The Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (2024)

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This old-fashioned recipe is the best ever homemade strawberry rhubarb pie recipe. The mouthwatering filling, made without tapioca, is packed with juicy strawberries, tart rhubarb, and a touch of orange zest.

This pie is simple and easy to make; it’s the perfect way to use up fresh (or frozen) strawberries and rhubarb!

this idea now...

I grew up with my mom making this easy homemade strawberry rhubarb pie recipe every summer and now I make it often for my own family.

I’ve tried a lot of different rhubarb pies over the years and this is the one I always come back to.

And yes, we call it “The Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie” because it’s THAT good.I haven’t met a person yet who doesn’t like it (Save for my brother, who doesn’t like strawberries. But he’s just weird. Who doesn’t like strawberries?!!)

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In fact, I’ve even had a couple of people tell me that while they normally can’t stand rhubarb, they loved this pie.

Did I mention this juice homemade pie is super easy to make? It only takes a few minutes to put together, followed by 45 minutes in the oven.

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How do you choose rhubarb?

Just like any fruit or vegetable, there are good selections of rhubarb and there are not-so-good. It’s pretty simple to choose good rhubarb.

Look for firm, crisp stalks. If you can break it with that nice crispy sound, it’s probably a good piece of rhubarb.

Limp rhubarb is a sign it’s past it’s prime. One note – do not eat rhubarb leaves as they contain a toxin.

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How to Make Easy Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

If you’re gluten-free, like my family is, this recipe is a breeze to tweak. I’ll share the tweaks below. And if you’re not gluten-free, just carry on as usual and ignore those notes.

Ingredients for strawberry rhubarb pie

You’ll need 2 pie crusts, one for the bottom and one for the top. You can make your own or buy a ready-made pie crust from the store. My favorite homemade pie crust is The Pioneer Woman’s flaky crust) For a gluten-free pie crust, this recipe has worked well for us though I’m experimenting with my own version.

For the strawberry rhubarb pie filling, you’ll need sugar, all-purpose flour (use a gluten-free blendThe Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (5) if needed – we use King Arthur or Bob’s Red MillThe Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (6)), orange peel, rhubarb, strawberries, and butter.

I told you this is a simple strawberry rhubarb pie without tapioca or other fancy ingredients.

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You’ll also need a pie plateThe Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (8) and rolling pinThe Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (9) (if your pie crust isn’t rolled out already).

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This strawberry rhubarb pie filling will make enough for a nice big juicy 9″ pie.

How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Heat your oven to 425°. For a gluten-free pie, heat it to 400°.

Chop your rhubarb into small pieces, then slice your strawberries.

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Gently toss the strawberries and rhubarb together.

Place one of the pie crusts into your pie plate.

Spoon half the strawberries and rhubarb into the bottom.

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Stir the sugar, flour, and orange peel together.

Sprinkle half the flour mixture over the strawberry rhubarb in the pie crust.

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Repeat with the remaining strawberries/rhubarb and flour mixture.

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Dot with the sliced butter.

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Cover with the second pie crust. Pinch the edges together and crimp with a fork or your fingers.

Cut 3-4 slits in the top with a knife and sprinkle with a little sugar.

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Cover the edges of the pie with a shield or foil. This will keep the edges of the pie crust from getting too brown or burnt.

I highly recommend buying a pie shield – it’s a baking essential in my kitchen and worth every penny of the $5-10 cost. Here’s a link to one that’s similar to mine: Norpro Silicone Pie Crust ShieldThe Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (17)

Bake your homemade strawberry rhubarb pie for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is just browned and juice is beginning to bubble through the slits in the top.

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If you’re unsure, you can carefully poke a fork through one of the holes and test if the rhubarb is baked enough. It will be soft and juicy when done.

Allow your pie to cool, then slice and serve.

Note: if you serve the pie right away it will likely be runnier. We often eat it that way (because my family is too impatient to let it fully cool) but if you can wait, it will thicken up a bit.

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You can top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream if desired. Or enjoy your fresh homemade strawberry rhubarb pie all by itself.

Enjoy!

Related Recipes

Looking for rhubarb recipes that aren’t pie? Here are 3 more tasty rhubarb desserts:

  • Rhubarb Upside Down Cake (gluten-free)
  • Rhubarb Custard Bars (gluten-free)
  • Rhubarb Spice Cake with Fresh Spiced Whipped Cream

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The Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

The Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (20)

Print Recipe
★★★★★5 from 7 reviews

Simple and easy to make this, this delicious old-fashioned strawberry rhubarb pie is packed with a juicy strawberry rhubarb filling and is the perfect way to use up fresh or frozen fruit.

  • Author: Erika Bragdon
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 8 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425 degrees (or 400 if gluten-free).

Place one pie crust into a 9″ pie pan.

Gently toss the sliced strawberries and rhubarb together. Spoon half into the pie crust.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups sugar, flour, and orange peel. Sprinkle half this mixture over the strawberry rhubarb in the pie crust. Spoon the remaining sliced strawberries and rhubarb into the pie, then sprinkle with the remaining sugar mixture.

Slice the butter into small pieces and place around the top of the pie.

Cover the pie with the top crust and seal the edges by pressing with a fork. Cut slits in the top, then sprinkle a tablespoon of sugar over the top of the pie. Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil or pie crust shield to prevent the edges from burning.

Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the crust is just browning and the juice bubbles through the slits. Cool, slice, and serve.

Enjoy with whipped cream if desired. Best served warm.

Keywords: strawberry rhubarb, rhubarb pie without tapioca, gluten-free, rhubarb dessert

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The Very Best Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep a rhubarb pie from being runny? ›

Cornstarch: A bit of cornstarch helps thicken the filling.

Why is my rhubarb pie soggy? ›

Soggy Bottom Crust and Rhubarb Pie

Because there's a lot of moisture in rhubarb, it's common to get a soggy lower crust. A blast of higher heat when you first start baking helps prevent that.

Should rhubarb be peeled for pie? ›

You don't need to peel peak-season rhubarb, but by midsummer, the stalks tend to be tough and fibrous. You might need to peel them to make them tastier.

Where is strawberry rhubarb pie most popular? ›

Sumner, Washington describes itself as the "Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World." It is unknown exactly when the city gained this description, although the name has been in use since at least the 1930s.

How do you keep the bottom crust of a fruit pie from getting soggy? ›

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven.

Why is my strawberry rhubarb pie soupy? ›

Rhubarb pie fillings are often soft and runny. The rhubarb contains so much water, you either have to add too much thickener or coax the rhubarb to release its liquid before thickening it. What's the answer? To solve this problem, I mix the rhubarb with the sugar.

How can I make my pie more firm? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

How do you get moisture out of rhubarb? ›

Macerate Your Rhubarb With Sugar To Draw Out Excess Liquid

Mixing fruit with sugar draws out moisture through the process of osmosis, which happens when water naturally balances out by migrating from the cells in your fruit to the dissolved sugar molecules on the surface, the same way it does with salt.

How can I thicken my rhubarb? ›

Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the fruit, along with 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or tapioca starch. Tapioca starch is best for fruit pies, because it sets clear.

Is it better to cut or twist rhubarb? ›

Depending on the variety, they may be only 12 inches long, or as long as two feet. To pick rhubarb, hold the stalk firmly, pull and twist. Do not use a knife to cut the stalks from the plant. The knife can carry diseases from plant to plant, and the remaining stalk can be a point of entry for other pests.

How big should you cut rhubarb for pie? ›

Slice the rhubarb and trim off any tough ends or residual green leaves (the leaves are toxic). Slice it into approximately 1 inch / 2.5 cm pieces. I like to slice on the bias (diagonal cuts) because I think it looks prettier, but any cut is fine, of course.

Why do you put a bucket over rhubarb? ›

Earlier harvests of sweeter, tender, pale stalks can be produced by covering rhubarb plants with a forcing jar, tall bucket or dustbin in mid-winter, so the stems form in the dark. Choose an early variety, such as 'Timperley Early', and only use a strong, healthy plant.

What is the most sold pie in America? ›

The clear winner for the United States as a whole was (not surprisingly) apple pie with more than 27% of sales going to the traditional flavor.

Where is the rhubarb pie capital of the world? ›

Sumner, Washington – Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World.

Which country eats the most rhubarb? ›

Since then rhubarb's popularity grew to a peak just before World War II. It was always more popular in Britain and the U.S. than elsewhere but rhubarb also achieved noteworthy popularity in Australia and New Zealand. Culinary uses also spread to northern Europe.

How to thicken up rhubarb? ›

Add some water (at least a cup) and the rhubarb to a saucepan. Add some sugar (about a cup) Cook on medium low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce is boiled down to a thick syrup. Let the mix cool, or refrigerate, and then move along with your recipe.

What to do if your pie is too runny? ›

  1. Cornstarch: Mix with cold water, add to filling, and cook until thick.
  2. Flour: Stir a few tablespoons into the filling.
  3. Tapioca: Use instant tapioca as a thickener.
  4. Reduce Liquid: Cook the filling on the stovetop to evaporate excess liquid.
Sep 25, 2022

How to thicken rhubarb without cornstarch? ›

How can I thicken a pie filling without cornstarch? Just use any other starch rich substance. Like potato starch. Regular flour works as well.

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