Rhubarb is a spring-through-summer specialty that's baked into into tart pies and crumbles and simmered into rich jams. But rhubarb doesn't only have to be used for a sweet treat.
The short-seasoned vegetable works well in savory dishes, too. It's all about figuring out the right pairings, from seasonings to proteins. Need some help getting started? Check out these tried-and-true recipes.
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1. Happy Kitchen's Goat Cheese Crostini With Rhubarb Chutney
If you're not fully ready to make the jump to savory rhubarb, take a baby step — rhubarb chutney, a more savory take on rhubarb jam, is a perfect condiment for tasty treats like a goat cheese crostini. You can even use it as a vegetable dip! This tangy chutney has a touch of sweetness with strawberry and a healthy zing from ginger.
Get the full recipe here.
2. The Caspian Chef's Khoresh Rivas (Beef and Herb Stew With Rhubarb)
Persian cuisine is no stranger to savory uses for rhubarb. This khoresh rivas, or rhubarb stew, is a traditional dish made with herbs, spices, and onions. In this particularly recipe, beef is added as the protein, but you can also use beans.
Get the full recipe here.
3. Ali Rosen's Rhubarb Cornbread
Another dish that toes the line between savory and sweet is this rhubarb cornbread. Rhubarb adds a lovely tartness to the cornbread, introducing a variety of flavors to your taste buds.
Get the full recipe here.
4. Plant Based Habits' Rhubarb Marinated Tofu
Rhubarb also works well as a tangy marinate and a sauce — this recipe developer calls this particular concoction "like a nice light and sour version of ketchup!" They used it to marinade tofu, but it could also work with other proteins.
Get the full recipe here.
5. Lisa Cassell-Arms' Rhubarb Orange Chicken
Savor the sweet-and-sour blend of oranges and rhubarb in this roast chicken dish. A drizzle of pomegranate molasses, which caramelizes atop the chicken, really ties the flavors together.
Get the full recipe here.
6. FamilyCook Productions' Rhubarb Veggie Low-Fat Pizza
Bet you never expected to see rhubarb on pizza! But then again, someone did invent Hawaiian pizza. This low-fat recipe hits the cheesy and saucy notes of a classic 'za with the added nutritional value from rhubarb and peppers.
Get the full recipe here.
7. Polina Chesnakova's Pickled Rhubarb
Love pickled veggies on your salads and sandwiches, or just to eat as a crunchy snack? Pickling is perfect for rhubarb, and it allows you to enjoy this delicious vegetable all summer long. The process couldn't be simpler — all you have to do is make a vinegar-based pickling mixture, boil it, and pour it over some rhubarb.
Get the full recipe here.