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This easy rhubarb compote recipe cooks into a glossy pink sauce in 15 minutes! Spoon it over waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, or ice cream.
Growing up, there was a big rhubarb plant in the back of my parents’ garden that looked like a giant weed. I remember trying a bite of the greenish pink stalk from the cutting board as my mom chopped it for a rhubarb crisp. UGH, was it sour and disgusting!
But I soon learned that sweetened with sugar and nestled under an oat crumble topping, it was the stuff dreams are made of. The sweet tart flavor takes me right back to childhood, licking the sticky pink goo from my plate. This is the inspiration for this rhubarb compote recipe: it’s so simple and it adds beautiful sweet tart flavor to oatmeal, pancakes, yogurt, and more!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This is one recipe I mention to anyone with a pile of rhubarb; here’s why I love it:
- It takes only 15 minutes. There’s no canning setup and no fuss!
- The color is beautiful. That electric hot-pink makes even a plain bowl of oatmeal look special.
- It’s super versatile. Instead of a rhubarb dessert, this component works for breakfast, dessert, or a cheese board! So many different uses.
What Is Rhubarb Compote?
How is compote different from jam or a rhubarb sauce? A compote is fruit that’s cooked with sugar until it softens into a loose, spoonable sauce: it’s chunkier and looser than jam and much easier to make. (It’s essentially a chunky rhubarb sauce.)
There’s no need for pectin or sterilizing jars like a traditional jam. You just simmer the fruit until it breaks down and let it thicken as it cools. Honestly, I don’t make a lot of jams: usually just compote! (Though I do have this rhubarb jam recipe made with chia seeds!)
How To Make Rhubarb Compote
I first made this rhubarb compote to top some waffles. Once sautéed with sugar into a hot pink rhubarb compote, my son Larson was a definite fan. After I swirled a smear of it into his oatmeal, he was in heaven: and he still loves it to this day!
This rhubarb compote recipe is very easy to make. I typically opt for natural sweeteners like maple syrup, but in a compote the sugar performs a chemistry to break down and thicken the rhubarb, so I decided to use the real thing. To make rhubarb compote (see the recipe card below for quantities):
- Chop the rhubarb into small, even cubes. Smaller pieces break down faster and more evenly.
- Simmer with sugar over low heat. Once it starts to bubble, cook about 10 minutes, mashing with the back of your spoon as the rhubarb breaks down into this electric pink sauce. .
- Finish and chill. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Place the rhubarb compote in a jar and refrigerate: cooling down the compote helps to thicken it.
Ways To Use Rhubarb Compote
From there, you can use the rhubarb compote on anything you like! It’s pretty sweet, so a little of the stuff goes a long way. I served it over these fluffy gluten free waffles, but it would be perfect on pancakes or French toast.
Leftover rhubarb compote is perfect to swirl into yogurt, oatmeal, or as a simple dessert, vanilla ice cream. Here are some recipes that would be perfect with a dollop of rhubarb compote:
- Spooned over oatmeal waffles, cornbread waffles, or go-to banana pancakes
- Swirled into overnight oats or a bowl of peanut butter oatmeal
- Layered into yogurt parfaits with granola
- Dolloped over vanilla ice cream or homemade frozen yogurt for an easy dessert
- Piled onto banana French toast for a weekend brunch
How To Store It
This rhubarb compote stores refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. To freeze it, cool it completely and transfer to a freezer-safe container where it keeps up to 3 months. Defrost and stir before serving.
Dietary Notes
This rhubarb compote recipe is vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, and plant-based.
Frequently Asked Questions
It tastes bright, sweet tart, and jammy, with a vanilla finish.
Jam is cooked longer with more sugar (and often pectin) until it sets into a gel. Compote is looser and chunkier; it’s more of a spoonable sauce rather than a firm spread.
If you want a thicker sauce, simmer a few extra minutes to cook off more liquid, or add a ½ tablespoon of cornstarch dissolved in equal parts water and cook until it thickens further.
Easy Rhubarb Compote
This easy rhubarb compote recipe cooks into a glossy pink sauce in 15 minutes! Spoon it over waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, or ice cream.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: About 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 10 ounces rhubarb, about 4 large stalks
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Chop the rhubarb into small cubes, enough for 2 cups.
- In a saucepan, stir together the rhubarb and the sugar over low heat. Once it starts to bubble, cook for about 10 minutes until the rhubarb is broken down and the juices have slightly thickened, mashing with the back of your spoon (exact timing depends on the size of the rhubarb and heat level).
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and vanilla. Transfer to a ball jar and chill for at least an hour, which will thicken the juices even more. Store refrigerated for a few weeks. Serve over waffles, pancakes, or swirled into oatmeal, yogurt, or ice cream.
How can this be Mediterranean with sugar in it? Die’s monk fruit work?
Hi there! Alex and I typically opt for natural sweeteners like maple syrup, but in a compote the sugar performs some chemistry to break down and thicken the rhubarb. WE believe the Mediterranean diet can include moderate amounts of sugar! You can definitely use your natural sweetener of choice.
Can I freeze this?
Yes, it should freeze fine.
any way to can this or a rhubarb compote recipe that can be canned?
Hi! I’m not sure, sorry!
Double the recipe and add 1/2 package of strawberry gelatin.
When do you add the lemon juice and vanilla?
We’ve updated the instructions to clarify — thanks for the catch!
My parents have always had rhubarb and I would only eat it in something sweet. My son, however, has been eating it like celery ever since he was 3 years old. He loves it raw!
Haha, wow you’re kidding! That’s a very strong flavor — too funny that he likes it raw!