Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
The easiest strawberry rhubarb crumble! This delectable dessert is perfectly tart and sweet with a buttery, golden crumble topping that is irresistible!
I may be showing all my nerdy cards by confessing this, but I look forward to rhubarb season almost as much as Christmas or naps.
I love rhubarb!!
My struggling rhubarb plant has truly blossomed this spring. I’ve spent a lot of time hovering over it, saying nice things to it, showering it with metaphoric rhubarb love while it benefits from a lot of natural showers.
My blogging mission won’t be complete until I share approximately 49 more rhubarb recipes. Currently, these are my favorite rhubarb recipes I’ve posted before:
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie (Brian’s all-time fave pie)
Brown Sugar Rhubarb Muffins with a Little Bit of Streusel (love these muffins!)
Rhubarb Streusel Cake with Warm Vanilla Sauce (amazing)
And today I’m adding to that rather small category of rhubarb recipes by sharing this strawberry rhubarb crumble.
It is amazing! Really. Simple and amazing.
It’s not altogether too different from the strawberry rhubarb pie we know and love, but much simpler sans pie crust and piled in a 9X13-inch baking dish.
Perfectly tart and sweet, the rhubarb strawberry filling is a delightful contrast paired with the buttery, crumbly (divine) topping.
A quintessential spring dessert as rhubarb is in peak season, this strawberry rhubarb crumble is a show stopper with its fresh, bright flavors.
Plus, it’s so, so easy to make, it’s the perfect dessert for company or potluck. No-fuss desserts are the best of the best.
I promise I’ll try not to force too many of my opinions on you and coerce you into serving it with vanilla ice cream.
But I will say, I think you’ll be super sad if you don’t. And I really don’t want anyone to be sad. So, actually, I take that back, I’m pretty much telling you that you must, must, must have vanilla ice cream with this tasty concoction.
The creamy, melty ice cream with the warm crumble is absolute desserty crumbly bliss.
Bring on rhubarb season! Any favorite rhubarb recipes you think I can’t live without? I’d love to hear about them!
One Year Ago: Instant Pot Indian Vegetable Rice
Two Years Ago: Doubletree Hotel Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Three Years Ago: Sweet Molasses Bread {Restaurant Knock-off}
Four Years Ago: Baked Shrimp and Orzo with Feta Cheese
Five Years Ago: Italian Lasagna Rolls
Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
Ingredients
Crumble Topping:
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup (71 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (71 g) brown sugar
- Zest of 1 lemon, about a teaspoon
- 14 tablespoons (199 g) butter, melted
Strawberry Rhubarb Filling:
- 3 cups (340 g) chopped rhubarb, 1/2-inch pieces (about 8-9 or so medium stalks)
- 2 quarts (907 g) strawberries, hulled and quartered or chopped, about 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
- Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- For the topping, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and lemon zest. Add the melted butter and stir until the mixture forms pea-size and slightly larger clumps. Refrigerate while making the filling.
- For the filling, in a 9X13-inch dish combine the rhubarb, strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well mixed. Let the mixture sit for 10-15 minutes (this will help the cornstarch dissolve in the liquid from the fruit which will help it thicken better while baking).
- Spread the fruit filling evenly in the pan. Remove the topping from the fridge and crumble it in your fingers if it has hardened while chilling. Cover the fruit filling evenly with the topping.
- Place the 9X13-inch dish on a foil-lined pan (in case the crumble bubbles a bit while baking) and bake for 45-50 minutes until the fruit mixture is bubbling and the topping is golden brown in spots.
- Let the crumble rest out of the oven for 15 minutes (the filling will thicken as it rests). Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted from a Bobby Flay recipe in Food Network magazine (April 2018)
I made this to go with our Sunday dinner yesterday and it was a big hit! I used fresh strawberries and frozen rhubarb that I thawed and drained before using. I did make one change and subbed out half the flour for rolled oats, to make a crisp rather than a crumble as I quite like oats in a topping! We all thought the fruit ratio of strawberries to rhubarb was just right. The whole dish baked up beautifully and was absolutely delicious with vanilla ice cream. Since I have access to lots of fresh-frozen rhubarb I’ll be making this often! Thanks for another great recipe, Mel!
Mel,
I made this for my wonderful husband for Father’s Day, and he raved about how amazing it was. It’s perfect!! Thank you for yet another recipe that brings joy to our home. We’re thankful for you!
Absolutely delicious!
Upon taking a bite, my husband’s eyes bugged out and he announced that if he ever needed to be lured out of the woods, simply leave a plate of this crumble at the tree line. He then proceeded to give our kids permission to lick their plates. 🙂
Mel
What if I wanted to use just rhubarb and leave out the strawberries? How should I adjust the sugar?
Thanks Julie
If you use more rhubarb in place of the strawberries, I’d increase the sugar by 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
Hi Mel,
I have frozen strawberries and frozen rhubarb. Will that work in this recipe?
I haven’t tried this with frozen fruit, but I think it should work ok (I worry a little about the filling being runny if using frozen fruit…but I use frozen fruit in pies and it works, so it’ll probably be fine!)
Is this the recipe you made with the triple berries instead of strawberries? What other substitutions or alterations did you make? Would love to do that!
Hi Natalie, yep, I used a frozen triple berry blend for the strawberries (same amount). I increased the cornstarch by 2 tablespoons and kept everything else the same.
My family doesn’t like rhubarb; but they came back for seconds! Also freezes well – tastes just as good reheated. I baked it before freezing.
If anyone is thinking about putting oats in this topping – DO IT! I ran out of flour and so added a cup of quick oats but could hardly taste them in the topping and was really wishing I had put more – or old fashioned that are bigger. Still a great recipe!
Hi Mel, can you clarify how much Rhubarb is needed for this recipe? It says 3 cups (12 oz) but 3 cups is 24 oz so was a bit unsure.
The 12 ounces is the weight of the rhubarb. Three cups of chopped rhubarb should weigh about 12 ounces.
Has anyone made this and froze t before baking? I’m worried the filling will be too sloppy.
Absolutely fantastic! Made it twice in one week; so very very good!
Damn. So easy and so delicious. This is my new summer go/to dessert. Thanks!
Would it be possible to make two smaller versions of this instead of the 9 by 13? If so, do you have pan size and baking time recommendations?
You could probably split the recipe into two 8X8-inch pans (and you can probably cut 5-7 minutes off the baking time depending on the pan being used – glass vs metal).
I made this crisp today, is one of the best desserts I’ve ever made!! Reminds me of a strawberry rhubarb pie.
I just made this today for our Mother’s Day dinner at my son’s home. It was SOOOO good! I didn’t have a lemon, so I used orange zest and orange juice instead. Couldn’t really taste it in the crumble topping, but it was very good anyway. I will make this again!
Hi, Mel. This is incredibly delicious! I made it twice last month to rave reviews. With rhubarb season over, I’ve been wondering about tweaking the recipe to make a strawberry/blueberry crumble (reducing the sugar to maybe one cup because, well, blueberries are sweet and rhubarb is sour.) What do you think? Thanks!
I think the strawberry/blueberry variation sounds delicious, DeAnn!
This is amazing! And I wouldn’t even consider myself a huge fan of rhubarb. My husband is, so I made this for Father’s Day today. You pretty much insisted that vanilla ice cream go with it, and I didn’t have any in the freezer. Since I don’t shop on Sunday, I made some homemade vanilla ice cream and this dessert was heavenly!
I’m so excited to try this, but I must have looked at the pie recipe when I was buying rhubarb and strawberries, because I only got one container of strawberries. I have plenty of rhubarb — can I just add more rhubarb in place of the missing strawberries, or should I just make 1/2 a recipe? I’m making this for Father’s Day, but I don’t really want to go shopping again. We love your rhubarb pie, so I’m sure this will be a hit!
I think you could definitely up the rhubarb – I mean, the flavor and texture will be different, but there are some straight up rhubarb crumble desserts that are phenomenal. If the increase of rhubarb is significant, you might want to up the sugar just a little.
This recipe is amazing!! I made it this evening for my mom and husband, and we all loved it! That little bit of fresh lemon absolutely makes this dessert. And it is so pretty! Thank you for sharing this one! I’m already scheming about how I can make this year round. Do you think it would work to use frozen strawberries (fresh picked strawberries that I freeze myself)? Or would it be too juicy?
I worry that those frozen strawberries might put off a bit too much liquid – I wonder if you defrosted and patted them dry first? That might help.
Thank you for including weight for measurement! Really good crumble. Halved the recipe based on your weights with no issue!
Glad it worked out, Kristi!
This is amazing! The lemon really adds nice flavor.
I was going to make a strawberry rhubarb pie for Memorial Day but ran out of time. So I tried this recipe instead. Oh my goodness!!! Absolutely delicious!!! Thank you! We polished off the entire pan last night. I’m a little disappointed because I thought it would be delicious for breakfast this morning.
Yay for loving this, but bummer no leftovers for breakfast!!
Our growing season is a little bit later here, so my rhubarb is finally at peak for Memorial Day weekend. I made this for a swimming party and it was AMAZING! Everyone said it was the best crumble they had EVER had. The rhubarb, strawberries and hint of lemon was perfection. I did use half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour because we love the nuttiness a whole wheat can add. Vanilla bean ice-cream was the perfect pairing.
I’m so happy to hear that, Emily!
I was finally able to make this last night. It was sooo yummy! There were some that I served it to that were a little scared (who thought “hey, let’s mix strawberries with this icky vegetable and see how it turns out!”) but everyone loved it. I ate the leftovers for breakfast and am contemplating making it again…like today.
So happy you loved it, Amber!
Hi, Mel. I just want to report back that, tho it’s been freezing in Massachusetts lately, I picked up a pack of rhubarb stalks in the produce area of my grocery store & opted for a 32 oz. bag of frozen strawberries. The finished results are superb! I mean this dessert was knock your socks off delicious! I forgot to pick up van ice cream, but whipped heavy cream was amazing. I was sure to smear it all over my piece & loved ev ry bite! My husband was totally thrilled w this dessert. He could not stop taking about how awesome it was! Thx, Mel, for this truly wonderful winner recipe.
Thanks for checking in to let me know, Lauren! SO, so happy you loved it!
I live about an hour from Boise and so I’d think growing rhubarb wouldn’t be too much different where I’m at. I’ve learned from my mom (who lives near also) that rhubarb is a heavy feeder. In early spring cover the whole plant with compost. Give it your “slop” all spring and summer. It will bear bountifully!!! Will definitely make this recipe!! But I think I’ll do the blueberries instead of strawberries.
Thanks for the tips!
This looks yummy! I usually use my mom’s recipe for rhubarb crisp, without strawberries, and is a favourite but I will have to add this to our roster as well!
Hi Mel! Any thoughts on a fruit to replace strawberries with the rhubarb? I love strawberries but sadly can’t eat them I’ve only ever seen strawberries paired with rhubarb though.
I am not Mel, ;-), BUT I have very successfully replaced strawberries with blueberries in this crumble, which is, by the way, delightful!!
Raspberry/rhubarb is another really good combination.
Hey Lori – that’s a great question; I think you could try blueberries! I had a blueberry rhubarb pie once that was phenomenal!
Try peaches!
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll probably try blueberry first (love me some blueberries). But raspberries and peaches sound great also..
I love rhubarb as well– but today in Michigan it is STILL snowing!! Spring where are you?
Strawberries are never ripe here at the same time as rhubarb. I use a box of either strawberry or raspberry jello ( I know you don’t believe in jello, but it works for us). The jel is clear rather than cloudy like flour . I’ve also made it with a product called clearjel, which is similar to pectin.
Sounds yummy! My aunt makes a rhubarb jam with jello that is super yummy. And seriously, the snow! I can’t believe how much snow the midwest has gotten this year…our old friends in Green Bay got pounded with snow this last weekend. I feel guilty we are in the 60’s.
Mel,
I love rhubarb pared with strawberries too so I’ll have to compare my recipe for strawberry/rhubarb crumble to yours and see what happens
I notice you use more cornstarch then flour as your thickening agent. Is there a reason you prefer it over flour? I’m just the opposite, using flour over cornstarch so I’m wondering if I’m
missing something?
Can’t wait to try it Mel!
Let me know if this is the Simmer you want to use our condo in Lincoln, N’H for a fabulous fun outdoor family vacation in the white mountains ! Wait, did I already say it would be fun ? Oh my gosh, I’m starting to sound like you
Haha, you are adorable, Linda! You know getting out there is on my bucket list! I’ll keep you posted! As for cornstarch vs. flour, I actually think both could work but I mostly use cornstarch because I like the finished baked texture a little better. If you try this with flour as a thickener, let me know how it turns out!
Can’t wait to try this when the rhubarb is ready. It is up but needs some sunny days! This sauce is from Betty Crocker and is a constant at our house during rhubarb season. We have it on pancakes, ice cream, pudding, cottage cheese and plain yogurt. It is simple and keeps well in the fridge.
Rhubarb Sauce: Cut enough rhubarb into 1 inch pieces to measure 4 c. (about 1 lb). Heat 3/4 to 1 cup sugar and 1/2 c. water to boiling in 2-quart saucepan, stirring occasionally. Add rhubarb; reduce heat. Simmer uncovered until rhubarb is tender and slightly transparent, about 10 minutes; refrigerate.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce: Substitute 1 cup fresh strawberries, cut into halves, for 1 c. of the rhubarb. After cooking rhubarb, stir in strawberries.
Thanks, Ellen – that rhubarb sounds amazing!
Absolutely love rhubarb! My favorites are rhubarb cobbler and an amazing sour cream rhubarb pie with a crumble top. The pie is my son’s favorite.
Yum! That pie sounds amazing! 🙂
Thank you Mel for this recipe! I’m a California girl originally from Michigsn and I miss me some rhubarb!! I can never have too many rhubarb recipes. I can’t wait to try this.
Thanks, Connie! Hope you love it if you try it!
I have never used rhubarb, but this recipe has convinced me to give it a try! It actually reminds me of your easy apple pie I made over the weekend, since they both have a lovely topping. I love how incredibly easy this looks like it is to make…just my speed.
I think you’d like this, Lauren!
I love Rhubarb. My grandmother’s rhubarb pie is my ultimate favorite treat ever. I’ve never mastered it. But I have mastered Rhubarb Crisp. This is my favorite recipe: https://www.marthastewart.com/341350/rhubarb-crisp. I love the oats in the topping. Thanks Mel!
Funny how those grandmas have recipes that just can’t be mastered by us granddaughters! I have the same issue with several of my grandma’s recipes. 🙂
This is the first year our rhubarb has done well in Boise, too, after 4 years of trying! It’s been strange for me bc I’m from the Midwest where it grows like crazy and people can’t give enough away! Will definitely try this soon!
I agree, Alli! In Wisconsin and Minnesota, our rhubarb plants were insane!
How much addition rhubarb would replace the strawberries? I love rhubarb!
Not sure, I haven’t made it with all rhubarb. Good luck if you try it!
I love make strawberry rhubarb jam. I’ve made it several different ways but my favorite is just to cook the rhubarb a little to soften it and then add it to a regular strawberry freezer jam recipe.
Yum!
I love rhubarb too! Got it from my mom. It typically grows really well up here in MN too. Unfortunately, all my rhubarb is currently under a heap of snow since spring has not arrived here yet. Here are two rhubarb recipes that I love and my family does too!
https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/canning-101-rhubarb-cinnamon-jam-recipe/
and
http://www.flourarrangements.org/2012/05/almost-health-food/ (lemon rhubarb bundt cake) My second son often requests this for his birthday.
Oooh, I’m going to make that jam! Thank you!