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This easy strawberry rhubarb compote makes a sweet-tart bright sauce in just 15 minutes! Spoon it over yogurt, swirl it into oatmeal, or use it to upgrade toast.
It’s hard to describe my feeling of excitement when it’s strawberry rhubarb season: there’s nothing I love more than picking these up at the farmer’s market! I recently made an incredibly delicious strawberry arugula salad with my fresh berries, but what to do with the leftovers that were starting to get soft? Make a sauce, of course!
This simple compote adds heat to turn these season fruits to break them down into a glossy, jammy, and super versatile sauce. It tastes like strawberry rhubarb crisp and I love using it on peanut butter toast, swirled into Greek yogurt with granola (for a “strawberry rhubarb crumble” flavor), or as dessert over ice cream or frozen yogurt. If you’ve ever wondered what to do with rhubarb, this is my pick.
💡Tip: This is a great project to make with kids! I first made it with my 3 year old daughter Britta and she loved it. It was also a great way to introduce her to rhubarb!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in 15 minutes from start to finish on the stovetop
- Just a few simple ingredients besides the main produce
- Seriously delicious sweet tart flavor: just sweet enough
- Endlessly versatile: eat it for breakfast, snack, dessert, even brunch
Ingredients You’ll Need
A few quick notes on the ingredients before you start:
- Fresh strawberries: Use the ripest, reddest berries you can find. This is a great use for berries that are overripe, too.
- Rhubarb: Look for firm, glossy stalks with bright pink color. (There is also green rhubarb, but I would not use that here because the color will turn out a muddy brown.)
- Sugar: Plain granulated sugar gives a clean flavor and a nice, thickened sauce. You can substitute maple syrup or honey if you prefer a natural sweetener: just omit the water in that case. If you’d like it thicker, see the notes below. In this case, I like using granulated sugar because it has the best texture.
- Lemon juice: This brightens the fruit flavor, similar to how salt enhances savory flavors.
- Vanilla extract: This is stirred in off the heat so it stays fragrant
- A pinch of salt: This also enhances the flavors to bring out the natural fruitiness.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
The full method is in the recipe card below (jump to the recipe if you’re ready to get started). It’s so simple:
- Combine the fruit with sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small saucepan, then simmer gently for 10 to 15 minutes until the fruit breaks down and the mixture turns glossy.
- Mash any strawberry chunks with a fork if you want a smoother texture. Off the heat, stir in vanilla and salt, taste for sweetness, and let it cool.
- Pro tip: This compote thickens as it cools, so pull it from the stove when it still looks a little loose. If it firms up more than you’d like in the fridge, just stir in a teaspoon or two of warm water to loosen it back up.
How To Thicken Compote
The recipe as written is naturally thickened (by the pectin in the fruit). If you’d like the sauce to be thicker (especially if you use a naturally sweet substitute), here’s what to do:
- In a small bowl, whisk 1 tablespoon water with ½ tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot starch).
- Pour the mixture into the pan and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. If you’d like it even thicker, you can repeat this step.
Ways to Use Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
I love strawberry rhubarb compote because it uses the beautiful spring / early summer produce in a versatile way you can eat for snacks and breakfast, not just dessert! Here’s what I like to do:
- Peanut butter toast, upgraded: Spread peanut butter on toasted sourdough, then spoon compote on top. An upgraded PB&J!
- Yogurt parfait: Layer with Greek yogurt and granola for a strawberry-rhubarb-crisp yogurt flavor.
- Swirled into oatmeal like my everyday oatmeal recipe.
- Topping for pancakes or waffles like my favorite oatmeal waffles or oatmeal pancakes.
- Over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt: Add just a tiny scoop to vanilla ice cream, vegan ice cream, or frozen yogurt.
- As a topping for cheesecake or angel food cake.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Let the compote cool before transferring it to a sealed jar or container. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks and freezes well for up to 6 months.
To use frozen compote, thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm on the stove with a splash of water to loosen the texture.
Dietary Notes
This strawberry rhubarb compote is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Strawberry Rhubarb Compote
This easy strawberry rhubarb compote makes a sweet-tart bright sauce in just 15 minutes! Spoon it over yogurt, swirl it into oatmeal, or use it to upgrade toast.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: About 2 cups 1x
- Category: Component
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Pescatarian, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 12 oz fresh strawberries (2 cups diced)
- 8 oz rhubarb (2 stalks or 1 ½ cups chopped)
- ⅓ cup sugar (or substitute maple syrup or honey if desired and omit the water; see Notes)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Add the strawberries and rhubarb to a small saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, and water. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally while it bubbles gently, about 10 to 15 minutes until the fruit is fully broken down and the texture is glossy. If necessary, mash the strawberries to the desired texture with a potato masher or fork.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and salt. Taste and add additional sugar if desired, depending on the ripeness of your berries. The compote will thicken as it cools. If it’s too thick, add a little water.
- Serve warm or cooled slightly. Store in a sealed container refrigerated for up to 2 weeks (or cool and freeze up to 6 months). Serve on toast or swirled into yogurt (with granola for a “strawberry rhubarb crisp” flavor). For a dessert, serve over vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- Alternative sweeteners: If you’d like, you can use pure maple syrup or honey to sweeten. Omit the water in that case and if it’s not thick enough, thicken it with the instructions below.
- Thicker sauce: If you’d like the resulting sauce thicker, in a small bowl whisk 1 tablespoon water with ½ tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot starch). Pour the mixture into the pan and stir until thickened, about 1 minute. If you’d like it even thicker, you can repeat this step.
