This sweet and tart Rhubarb Compote is easy to make and is delicious on toast, yogurt, waffles, pancakes, vegan ice cream, and more. It's a great way to use excess fresh or frozen rhubarb, and it only takes 20 minutes! If you've seen it springing up in the produce section at the grocery store and are wondering how to prepare it, this recipe is for you!
This fruit compote is made from fresh rhubarb, orange juice, and sugar, all of which combine into an amazingly delicious sweet and tart compote. It's perfect to serve with vegan banana oat pancakes or vegan buckwheat waffles!
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If you are craving sweet and tart, you're in for a treat with this homemade rhubarb compote! With a few simple ingredients, you'll be on your way to creating a mouthwatering compote.
This tart rhubarb compote is a breeze to make. It has just the right touch of sweetness, perfectly complementing the distinct rhubarb flavor. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to create such a tasty fruit sauce!
It's a perfect topping for vegan ice cream, yogurt, or swirling onto vegan cream of wheat, adding a sweet-tart flavor to your favorite dishes. Whether you're yearning for a tart yet sweet topping for your morning vegan sourdough buckwheat pancakes, vegan banana oat pancakes or a refreshing swirl for your yogurt, this homemade rhubarb compote is a must-try!
What Is Rhubarb?
It is a very sour-tasting vegetable usually cooked with sugar, and is a unique ingredient that adds a distinct flavor to your dishes. It is generally considered a fruit, even though it is a vegetable. Only the stalks are eaten, not the toxic leaves.
It has thick, reddish stalks and a texture similar to celery, but it is more crisp and firm, making it an excellent addition to baking recipes with its tart flavor. This fruit is rarely eaten raw and is widely used in sweet rather than savory recipes. It's fantastic in compotes, crisps like this Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp, crumbles, jams, Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, sauces, soups, and tarts.
It requires cold winters to grow and is often found in gardens in North America, Northern Europe, and mountainous Northeast Asia. It grows wild and easily in much of Canada and the northern USA. The season is short but oh so sweet. It usually kicks off in early spring and lasts until early summer.
How to Select Fresh Rhubarb
- Look for unblemished, slender, and firm rhubarb stalks with a good amount of red or pink color, a sign of optimal flavor and ripeness.
- Look for unblemished leaves-they should look healthy and intact, not wilted, brown, or as if an insect made its acquaintance.
How to Store Fresh Rhubarb
- Once you obtain fresh rhubarb, use it within a few days since it deteriorates quickly.
- Store unwashed fresh stalks with the leaves wrapped in plastic in the fridge for a day or two.
- You can freeze chopped rhubarb and store it in an airtight bag or container. To avoid clumping, freeze it on a half sheet, then transfer it to a bag.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This rhubarb compote recipe is easy and requires only 10 to 15 minutes of active cooking.
- It's the perfect way to step into spring with its sweet and tart flavor!
- It's versatile-spread the stewed rhubarb on toast, mix it with vegan Greek yogurt, or use it as a topping for pancakes or waffles.
Once you taste this rhubarb compote, you'll want to find other ways to enjoy it; after all, it is called a "pie plant" for a good reason! Try this easy Apple Compote, Blueberry Compote, and Cherry Compote for more tasty variations!
This compote is tasty! I added some more orange zest to make it even more citrusy! I use this on everything now!
- DK
Ingredients
These are the simple ingredients to make this homemade compote:
- Fresh rhubarb - Use fresh or frozen. To prepare it, scrub it clean and cut off the ends, including any green leaves that must not be eaten. Cut it into small pieces by slicing a stalk in half length-wise with a sharp knife, then cut crosswise into ½-inch slices.
- Organic cane sugar - The amount of sugar used depends on the tartness of the fruit. If you use early-season rhubarb, you might need to add more sugar but taste it first while the compote cooks. I made this compote in mid-April, and the amount of sugar was perfect, allowing the fruit flavor to shine.
- Orange zest - I zested half of a medium-sized orange, approximately half a teaspoon; this is optional
- Fresh orange juice (optional) - freshly squeezed is best. Orange juice provides acidity and sweetness. Depending on the season and variety of rhubarb, you may need to adjust the amount of orange juice.
- Ground cardamom for a hint of warmth and flavor; this is optional
- Salt - I used a pinch of pink Himalayan salt to bring out the flavor and sweetness of this compote.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements and recipe instructions.
Substitutions and Variations
Rhubarb goes well with oranges, apples, raspberries, and strawberries. Make a strawberry rhubarb compote, a rhubarb apple compote, a rhubarb cherry compote, or a rhubarb ginger compote.
If you don't have a fresh orange or ground cardamom on hand, it's fine to skip it. This recipe is perfectly delicious with rhubarb and sugar as the only ingredients!
- Organic cane sugar -: Use brown or coconut sugar instead. Organic cane sugar is always vegan, but the brand determines whether regular white sugar is.
- Deluxe - Add a few drops of brandy or stir in a teaspoon of Grand Marnier or Amaretto while cooking.
- Spices - Add grated fresh ginger, star anise, and a whole clove while the compote cooks. Remove the whole spices when you take the compote off the heat.
- Flavor - Add a drop or two of almond or vanilla extract while the compote cooks.
- Fruit - As the compote cooks, add chopped fresh apples, blueberries, mangoes, raspberries, or fresh strawberries.
- Orange juice - Use balsamic vinegar or lemon juice instead, or skip it if you have none.
- Thicker - Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch for a thick compote. The fruit releases a surprising amount of liquid when cooked.
- Zest - Instead of orange zest, you can use fresh lemon zest. Zest the outside of the lemon, not the bitter white pith.
How to Make This Rhubarb Compote
This rhubarb compote is easy to make, even if it is your first time. Here are the steps:
- Step 1: Add the chopped pieces of fruit and the rest of the ingredients.
- Step 2: Cook until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, being careful not to crush the fruit. Keep the lid off. This image shows the mixture after 5 minutes of cooking. The fruit will release a lot of juice within the first several minutes, and the sugar mixture will bubble vigorously. Reduce the heat slightly if needed.
- Step 3: Cook the compote over medium to medium-low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring and tasting occasionally. Add additional sugar or orange juice if desired; this depends upon your taste and the sourness of thefruit. Once the fruit softens, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Step 4: Transfer the compote to a glass jar and let it cool completely before closing the container and refrigerating it.
The compote will thicken as it cools and after you place it in the fridge.
Expert Tip
Cook the rhubarb just until it starts to soften.
How to Serve This Rhubarb Compote
Serve this delicious rhubarb compote with:
- vegan cream of wheat, Irish soda bread
- vegan French toast or crepes, banana oat pancakes or vegan buckwheat banana waffles
- mix a portion of it into vegan creamy coconut popsicles
- add the rhubarb syrup to your favorite cocktail, a Meyer Lemon French 75, or try it in club soda or iced tea.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover compote in an airtight container for up to one week.
- Freeze in a glass container or freezer-safe ziplock bag for up to six months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheat the compote in a small saucepan on low heat until warmed.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can. There is no need to thaw it overnight in the fridge before cooking it. Skip adding water to the compote since frozen rhubarb has more water than fresh. The compote may take a little longer to cook.
You can enjoy this compote either way! Serve it chilled, at room temperature, or warm as the perfect topping for dessert or breakfast. If you wish to enjoy it warm, gently reheat it on the range until it is warmed through.
Add a sweetener to make it taste better. Rhubarb is naturally sour and must be cooked with sugar since it is unpalatably tart. Add sugar or maple syrup; if you like, add flavoring, such as citrus zest, vanilla, ginger, or cinnamon. You still want the flavor of the rhubarb to shine through, so add additional flavors with a light hand.
No, you cannot. Rhubarb leaves contain oxalic acid, which is poisonous in large doses. Always eat the cooked stalks.
More Vegan Rhubarb Dessert Recipes
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Easy Rhubarb Compote Recipe
EQUIPMENT
- large heavy saucepan
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ pounds fresh rhubarb, cut lengthwise and sliced in ½-inch pieces or frozen chopped rhubarb, approximately 3 to 3 ½ cups
- ½ cup organic cane sugar adjust to taste, or brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon orange zest optional
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice optional
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom optional
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the chopped rhubarb, organic cane sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and ground cardamom to a heavy, wide saucepan with high sides. Stir the ingredients with a spatula and turn the heat on medium.1 ½ pounds fresh rhubarb, cut lengthwise and sliced in ½-inch pieces, ½ cup organic cane sugar , ½ teaspoon orange zest, 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice, ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Cook over medium to medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally, being careful not to crush the rhubarb. Keep the lid off. The rhubarb will release a lot of juice within the first several minutes and the mixture will bubble vigorously. Reduce the heat slightly if needed.
- Cook the compote over medium to medium-low heat for another 5 - 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the rhubarb starts to soften, remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Transfer the rhubarb compote to a glass jar and let it cool completely before closing the container and refrigerating it.
NOTES
- Cook the rhubarb just until it starts to soften.
- This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of rhubarb compote. For 8 servings, each serving is ¼ cup.
- Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
- Store in the fridge for up to 1 week. Freeze for up to 6 months.
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Emily Miller says
Glad to hear it, Nathan! Let me know what you think once you try it 😉
Jacqueline says
You had me at rhubarb! I am definitely making this! Thank you for the recipe.
Emily Miller says
I'm glad to hear it! Let me know what you think 🙂
DK says
This compote is tasty! I added some more orange zest to make it even more citrusy! I use this on everything now!
Emily Miller says
I'm so glad to hear it! Thank you for trying this rhubarb compote, it's one of the best things about spring!
Harriet says
Delicious! I will have rhubarb in the garden soon and can’t wait to use it all up making this.
Emily Miller says
You are so lucky, Harriet! Enjoy!
Fay says
Absolutely delicious! My go-to for pancakes!
Emily Miller says
Thank you so much, Fay! I'm glad you enjoyed this rhubarb compote!