What Is Rhubarb? And What Should You Make With It?

You may know rhubarb from strawberry-rhubarb pie, but this vegetable, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) classifies as a fruit, is one of our favorite signs of spring.

Learn everything you need to know about buying, storing, and using rhubarb.

What Is Rhubarb? Is It a Fruit Or Vegetable?

Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable. However, because it’s commonly used in desserts as a fruit would be, the USDA classifies it as a fruit. If that’s not confusing enough, tomatoes, which we normally use as vegetables, are actually fruits.

What Does Rhubarb Taste Like?

On its own, rhubarb is quite sour, which is why it is usually cooked with a lot of sugar and frequently combined with sweet berries like strawberries or raspberries. Forced rhubarb, which is usually available first in the season, can taste a bit sweeter than garden-grown rhubarb.

When rhubarb is fresh, it’s crunchy, like celery, but it softens as it’s cooked or baked. 

How To Choose the Best Rhubarb

Look for stalks that are shiny and firm, without any visible blemishes. The color is not necessarily an indicator of ripeness; rhubarb may be more red, green, or pink in color depending on the variety. Medium-sized stalks are usually less stringy than larger ones.

If you’re harvesting rhubarb from your home garden, look for firm, upright stalks before pulling and twisting out of the soil. Be sure to discard any leaves, as they are toxic to people and pets. Even ingesting a small amount can lead to some unpleasant side effects, like nausea and vomiting.

When Is Rhubarb Season?

Rhubarb is typically in season from April to June, though it doesn’t grow as well in areas where the ground doesn’t freeze during the winter. 

How To Store Rhubarb

When buying fresh rhubarb, store it tightly wrapped in foil in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator and use within 24 to 48 hours of purchase. If you have too much rhubarb, it can be frozen for later use. Frozen rhubarb is commonly available in the freezer section at the grocery store.

Ways To Use Rhubarb

Rhubarb is typically cooked into desserts, either as a compote or sliced thinly and baked into the dessert. It can even be mixed into no-churn ice cream! 

Ready to start baking? Try few of our favorite rhubarb desserts: 

• Rhubarb-Buttermilk Upside Down Cake
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Skillet Coffee Cake
• Strawberry-Rhubarb Pretzel Pie
• Rhubarb Custard Pie

If you’re using frozen rhubarb and cooking it into a compote, there’s no need to thaw before using it in your recipe. If you’re baking the rhubarb directly into a recipe, then we recommend thawing and draining it before use.