Perfectly Sweet & Tart Rhubarb Sauce

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Spring has arrived quite late this year in Wisconsin, and I’ve been not so patiently waiting for my rhubarb plants to grow prolifically. And this week that happened!

I got started by making this smooth, vanilla bean rhubarb sauce so that I can enjoy it each day on something new. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart, and intensely rhubarb forward. It’s smooth and almost creamy, a delicious topping for many different treat.

When it’s gone, I’ll move on to gluten-free rhubarb bars, and muffins. And a rhubarb margarita!

How to make rhubarb sauce:

Macerating the rhubarb pieces with sugar and salt allows the fruit to release some of its moisture, removing the need to add water; a technique I learned from Braised and Deglazed. This creates a flavorful, concentrated rhubarb sauce that’s absolutely delicious and sets this recipe apart. Orange peel is also added to the rhubarb while it sits, a citrus infusion that pairs perfectly with rhubarb.

1. Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces. Mix with sugar, salt, and orange peel. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Add all of the mixture including juices to a medium pot and gently simmer for 10 minutes with cover on, stirring occasionally. Rhubarb will soften and break down.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Discard orange peel and blend mixture until smooth.
5. Stir in vanilla bean paste.

7 delicious ways to eat rhubarb sauce:

This rhubarb sauce is so versatile. Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• as a topping for ice cream or yogurt
• swirled into oatmeal
• on sourdough toast
• on pancakes or waffles
• stirred into sparkling water or a gin and tonic
• added to a smoothie
• spread onto flaky biscuits

Flavors that pair well with rhubarb:

Rhubarb itself is super crunchy, puckery tart and tangy when raw, so it’s meant to be cooked with a sweetener to create balance and soften its texture. It has a citrusy, earthy flavor that pairs well with parallel ingredients like lemon and orange. I also love to use ginger or vanilla bean paste with rhubarb; the soft, floral notes being the perfect compliment.

Do you have to peel rhubarb?

Rhubarb is easy to cook or bake with, no peeling needed! Just remove the leaves (which are poisonous), and trim the root end. Then cut into pieces. The thin outer edges of rhubarb stalks break down with heat, and also contribute to its beautiful pink color.

Freezing rhubarb sauce:

This recipe freezes well, allowing you to preserve rhubarb in a delicious way for months. To freeze, let the rhubarb sauce cool completely, then pour into a glass jar. Leave an inch of head space. Then screw on cover and freeze upright. Rhubarb sauce can be frozen for 4-5 months.

More Rhubarb Recipes:

• Seedy Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp
• Rhubarb Almond Flour Muffins
• Gluten-Free Raspberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars

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4-Ingredient Fresh Rhubarb Sauce

This rhubarb sauce is perfectly sweet and tart, with soft hints of orange and vanilla bean. Easy to make in a blender! Use as a topping for ice cream, oatmeal, or on toast.

5 from 10 votes

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Prep Time :10 minutes minutes

Cook Time :10 minutes minutes

Resting Time :30 minutes minutes

Yield: 2 cups

Author: Amanda Paa

Ingredients

• 650 grams rhubarb, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 130 grams cane sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 4 strips of fresh orange peel
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

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Instructions 

• Cut rhubarb into 1/2 inch pieces. In a large bowl or try, mix rhubarb with sugar, salt, and orange peel. Let sit for 30 minutes.
• Add all of the mixture including juices to a medium pot and gently simmer for 10 minutes with cover on, stirring occasionally. Rhubarb will soften and break down. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Discard orange peel and blend mixture until smooth.
• Stir in vanilla bean paste. Sauce will thicken a bit as its refrigerated, just an fyi. Store in refrigerator for 3 weeks or freezer for 4-6 months.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Braised and Deglazed.

*This recipe freezes well for 4-6 months. It does not have enough acid to be canned. However, if you are looking for a rhubarb canning recipe, my Strawberry Rhubarb Jam is a family favorite.