Strawberry Rhubarb Sauce

Rhubarb season is upon us (usually spring to early summer) and to make use of this ingredient, we have cooked up a deliciously chunky strawberry-rhubarb sauce recipe. The tartness of rhubarb and the sweetness of strawberries come together in this vibrantly red sauce that makes the perfect topping for cake, ice cream, pancakes and pastries.

Is Rhubarb a Fruit or Vegetable?

Many people think rhubarb is a fruit due to its tart flavor that's reminiscent of green apples. It's technically a vegetable, but rhubarb has been legally ruled a fruit in a New York court, as it is used mainly in fruit applications. It is a popular filling and/or topping for tarts, pastries and other sweet desserts.

Ingredients

To make this rhubarb sauce have a nice balance of tart and sweet, this recipe adds fresh strawberries along with lemon juice and some sugar. The sauce is thick with soft chunks of fruit and a deliciously sweet-yet-tart flavor. The orange liqueur is a nice addition to the sauce.

• 1 ½ cups fresh rhubarb - cut into ¾-inch chunks
• 1 ½ cups fresh strawberries - cleaned, hulled and thickly sliced
• ½ cup sugar
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur - such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec (you can substitute with orange juice if you prefer something non-alcoholic)
• juice of 1 lemon - freshly squeezed

How to Make it

Making this rhubarb sauce (also called 'compote') is a breeze: simply boil the ingredients together in a saucepan, let the mixture simmer for about fifteen minutes and serve warm or chill the sauce in the fridge. Once you know how to make rhubarb sauce, you'll have a delicious and unique ingredient that spruces up your pound cakes, homemade ice cream and other desserts and pastries.

1. Combine ingredients in pot. In a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, salt, orange liqueur and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Mix.
2. Bring to boil. Bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Simmer. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the fruit is softened and the liquid has thickened a bit. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat.
4. Serve or store. Serve warm or let cool to room temperature. Store in the refrigerator.

How to Use it

Once the flavors have all cooked together and the fruit chunks soften, this strawberry rhubarb compote makes the perfect condiment for desserts and even breakfast dishes. You can drizzle it over just about anything. This includes slices of pound cake, ice cream, waffles, pancakes, toast, granola, pies, cheesecake and other sweet foods. You could also make parfaits or use it as a topping for Greek yogurt.

Some people even experiment with savory dishes that could use a little sweet-and-tart flavor. Whatever the case, you can serve this sauce right off the stove or chill it in the fridge for later use. Chilled sauce is better for cold dishes like ice cream and yogurt, but warm sauce is great for dishes that will soak it up nicely or are served warm like cakes, muffins, waffles and pancakes. You could also serve it at room temperature.

Storage

Store your rhubarb sauce in air-tight containers in the fridge for up to one week or freeze it for up to 3 months. If you do freeze it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight when you are ready to use it.

What's your favorite way to serve homemade strawberry rhubarb sauce? Share your thoughts with me in the comments and please share the recipe!

📋Recipe

Hungry for more? Try our Raspberry Galette