It’s really, really good.
I’m so happy to finally share a solid strawberry rhubarb pie recipe with you. This is actually a recipe I played around with a few days ago and while I have weeks of content stored in my drafts, I couldn’t hold off on sharing this one.
How awesome are rhubarb desserts? It’s taken me years to warm up to them. Things like strawberry rhubarb pie, rhubarb crisp, crumble, cake, the whole rhubarb shebang. To be honest, strawberry rhubarb pie never stood a chance when I was growing up. Mom always had it around and while everyone else seemed to rave about it, I couldn’t get on board with… magenta celery pie. I mean when you’re 12, you’ll pretty much convince yourself anything and if rhubarb looks like celery, I’m certainly not eating it for dessert.
MY MY MY. Look how the tables have turned. Never did I imagine myself saying the words “my favorite strawberry rhubarb pie” and never did I imagine myself writing about it on the internet because the internet ties up mom and dad’s landline and I want to be a dolphin trainer when I grow up.
Also, what is a blog?
18 years later, magenta celery pie is at the top of my list. Let’s get right into it because I have a hankering this will be your favorite recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie too. It might even make the list of your favorite spring dessert recipes.
Strawberry and rhubarb are meant to be because the sweet flavor of strawberries balances out rhubarb’s tart/sour bite. Rhubarb is fantastic in pies, crumbles, crisps, and the sort because it needs all the sugar it can get. I like to use an almost equal amount of strawberries and rhubarb in the pie filling: about 3 cups of chopped rhubarb to 2 and 1/2 cups strawberries. Strawberries let out so much juice, so I like to have a slightly lower amount.
If you’ve never cooked or baked with rhubarb before, have no fear. It’s sold in the grocery store without its leaves (they’re toxic!) and can be prepped the same way as celery. Give the stalks a good wash, cut off both ends and slice. You’ll want 1/2 inch slices for this pie.
One common issue with strawberry rhubarb pie is the whole “mushy puddle” situation. Bottom line: the filling is known to be a soupy mess. I asked around and found that instant tapioca is usually the fix. I didn’t have any tapioca in my cupboards and wasn’t about to show my face in the grocery store AGAIN that day, so cornstarch was my choice. It was perfectโevery time I tried it. I didn’t have a sloppy problem when cutting into the pie using cornstarch, which is exactly what I was hoping for. To combat the mushy puddle situation, I simply spooned the filling into the crustโleaving all the pooled liquid behind.
Also in the filling: orange juice. Just a smidge of itโ1 Tablespoon. It pairs so wonderfully with strawberry and rhubarb. Mom likes to use a mix of brown and white sugars, which tugs at my heart strings. All hail brown sugar’s flavor!
Also: pats of butter to make things rich, just as we do with peach pie.
I haven’t even mentioned the pie crust yet! I always use my standard pie crust recipe because it’s the best of both worlds: flaky and buttery. A mix of shortening and butter produce the absolute best texture. I won’t get into too much detail today but shortening helps create that flaky, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Butter gets us that unparalleled flavor. Make sure both of these fats are cold. When the fat melts as the pie bakes, its steam helps to separate the crust into multiple flaky layers. You won’t get that with warm butter and warm shortening.
I used a lattice pie crust topping because it’s classic and beautiful. It’s my go-to way to decorate a pie and you can also see it on top of my blueberry pie and triple berry pie. You can also use any overhanging pie dough to crimp and flute the pie crust edges.
By the way, do you SEE those flaky layers in the crust? I want to bake 50 pies this summer just so I can eat this pie crust as much as possible.
Add coarse sugar on top for a little pie sparkle.
You can switch up the pie’s topping. Maybe you want a crumble topping like from my apple crumble pie? Go for it.
My only request is that you finish her off with a pile vanilla ice cream. There’s no other way to eat magenta celery pie, ok?
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 7 hours
- Yield: 1 pie
- Category: Pie
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This recipe turned me into a strawberry rhubarb pie fanatic! The pie holds together nicely and the homemade pie crust is phenomenal.
Ingredients
- homemade pie crustย (myย recipe makes 2 crusts; 1 for bottom 1 for top)
- 3 cups (about 300g) sliced rhubarbย (1/2 inch pieces)
- 2ย and 1/2 cups (aboutย 380g)ย chopped strawberries
- 1/3 cup (67g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (32g) cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon (15ml) orange juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1ย Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional:ย coarse sugar for garnish
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare my pie crust recipe through step 5.
- Make the filling:ย Stirย the rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, granulated sugar,ย cornstarch, salt,ย orangeย juice, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl.ย Set filling aside as the oven preheats.
- Preheat oven toย 400ยฐF (204ยฐC).
- Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the filling into the crust, leaving all of the excess liquid in the bowl (you don’t want that in the fillingโdiscard it). Dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling.
- Arrangeย the lattice: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips 1/2- to 1-inch wide. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small knife to trim off excess dough. Crimp the pie crust edges with a fork, if desired. (Alternatively, you can simply cover the filling with the 12-inch pie dough circle. Cut slits in the top to form steam vents. Trim and crimp the edges. Or a crumble or streusel topping would be great.)
- Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg/milk mixture. Sprinkle the top with a little coarse sugar, if desired.
- Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. The pie is done when the filling’s juices are bubbling all around the edges.
- Allow the pie to cool for 3ย full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and storeย in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Thisย a great pie to make 1 day in advance since it is so juicy – the filling will have time to set overnight.ย The pie crust dough can alsoย be preparedย ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared filling can be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Rolling Pin | 9-inch Pie Dish | Pizza Cutter or Pastry Wheel | Pastry Brush | Baking Sheet | Pie Crust Shield | Coarse Sprinkling Sugar
Reader Comments and Reviews
Excellent recipe! Pie was delicious! Thank you
This is the best strawberry rhubarb pie recipe I have ever used!
I have re-made this pie so many times; it’s a keeper. The fresh orange juice really brightens the flavour and just gives this pie a special something.
For anyone wondering – I have used frozen rhubarb to make this recipe. I thaw the rhubarb overnight, in a strainer over a bowl, then I pat it dry with paper towel to get as much water as possible out. I adjust the recipe only slightly by adding in 1/2-1 tbsp flour. I’ve done this a few times now and it has worked great. Rhubarb is in season for a short time, so I often freeze extra so that I can make this pie all summer long (I wouldn’t attempt it with frozen strawberries)
I have never made strawberry rhubarb pie before, so I gave this recipe a try, since someone was giving away rhubarb at church. I will say I was a little skeptical about not putting the liquid in with the pie filling, because I figured that was where all the sugar and cornstarch was, but it turned out perfect! Not too sweet or too tart and it was not a bit runny. I did use a roll out crust from the store, because I’m lazy like that, but it was still wonderful!
Sally, I love your recipes! My friend and I were on a moms’ get-a-way. We ended up discovering we BOTH love your recipes and are our “go-to” for all things baked. A true testament to your talent.
Dear Sally –
I made this pie for my mom’s birthday. She loved it, and we all GOBBLED it down. It was the best strawberry rhubarb pie ever (and we are serious pie people)! This will be going in my permanent collection. Thank you for a fantastic recipe. ๐
This is the best strawberry rhubarb pie recipe ever! I have made quite a few pies and I can unequivocally say this is the best recipe!
I made this and followed your recipe to the tea it turned out perfect.Thank you.First time I ve made a strawberry/rhubarb pie. Delicious.
This pie was outstanding, one of the best strawberry-rhubarb pies I’ve ever had. You need to ensure that the rhubarb is sliced thinly so that it cooks properly. I used a Cuisinart for the crust, and it came out perfectly. This is a keeper
If using frozen strawberries should i thaw them beforehand or bake frozen and increase the cornstarch?
Hi Mary-jane, For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.
Iโve made this recipe with fresh picked strawberries that I froze then thawed. Is was soggier than using fresh, but still delicious. I thawed and drained and filled all other instructions including not adding the juices when spooning filling into the shells after letting it sit .
Can you make this pie into mini pies? How long would they need to cook?
Hi Carrie, yes, absolutely. The bake time depends on the size of the mini pie dishes. The pies are done when the filling’s juices are bubbling all around the edges.
A great recipe. Probably the best pie Iโve ever baked. Never a miss with Sallyโs recipes. And definitely trust the process.
Hi! If I’m baking the pie a day in advance, should I refrigerate overnight or is it okay to leave out? I’m worried about the crust getting soggy in the fridge.
I recommend leaving it at room temperature.
Could use some more sugar in the filling but that might depend on the ripeness of the fruit. But I love the crust itโs amazingggg!
These bars are wonderful! Rhubarb and strawberry season are very short around here, but so good to have such a great recipe to make them shine!
Can you use frozen rhubarb – and if so, do you need to make any changes? When I thaw it there is always a lot of juice and not sure how much to add (or not).
Hi Phil! For best results, we strongly recommend using fresh strawberries and rhubarb in this pie. Frozen will add too much moisture to the filling.
I’ve made this with canned rhubarb. It’s better with fresh, but canned works–just drain it very well, and use a slotted spoon to transfer the filling to the crust, so you bring as little liquid as possible.
Hii, I was looking for a rhubarb and apple recipe but donโt want to risk not using one of sallys recipes do you think I could swap the strawberry for apples with minimal change to the end result? (as in consistency, obviously the taste will be different)
Hi Jess! We would try adding rhubarb to our apple cranberry pie (instead of cranberries), instead of trying to adapt this one, since strawberries have so much more moisture than apples. Let us know if you give it a try!
Great recipe! Nothing says welcome to summer like a strawberry rhubarb pi!
Has anyone saved the excess fruit juice and used it for anything? I have sooo much juice that came out of the filling mixture and hate to put it down the drain.
I plan to use the excess juice in a fruit mixture for dessert. It could be stirred into plain Greek yogurt as a flavouring.
This was a very simple and delicious pie! Everyone loved it at our church fellowship meal. It was perfect along side some vanilla ice cream as well. I will definitely be making it again!
Amazing recipe. Donโt change a thing. Crust recipe is perfect. The combo of butter and shortening made the flakiest crust. Filling has just the right amount of sweetness with the tartness of the rhubarb.
Love this recipe! Thank you! I adore your all butter pie dough as well. One thing I wish Iโd done was put the unbaked assembled pie back in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking as my crust shrunk up more than Iโd like. Otherwise delicious!