Seasonal and sweet.
If you love the sweet-tart combination of strawberry rhubarb (and who doesn’t?), you will love the fresh flavor of this homemade easy strawberry rhubarb compote recipe, enhanced with lemon, ginger, and vanilla bean.Â
What Is Rhubarb?
Rhubarb is actually a spring vegetable. Which makes sense, since it is actually not sweet and looks like celery with a bad sunburn. But rhubarb finds its way into dessert because of how well its tartness pairs with sugar and other fruit. And because the color is so beautiful when the rhubarb cooks down.
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote Recipe Steps
This strawberry rhubarb compote recipe is a very simple one. Here are the steps:
- Dice the rhubarb and hull the strawberries
- Grate the fresh ginger
- Put everything in a sauce pot and cook it together until jammy
- Serve, or store in the refrigerator.
The flavor of this simple spring rhubarb jam is perfect. Be sure not to skip adding the lemon juice at the end. It heightens the flavor of the other ingredients.
When is the strawberry rhubarb jam done cooking?
To test if the compote is done, do the “back of the spoon” test. Take your stirring spoon and dip it in the compote. Then drag your fingertip or another utensil (since it’s hot) down the center. If the line holds, the compote is thickened.
How long will strawberry rhubarb compote last?
The strawberry rhubarb compote will keep in the refrigerator for at least two weeks, probably a little longer, thanks to its high acid and sugar content. These act as natural preservatives. Slather it on top of toast, biscuits, or generously spoon it atop plain cheesecake.
Can rhubarb compote be frozen?
Yes! This strawberry rhubarb compote freezes well. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and stir when defrosted.
One pro tip? Freeze the compote in individual ice cube trays. Each cube makes just the right amount for a serving or two of toast or biscuits, and will defrost more quickly.
If you like this rhubarb compote recipe, you’ll also like:
- Old-Fashioned Blueberry Hand Pies
- High-Rise Buttermilk Biscuits
- The Famous Frog Commissary Carrot Cake
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote With Fresh Ginger
Ingredients
- 1 pound rhubarb (about 5 stalks), diced
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, or 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients except the lemon juice in a medium-sized pot, with a splash of water to cover the bottom. (Note: The water helps prevent scorching in the first stages of cooking.)
- Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, lowering the heat as necessary to attain a low boil. Cook until the strawberries and rhubarb break down and thicken into a jam-like consistency, about 30 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature or chill before serving. The compote will keep in the refrigerator for at least two weeks.
9 comments
F.R.H.
Fantastic and very easy. The fresh ginger adds just the right “something” here. Will make again!
andi
I just made this delicious compote to accompany 2 desserts for Passover and it is excellent; especially loving the ginger element. One question, however. Mine isn’t a vibrant red as shown in your photos, but more of a deep pink.. Should I just attribute that to the fruit? My rhubarb was not pale nor were the strawberries. Thanks for another great recipe!
Unpeeled
Hello and I am so glad that you liked it! As for the color, yes. I am afraid that it might have just come down to the fruit! (I may have lucked out with some particularly deep-hued rhubarb or berries the day I did the photo shoot.) If you’d like to enhance the color a bit, a good chef’s trick is to add a little beet juice. The color is so deep that a little goes a long way, without adding flavor.
Penelope Wray
This is one of the nicest recipes that I have used in ages (and I do a lot of cooking) uses up my glut of rhubarb and strawberries from the allotment. I would give it more stars if I could!
Thank you SO much
Penni
Unpeeled
Oh thank you so much for this lovely review! I do think that this recipe is a “simple but wonderful” one, and am so glad you think so, too. All the best.
S. R.
A good combination of sweet/tart and a very pretty color. Would make again.
Sylvie
Fabulous 🙂
Jen
PERFECT. I LOVE THIS. The ginger is a great addition. I’ve been eating it on toast every morning.
Unpeeled
Me too!! So glad you are enjoying it.