb Sauce

Follow this 1920’s recipe to a T and you will have the most delicious rhubarb sauce you have ever tasted. —Stella Van Vloten, North Easton, Massachusetts

Photo by Shutterstock

Rhubarb Muffins

These pack ‘n go rhubarb muffins will make your day a little brighter!

Photo by Brooke Becker/Shutterstock

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

What better way to start the morning than with a steaming mug of 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 blend of flavors works as well in soup as it does in pie.

Photo by Lesya Dolyuk/Shutterstock

Apple-Rhubarb Crunch

See our video on how to make this delicious Apple-Rhubarb Crunch recipe!

Rhubarb Trivia

Did you know that the word “rhubarb” has other meanings?

• It’s known that mumbling “rhubarb, rhubarb” when you have nothing else to say at parties will get you by (it closely mimics background chatter).
• “Rhubarb!” is also an expression of exasperation used especially on the baseball field.
• Perhaps you’ve seen “Rhubarb,” the 1951 film starring a cat that inherits a baseball team?
• Rhubarb is an ancient plant traced back to China in 2700 BC. It was used for medicinal purposes—as a laxative, to reduce fever and cleanse the body. 
• Rhubarb leaves are poisonous, so ONLY use the stalks in recipes. 
• Try growing rhubarb!  See our Rhubarb Plant Page.