This classic All Rhubarb Pie is tart, sweet, and a bit old-fashioned in the best possible way. It starts with an easy-to-make flaky, buttery pie crust and then gets filled with a fresh rhubarb filling that is the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
I love rhubarb so much that I decided I needed an all rhubarb pie recipe on the site, even though I also have a Homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Pie that we love. Both are delicious and both deserve attention when rhubarb is in season, especially if you happen to have a rhubarb plant growing out of control in the backyard. I always freeze rhubarb to have some on hand so we can enjoy this pie all year long!
This recipe is about as easy as it gets if you are a regular pie baker and if you're new to baking pies, this is a great option to start with! It is classic, simple, and most definitely a crowd-pleaser.
I can go for a good pie pretty much any time of the year, but especially during the summer when it's the season for fresh fruit pies! If you're looking for some ideas you'll definitely want to try out my Fresh Strawberry Pie, this to die for Southern Peach Pie Perfection or even my personal favorite Homemade Razzleberry Pie!
Let's Talk Rhubarb!
Most people tend to stray from rhubarb. It's kind of that unknown plant that is tangy and you see in desserts from time to time, but it seems odd to put it into a pie. I know it might sound kind of strange if you're not used to working with it. But we all really enjoy it (my kids especially go crazy for rhubarb desserts) and I know you will too in this delicious recipe!
You will typically start seeing rhubarb pop up on the grocery store shelves in late spring, between April and June. It has a short season which is why we love to stock up, freeze it, and be able to enjoy rhubarb treats all year round! This especially comes in handy during those holidays when you're wishing you could get your hands on some rhubarb and whip up a quick delicious pie!
Rhubarb is technically a vegetable but actually does better in fruity dessert recipes. Just like you would use carrots for carrot cake, or zucchini and pumpkin for pies and bread, rhubarb is a veggie that is perfect for these kinds of recipes.
In this recipe we are going to leave out those fruits that you often see paired with rhubarb such as strawberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries, and apples. Adding these can be delicious, but there is nothing quite like an unapologetic, solid rhubarb pie. Therefore we are going to keep it simple without adding any fruit competition for our mouth and still turn out with a tart and jammy-like filling that is so satisfying.
How to Make The Perfect Pie Crust
This recipe calls for a basic pie crust that I use in most of my pies. It is so simple and is the perfect go-to when baking the pie! I tell you how to make it in the recipe card, but I also go into much more detail and answer questions in my post for How to Make a Perfect Pie Crust. There is even a video if you are more of a visual learner!
What You'll Need for the Filling
- Rhubarb: You'll want to look for fresh rhubarb with those vibrant red and green stalks. The color really doesn't matter as both taste the same, although if you only have stalks that are more on the greenish side, you might want to consider adding a drop or two of red food coloring (affiliate link) to the filling to make it a little more visually appealing.
- Sugar: Rhubarb can be pretty tart on its own so added sweetness from granulated sugar is necessary for a perfect pie.
- Flour: A little bit of flour is going to help your filling thicken up really nicely.
- Egg: The egg is going to be beaten and then gently brushed on top of the crust to help give it that nice golden brown color.
How to Make Rhubarb Pie
- Toss rhubarb, flour, and sugar. Mix these ingredients into a large bowl and then dump them into the first layer of crust that you have already placed into your pie plate (affiliate link).
- Add butter. I like to cut the butter into small piece and them place them evenly on top of the filling. This allows for even distribution while baking. The butter adds richness and dimension to the pie filling.
- Cover with the top layer of crust. Trim the edges of the crust, if necessary, and tuck them under for a clean finish. I like to crimp or press the edges of the crust to make it look pretty and then cut slits for vents in the top of the pie. Or you could go all out and make a lattice pie crust design on top!
- Add egg to the crust. Beat your egg and then simply brush it over the crust. This is going the help give that nice golden brown color that we all love. You can even sprinkle on some granulated sugar to give it a nice sparkly, crunch on top!
- Bake and enjoy! Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly! You'll want to let the pie cool for 3 hours before servings.
How To Serve The Best Rhubarb Pie
The pie needs the full 3 hours to set up. If you want to serve it warm and it has cooled to room temperature, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave or place the whole pie back in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes before serving. Definitely plan on serving it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
How do I thicken my filling?
Regular all-purpose flour makes a great thickener for rhubarb pie. The vegetable doesn't release nearly the same amount of liquid as many fruit pies, so the amount in the recipe is just right so the pie sets up without being overly gummy or too runny (neither of which is very tasty).
Cornstarch and tapioca are other traditional pie thickeners, and would also work, but I like flour best for this particular pie.
Do you need to refrigerate rhubarb pie?
This pie can be covered loosely and kept at room temperature for up to 2 days or so. You can refrigerate for up to 5 days to make it last longer if you prefer. It never lasts that long in our house though.
More mouth-watering rhubarb recipes!
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Bars
- Strawberry Rhubarb Coffee Cake
- Easy Rhubarb Breakfast Cake
- Rhubarb BBQ Sauce
- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Rhubarb Cream Cheese Muffins
Sweets & Treats
Layered Rhubarb Pudding Dessert
Cobblers, Crumbles, & Crisps
Rhubarb Crisp
Ice Cream
Rhubarb Crumble Ice Cream
Did you make this recipe?
Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.
Rhubarb Pie
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour + extra for the work surface
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon table salt
- 12 Tablespoons salted butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces and chilled
- ½ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
- 6-8 Tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 5 cups sliced rhubarb
- 1 â…“ cups granulated sugar + extra for sprinkling on top
- 8 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon salted butter
- 1 large egg, beaten
Instructions
Crust
- Stir together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor (affiliate link), cut the shortening and butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. It is only about 10 pulses with a food processor (affiliate link) but a bit more work by hand.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Using a fork, gently stir the water in to the flour mixture, then repeat with the remaining water, adding only 2 tablespoons at a time, just until the dough starts to come together.
- Divide the dough in two. Turn each piece of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten each into a disc, then wrap it tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour until ready to use.
Filling
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Roll out the bottom crust on a floured surface, using additional flour on top of the crust as needed to keep it from sticking to the rolling pin (affiliate link). It should be slightly larger than a 9-inch pie plate (affiliate link). Start by working from the center of the dough out toward the edges and just press the crust back together if you get tears. Transfer the bottom crust to the pie plate (affiliate link). This is easiest to do by first loosening the crust from the counter by sliding a bench scraper or thin metal spatula under the crust, then rolling the crust onto your rolling pin (affiliate link) to lift and move it over to the pie plate (affiliate link). Set aside.
- In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb with the sugar and flour, then pour all of it into the bottom pie crust. Cut the butter into small pieces and distribute them around the top of the filling.
- Roll out the remaining crust, then transfer it to cover the top of the pie filling. Trim the edges of the crust, if necessary, and tuck them under for a clean finish. Crimp or press the edges of the crust in a decorative manner. Cut slits for vents in the top of the pie.
- Beat the egg and brush it over the top of the pie. This will give the crust a nice golden finish. You can even sprinkle the pie with 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar or coarse sugar for a sparkly, crunchy finish on top.
- Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F without opening the oven door. Continue to bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Remove the pie from the oven and cool at least 3 hours (or even longer) for the pie to set up. Slice and serve.
Notes
- The pie needs the full 3 hours to set up. If you want to serve it warm and it has cooled to room temperature, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave or place the whole pie back in a 350 degree F oven for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition
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I don't use food coloring, I use jello and decrease sugar a little bit from recipe ..Jello strawberry, cherry, which ever you prefer...
Made this pie and it turned out perfect. I added some strawberries to the recipe too.
What's the difference of using flour or cornstarch, when you make your sugar mixture
Both will work as pie thickeners for this pie. You could use an equal amount of either one. Cornstarch tends to create more of a gel than flour in most pies and I don't often use flour as my primary pie thickener, but it works great with rhubarb.