We’ve been given lots and lots of rhubarb this year. We don’t grow it ourselves as our kitchen garden is too small but a family member does, and there seems to be so much rhubarb this spring. It's a very popular food to grow in allotments in the UK and has amazing health benefits as well as being a great cooking ingredient too.

I remember easting it simply chopped up with a small bowl of sugar to dip it in as a child, and of course there can’t be many people who have not had rhubarb crumble, however, I went looking for new ideas and decided to make jam and vodka.

30 Rhubarb Recipes + How to make Rhubarb Jam

What is Rhubarb?

Apparently, rhubarb is a vegetable, not a fruit. But with thick, fleshy stalks it is more often than not treated as a fruit, although they are very tart and not sweet in flavour. Rarely eaten raw due to its tart flavour, it does need sugar in the cooking process but also goes well with ginger and strawberries.

Rhubarb comes in two crops in the UK. Forced rhubarb appears early in the year and the main crop in spring. When selecting, go for the firm, crisp, plump stalks and perky leaves with good colour. However rhubarb is cultivated throughout the year in different parts of the world, so it is widely available in almost any season.

Rhubarb & Vanilla Jam

Ingredients

• An equal quantity of rhubarb to sugar - I use basic granulated sugar but you could use a specialist jam sugar.
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 red apple
• A couple of drops of vanilla essence

Method

• Discard the leaves, chop into small chunks and wash the rhubarb thoroughly.
• Add rhubarb to a large pan with a solid base.
• Add the sugar and chopped apple and cook on a medium heat until fruit is soft.
• To test the jam I see it coats the back of a spoon rather than use a jam thermometer but either way is fine.
• Once it’s a jam consistency usually 15-20 minutes of simmering, transfer to jars, seal and once cool place in the fridge.

How to prepare rhubarb

Rhubarb leaves should never be eater – they contain a poison - so when ready to cook cut them off and discard. You may also want to take off some of the outer stringy bits with a sharp knife before slicing the stalks into small chunks before cooking.

How to store rhubarb

Rhubarb can wilt quite quickly – once it has been picked store it in the fridge and eat within a couple of days. Also keep the leaves on until you're ready to eat it, as they'll help keep it fresh.

Is rhubarb good for you?

Searching the internet I discovered that rhubarb has many health benefits including its ability to promote weight loss, improve digestion, prevent Alzheimer’s disease, stimulate bone growth, avoid neuronal damage, boost skin health, prevent cancer, optimize metabolism, improve circulation, and protect against various cardiovascular conditions.

Is rhubarb nutritious?

One of the main reasons why people grow and eat rhubarb is for its great nutritional value. Rhubarb is packed with minerals, vitamins, organic compounds, and other nutrients that make it ideal for keeping our bodies healthy. Including are dietary fibre, protein, vitamin C, vitamin K, B complex vitamins, calcium, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. And has only 21 calories per 100 g making it low in fat as well as cholesterol

What can I make with rhubarb?

Rhubarb is good for so much more than crumble. Add some sugar and rhubarb to a bottle of vodka and after a couple of weeks, you’ll have a gorgeous light pink, rhubarb flavoured vodka to enjoy. Works with gin too.

I also asked lots of food bloggers for their favourite rhubarb recipes

28 Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb Cakes

Kelly from Adventure in Tea and Cake suggests Rhubarb and Strawberry Scones

Cat from Curly's Cookings make a Rhubarb Vanilla Cake

Camilla from Fab Food 4 All makes a Rhubarb & Blueberry Tarte Tatin and also a Rhubarb and Marzipan Cake

Jenny from Apply to Face Blog shares a Rhubarb Crumble Cake

Helen from The Crazy Kitchen shares a Rhubarb and Custard Cream Cheesecake and a  Rhubarb Cake Traybake, plus Rhubarb and Custard Viennese Whirls

Jacqui from Recipes Made Easy makes a Rhubarb Cheesecake

Jo from Jo's Kitchen Larder makes an easy Rhubarb Cake

Angela from Only Crumbs Remain makes a Rhubard & Custard Genoise Cake and also a Rhubarb & Ginger Cake

Choclette from Tin and Thyme makes a Rustic Rhubarb Galette With Orange Spelt Flaky Pastry

Rhubarb Mains

Mabintu from Recipes from a Pantry makes Pasta with Basil and a savoury Rhubarb Sauce.

Helen from The Crazy Kitchen makes Moroccan Lamb and Rhubarb with Lemon & Coriander Cous Cous

Rhubarb Compotes & Chutneys

Kirsty from Hijacked by Twins makes a Rhubarb Compote

Choclette from Tin & Thyme makes a Rhubarb and Ginger Chutney

Rhubarb Drinks

Eva from Captain Bobcat has a Rhubarb Gin Cocktail Recipe

Luschka from Keeper of the Kitchen has a Rhubarb Lemonade 

Claire from She Eats makes a Rhubarb Juice

Mabintu from Recipes from a Pantry makes a Rhubarb Mojito

Jacqui from Recipes Made Easy makes a Rhubarb Cordial

Jo from Jo's Kitchen Larder makes a Rhubarb & Ginger Cooler with Mint & Lemon

Rhubarb Crumble

But of course, there are always so many crumble recipes too

Helena from BabyFoote shares her mothers Rhubarb Crumble recipe 

Nadia at ScandiMummy has a Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble

Cat from Curly's Cooking has an Oaty Rhubarb and Port Crumble

Nicola from Something Sweet Something Savoury shared her Ginger & Oat Rhubarb Crisp (basically an American crumble)

Helen from The Crazy Kitchen shares a Rhubarb and Custard Crumble Pizza

How do you like your rhubarb?

Deb x

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