Food & Cooking Recipes Ingredients Fruit Rhubarb Compote 5.0 (1) All you need are three ingredients to make this sweet-tangy spread. Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Total Time: 25 mins Servings: 32 Yield: 4 cups Jump to recipe To make our easy, tangy rhubarb compote, you’ll need just 25 minutes and three simple ingredients—rhubarb, sugar, and fresh ginger. Even better, there’s no special equipment or complicated technique required: Simply combine the sugar and rhubarb in a saucepan, cook the mixture briefly (we’re talking just five minutes), then finish it off with a touch of ginger. With minimal effort, you’ll be rewarded with a sweet-tart condiment fit for spooning onto everything from pancakes and ice cream to your cheeseboard. Our rhubarb compote makes an excellent homemade gift and is a delicious, unique way to celebrate the spring vegetable’s short season. How to Eat Rhubarb, a Delicious Spring Food That Can Be Sweet or Savory Credit: Jacob Fox Compote vs. Jam While compote and jam are both condiments made primarily with fresh or frozen fruit and sugar, they differ in terms of texture. Jam typically features mashed or crushed fruit and is more spreadable (though it's still thicker and more textured than jelly). Compote, on the other hand, is made with chopped or sliced fruit and has a chunkier, more rustic texture. How to Buy and Store Rhubarb You're likely to see rhubarb popping up at the grocery store or farmers' market from April to June. When shopping for rhubarb, look for firm, healthy-looking stalks free of brown spots and blemishes. Contrary to popular belief, color is not really an indicator of sweetness, so feel free to grab whatever pieces look best to you, whether bright green, pink, or ruby red. Storing Rhubarb If the rhubarb you've purchased has leaves attached, you'll want to trim and discard them as they contain a toxin that can be harmful to humans and animals. (Wait to wash the rhubarb before storing it, though.) Transfer rhubarb to a resealable bag, leave it slightly open, and store it in the crisper drawer where it should stay fresh for one to two weeks. Fresh ginger: Use the edge of a spoon, not a vegetable peeler, to remove the skin from your knob of ginger. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife can remove more of the flesh than necessary. Directions Credit: Jacob Fox Combine rhubarb and sugar: Stir together rhubarb and sugar in a large saucepan (off heat); let stand until rhubarb releases some liquid, about 10 minutes. Credit: Jacob Fox Cook rhubarb mixture, stirring: Bring rhubarb mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat; simmer, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb has broken down but some whole pieces remain, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Credit: Jacob Fox Squeeze juice from ginger, stir into compote: Place ginger in a fine-mesh sieve set over a small bowl. Press down firmly with a spoon until juices are released (to yield about 1 teaspoon). Discard solids. Stir ginger juice into rhubarb mixture. Let sauce cool completely before serving. If you don't have a fine-mesh sieve, place rhubarb in a piece of cheesecloth, then twist firmly to extract as much liquid as possible. Credit: Jacob Fox How to Store Rhubarb Compote Once cooled, rhubarb compote can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze the compote for up to 3 months. Be sure to leave at least 1/2 inch of headspace in the container, as the compote will expand in the freezer. How to Serve Rhubarb Compote There are so many ways to put this rosy, tangy compote to use. Breakfast Try spreading the rhubarb compote onto toast or biscuits, or pair it with berry sconesSpoon it onto pancakes or waffles.It's also delicious layered with yogurt and granola and/or fruit to form parfaits. Dessert Top slices of cheesecake or poundcake with rhubarb compote.Use it as a topping for ice cream. Cheese and Charcuterie Boards Rhubarb compote also shines in savory applications: Add a small dish with the compote to cheese and charcuterie boards for a sweet yet tangy touch. Variations We love the subtle kick a touch of fresh ginger adds to this simple recipe, but you can swap it out for: Citrus: a teaspoon of citrus zestVanilla: a scraped vanilla bean, or a teaspoon of vanilla extract. (If using extract, add it at the end. If adding citrus zest or a vanilla bean to the compote rather than ginger, simmer them with the rhubarb for the best flavor. 5 More Fruit Condiment Recipes to Try Citrus-Vanilla Compote Quick Pear Chutney Rhubarb-Raspberry Jam Persimmon Compote Pomegranate Relish Updated by Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds Esther Reynolds is an experienced recipe developer, recipe tester, food editor, and writer with over a decade of experience in the food and media industries.