This rhubarb compote recipe is a fun way to enjoy the spring rhubarb season! Sweet strawberries, crisp apples, tart rhubarb, and cinnamon all compliment each other well to create a unique and delicious springtime fruit compote. This recipe is a delicious addition to a wide variety of breakfast items and desserts!
I sometimes feel like the odd one out in my family. My mom, my husband, all of my aunts and uncles, and even my own kiddo all LOVE rhubarb (with my grandma’s rhubarb cake being a popular spring bake in our family). For whatever reason, it’s just not my favorite. But when so many of the ones you love all really like the same ingredient, and that ingredient is in season, sometimes you take one for the team and make something special just for them.
This strawberry rhubarb and apple compote recipe was a kitchen experiment I did with my mom, and has become one of my family’s new favorite ways to use rhubarb. Fruit compote is easy to prepare and great served over a variety of foods like yogurt, ice cream, waffles, pancakes, cheesecake, and more!
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Why You’ll Love This Fruit Compote Recipe
Great Way to Use Spring Rhubarb. Makes the most of rhubarb season with a recipe that even people who aren’t huge rhubarb fans will love.
Perfect Balance of Sweet and Tart. The combination of sweet strawberries and apples balances the tartness of rhubarb with warm cinnamon for amazing flavor.
Ready in Under an Hour. Simple chopping and cooking creates a delicious fruit compote from start to finish in just 45-60 minutes.
So Many Ways to Enjoy. Use it on yogurt, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, oatmeal, or any breakfast or dessert that needs a fruity boost.
A Note on Cooking and Baking with Rhubarb: DO NOT Use the Leaves of the Rhubarb Plant!
At most grocery stores and farmers markets, you’ll find rhubarb stalks only; but if you grow your own or get rhubarb from a friend or neighbor, make sure to remove the leaves (do NOT eat the leaves like you would other greens). Rhubarb leaves are toxic and can cause serious health problems. The stalks are perfectly fine (and delicious!) to eat though.
Ingredients Needed
Rhubarb: Rhubarb is a great way to bring a tart flavor to a dish! It is often paired with something sweet, like the strawberries in this fruit compote recipe.
Apples: Apples provide a deeper flavor and great texture to this sauce.
Strawberries: The sweet counterpart to the rhubarb (and it adds a beautiful color to this fruit compote!).
Cinnamon: Normally you wouldn’t think to pair cinnamon and strawberries, but trust me, the warm cinnamon spice accents the sweetness wonderfully!
Sugar: A little more sweetness to help tone down rhubarb’s natural tartness.
Pinch of Salt: Did you know salt is a flavor enhancer? Adding a pinch of salt to your fruit compote really helps to brings out the wonderful flavors.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Prep fruit. Wash and dice strawberries, rhubarb, and apples. If using frozen strawberries or rhubarb, you do not need to chop them further.
Cook compote. Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and bring to a boil. This will take 5-10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook down until the sauce has thickened, stirring frequently, for approximately 10 additional minutes. Remove from the heat, and if a smoother consistency is desired, mash fruit with a potato masher or fork. If additional sweetness is desired, add more sugar 1 teaspoon at a time until it meets your taste.
Cool and serve. Let the compote cool at least 5 minutes prior to serving. If putting on cold items (like yogurt or ice cream) cool completely before serving.
Store leftovers. Store cooled compote in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Rhubarb Compote FAQs
Why do I need to add water if I’m using fresh ingredients but not with frozen ingredients? Frozen fruits tend to release more liquid when cooking. So if you’re using fresh fruit to make your compote, we add just a little bit of water to help get the consistency we’re looking for. If you prefer a thicker compote, you can skip this step (or wait to see if you need a little more liquid half-way through the cooking process).
What’s the difference between a sauce and a compote? A fruit compote is essentially a chunkier fruit sauce. After cooking your fruit, you will lightly mash your fruit to break it into smaller pieces, but you do not strain it in any way.
What kind of apples should I use for this fruit compote? Any type of apple that is good for baking would be a good choice for this compote recipe! Galas, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, or Fuji varieties would all work well!
Where do I find rhubarb? You can find fresh rhubarb (when in season) in most grocery stores’ produce section or at a local farmers market. If you’re having a hard time locating some, check the frozen section! You can often find frozen rhubarb by the frozen fruit or frozen pies.
How do I make this recipe refined sugar free? You can replace the granulated sugar with a natural sugar, like maple syrup or honey, for this recipe to make a refined sugar free compote. Start with 2 Tablespoons or either natural sweetener and add additional sweetener to taste.
Serving Suggestions
You have a lot of great options for enjoying this lovely spring compote recipe! Try serving this rhubarb compote over:
- Yogurt
- Custard (warm or frozen)
- Ice cream
- Cheesecake
- Toast with butter, nut butter, or cream cheese
- Waffles – like these whole wheat waffles or on top of applesauce waffles
- Pancakes – like these fluffy dairy free pancakes or on protein pancakes
- French toast or French toast bake – like this brioche French toast casserole
- Oatmeal (warm or overnight oats)
- Chia Pudding
Rhubarb Compote with Strawberries and Apples
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced strawberries (approx. 6 large strawberries)
- 1 cup diced rhubarb
- 1 cup diced apples (approx. 1 medium apple)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- *If using all fresh fruit add ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Wash and dice strawberries, rhubarb, and apples. Note: if using frozen strawberries or rhubarb you do not need to chop them further.
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, and bring to a boil. This will take 5-10 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook down until the sauce has thickened, stirring frequently, approximately 10 additional minutes.
- Remove from the heat, and if a smoother consistency is desired, mash fruit with a potato masher or fork. If additional sweetness is desired, add more sugar 1 teaspoon at a time until it meets your taste.
- Let compote cool at least 5 minutes prior to serving. If putting on cold items (like yogurt or ice cream) cool completely before serving.
- Store cooled compote in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Luci says
It is rhubarb season again and we made this again…rhubarb is so underrated and should be used in more things. Blends well with strawberries and other fruits as well. This recipe is great!
ourlovelanguageisfood says
So glad you enjoyed this compote! What a great use of your fresh rhubarb.