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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Looking for a great way to use up the rhubarb in your garden? Why not turn it into a decadent rhubarb sauce that you can use on ice cream, cakes and more?
This is so easy, this sauce is simply boiled rhubarb with sugar and vanilla extract simmered until it thickens into a jam-like consistency.
For some other great ways to use rhubarb, why not make this Simple Rhubarb Crisp? Or this recipe for Coconut Rhubarb Crunch instead?
Karlynn’s Recipe Notes
- Skill Level: This is a simple recipe that yields a delightful sauce.
- Total Time: This quick-to-make recipe will take approximately 25 minutes to prepare.
- Variations: Rhubarb is surprisingly versatile and pairs well with other fruits. If you’d like something a little sweeter, try cutting the rhubarb measurement in half and adding equal parts chopped strawberries to make a classic rhubarb-strawberry sauce.
- Tools for This Recipe: To make this recipe, you will need a large saucepan and lidded jars for storing.
What You’ll Need For Ingredients
Rhubarb: This tart, vibrant stalk is technically a vegetable; it’s one of the few that are almost always used like a fruit.
Sugar, Salt, Water, Vanilla Extract: Once boiled, this mixture helps break down the rhubarb into a sticky, jam-like sauce, balancing out the tartness of the rhubarb.
How To Make Rhubarb Sauce
This is a quick overview of the recipe. The full list of ingredients & complete step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Chop the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces.
- In a large saucepan, add the rhubarb, sugar, salt, water, and vanilla, and bring it to a boil.
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Pour into jars with lids and refrigerate.
Karlynn’s Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Rhubarb Sauce
- Look for firm, crisp stalks: When choosing your rhubarb, you want firm stalks with a good red color to them. The more vibrant the red, the more “ripe” the rhubarb is.
- Never use the leaves: This kind of goes without saying but the leaves of the plant are toxic so please do not use them in any way shape or form.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate: Rhubarb sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to a week if stored properly in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Freezing: You can also freeze it! Rhubarb sauce freezes beautifully and can keep for up to 6 months. Just thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
More Delicious Icing, Glaze, or Sauce Recipes
- Raspberry Sauce: This simple and delicious raspberry sauce is perfect for cheesecakes, pancakes, waffles, or as a topping on vanilla ice cream.
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce: This delicious, low-sugar cranberry sauce recipe is made with Splenda Stevia and is the perfect way to cut down on sugar.
- How to Make Brown Sugar Sauce: A homemade brown sugar sauce perfect for pancakes and desserts.
A perfect sauce that’s a mix of sweet and tart, delicious over cake or ice cream!
Let me know in the comments below how it turns out. I always enjoy hearing about your baking adventures!
Happy Baking!
Karlynn
Rhubarb Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped rhubarb
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Chop the rhubarb into 1 inch pieces.
- In a large saucepan add the rhubarb, sugar, salt, vanilla and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until the rhubarb is soft.
- Remove from heat and cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
- Pour into jars with lids and refrigerate.
- This sauce is great on vanilla ice cream or a white cake.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Deb H says
For many years, I’ve been trying to make my mother‘s Rubarb sauce by memory with no success. This recipe did the trick. Spot on.
Mary ann yohanan says
Should You peel the stalks?
Kathy Huizenga says
My finished rhubarb sauce is green. I’m guessing that’s because your rhubarb maybe had more red in it than mine. But it taste delicious. Can’t wait to try it on ice cream!
Rose Bowler says
Almost identical to how my mother used to can quarts of rubarb fruit little more sugar little more water canned in a water bath. Served in winter after supper in fruit nappies. A good treat on a cold stormy winter night on the farm.
Kathy says
When I was a small child my mom would make this and give it to me when I was sick. I still (at 70) love rhubarb especially mixed with strawberries baked as a crisp.