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Close up of a jar of Easy Rhubarb Compote and in front of it is a white plate and spoon which has rhubarb compote on the spoon.

Easy Rhubarb Compote

This Easy Rhubarb Compote recipe is a winner! It has so many uses, only 4 ingredients, and is made in under 30 minutes. If you are after a quick and easy way to use rhubarb, this is it!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Condiment, Dessert, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Australian, English, New Zealand
Keyword: compote, dessert, easy, gluten-free, jam, preserves, quick, rhubarb, sweet
Calories: 1020kcal
Author: Katrina | Katy's Food Finds

Equipment

  • large pot

Ingredients

  • 1 kg rhubarb stalks stalks only, washed and trimmed at each end
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste or extract, or 1-2 vanilla pods
  • 3/4 cup water

Instructions

  • Chop the rhubarb stalks into small pieces (see photo).
  • In a large heavy based pot, add the chopped rhubarb stalks along with all the other ingredients, and cook over a medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
    Increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is completely softened and has broken down with some small pieces still intact (but soft)- approximately 20-25 minutes. Once it starts to thicken, keep an eye on it so it doesn’t catch on the bottom of the pot. Reduce the heat to low and taste. Add more sugar if required (1-3 more tablespoons) as each batch is slightly different depending on the rhubarb. Cook a few more minutes until compote has thickened and there are only very small pieces left and most of the rhubarb is stewed.
  • Remove from the heat and discard the lemon and vanilla pod (if using). Allow compote to cool to room temperature before putting into sterilised jars or clean containers and placing in the fridge. Makes approximately 4 cups.

Storage:

  • The Compote can be kept in the fridge in a sealed container or jars for up to 2 weeks or you can freeze for up to a year.

Notes

With only 4 ingredients in this recipe, it really is so quick and simple to make. The 4 ingredients are rhubarb, sugar, lemon, vanilla with water added.
As rhubarb is very tart on its own, rhubarb is always cooked with sugar (or other sweeteners) and is sometimes combined with other red fruits like strawberries and raspberries which add colour while still complementing the rhubarb flavour.
You can add other flavours to this Compote if you like. I'll list a few of my favourites below:
  • add 2 tablespoons of alcohol to your rhubarb mix: gin, grand marnier, rum.
  • take out 50ml water and add 50ml orange juice and some orange zest.
  • add a cinnamon quill
  • add ginger juice - peel and grate a 1 inch piece of ginger and squeeze to get juice or push down through a very fine sieve. Add the juice only.
Vanilla - you can use vanilla extract, vanilla paste or 1 vanilla pod in this recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 1020kcal | Carbohydrates: 253g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 2955mg | Fiber: 20g | Sugar: 215g | Vitamin A: 1020IU | Vitamin C: 109mg | Calcium: 874mg | Iron: 3mg
Have you cooked one of my recipes? I’d love you to tag me @katysfoodfinds or #katysfoodfinds!