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    Home » Recipes » Rhubarb

    June 26, 2022 · Updated May 15, 2024

    Simple Rhubarb Compote Recipe

    5 from 2 votes
    1 Comment

    · by Amanda Gajdosik

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This post may contain affiliate links. This blog generates income via ads.

    A glass jar filled with bright red rhubarb compote sits on a white tray with a spoon in the sauce. There is a mint sprig next to the jar.

    This simple rhubarb compote recipe requires only three ingredients and takes just 15 minutes to make! Tart, tangy, and simply sweet it's the perfect simple dessert recipe to enjoy during Midwestern rhubarb season! Serve it over vanilla ice cream, waffles, or a slice of delicious pound cake.

    A glass jar filled with bright red rhubarb compote. There is a spoon in the sauce and the jar sits on a white tray. There's a mint sprig be the jar.

    This is one of my favorite rhubarb recipes. Of course, I love rhubarb cheesecake squares, an oatmeal-topped rhubarb crisp, or a glass of rhubarb lemonade, but this is such a quick treat to whip up you really can’t beat it!

    What is fruit compote?

    Fruit compote is a fancy, French term to describe a sauce made of whole fruit or pieces of fruit cooked in a sugar syrup. It is less time intensive than a jam and contains no pectin or thickeners.

    An overhead shot of a jar filled with rhubarb compote set on a white tray. There is a spoon in the jar.

    This recipe is a quick and easy version that combines the sugar, fruit, and a bit of citrus juice all at once to create a sauce that is thick, luxurious, and perfectly balanced between tangy and sweet.

    Ingredients for this recipe

    • Rhubarb (fresh or frozen rhubarb)
    • Sugar
    • Lemon
    All the ingredients for a simple rhubarb compote are in bowls on a white marble backdrop.

    How to make rhubarb compote

    This is just a brief overview. Find full, detailed instructions in the recipe card below!

    1. Combine the ingredients. In a shallow saucepan and place over medium heat.
    2. Boil the fruit and sugar. Stirring occasionally, until it’s thick and gorgeous and the rhubarb pieces have broken down naturally. Only about 15 minutes!
    3. Remove from heat, cool, and enjoy! You’ll love pouring this sauce over vanilla bean ice cream.
    A hand squeezes lemon juice into a saucepan that holds sugar and rhubarb pieces for compote.
    Combine the ingredients in a saucepan.
    Cooked rhubarb compote in a saucepan on a striped pot holder on a white marble backdrop.
    Cook into a beautiful sauce.

    It’s really that simple!

    Storage and Freezing

    This compote is a quick and simple sauce, not a jam recipe, so it is not preserved or shelf stable as a jam recipe could be.

    An overhead shot of a jar filled with rhubarb compote with a spoon in it on a white tray.

    The compote can be stored in a container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Alternatively, it can be frozen. Here’s how:

    Fill a quart-sized, freezer-safe plastic bag with rhubarb compote. Squeeze out any excess air. Properly label and date the bag with the contents. Lay flat in the freezer until solid (you can then store the bag upright, if desired).

    Compote can be frozen for up to six months. Thaw in the fridge before using.  

    A dish of vanilla ice cream with rhubarb compote poured over the top. The dish sits on a white tray with a mint spring beside it.

    How many cups is 1 pound of rhubarb?

    A little over 3 cups, depending on the size of your pieces. If the rhubarb is cut between ½ and 1 inch, you’ll need 3 heaping cups for this recipe.

    If you don’t have a kitchen scale, I highly recommend buying one! They’re so useful!

    Citrus Juice Substitutions

    You can use 3 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice if you don't have fresh lemons on hand.

    Alternatively, a fresh lime or orange can be used in place of the lemon if that’s all you have or prefer. The key is to add a bit of acid via citrus juice to balance the sweetness of the compote.  

    A dish of vanilla ice cream with rhubarb compote poured over the top. The dish sits on a white tray with a mint spring beside it.

    Watch the recipe video!

    A glass jar filled with bright red rhubarb compote sits on a white tray with a spoon in the sauce. There is a mint sprig next to the jar.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 2 votes

    Simple Rhubarb Compote

    This simple rhubarb compote recipe requires only three ingredients and takes just 15 minutes! Serve it over vanilla ice cream, waffles, or a slice of delicious pound cake.
    Prep Time5 minutes mins
    Cook Time15 minutes mins
    Total Time20 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Frozen Rhubarb Recipe, Rhubarb, Rhubarb Compote, Rhubarb Sauce
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 112kcal
    Author: Amanda Gajdosik
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Saucepan
    • Rubber Spatula

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound rhubarb pieces, fresh or frozen (a little over 3 cups)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1 lemon, zested and juiced

    Instructions

    • Combine 1 pound rhubarb pieces, 1 cup granulated sugar, and the zest and juice of one lemon in a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
    • Boil rapidly for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until rhubarb has released its natural juices, broken down, and reduced to a beautifully silky sauce.
    • Remove from heat and cool to room temperature before storing in refrigerator.
    • Serve compote over vanilla ice cream, waffles, or a slice of pound cake!

    Video

    Notes

    • Compote can be stored in refrigerator for up to five days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 0.25cup | Calories: 112kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 61IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 0.2mg

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    Comments

      5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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      Did you love the recipe? Let me know! And let others know too by leaving a comment and star rating. Reviews are so useful in helping other people find my site and make my recipes. Your support means the world to me!

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Bernie says

      July 01, 2023 at 5:36 pm

      5 stars
      My rhubarb plant is growing very strong and we needed some recipes to help use it up. Google came up with this one and well its quick and easy! Just what you need when you have little ones running around. Speaking of the kids - they love this with pancakes and even in oatmeal! Great recipe thanks for publishing it online!!

      Reply

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