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 perfect—every 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 crust—leaving all the pooled liquid behind.
Also in the filling: orange juice. Just a smidge of it—1 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. 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?
PrintStrawberry 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 crust (my recipe makes 2 crusts; 1 for bottom 1 for top)
- 3 cups (about 300g) sliced rhubarb (1/2 inch pieces)
- 2 and 1/2 cups (about 380g) 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 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
- optional: coarse sugar for garnish
Instructions
- The crust: Prepare my pie crust recipe through step 5.
- Make the filling: Stir the rhubarb, strawberries, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, orange juice, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Set filling aside as the oven preheats.
- Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
- 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 filling—discard it). Dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling.
- Arrange 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 – 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 350°F (177°C) 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.
- Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: This a great pie to make 1 day in advance since it is so juicy – the filling will have time to set overnight. The pie crust dough can also be prepared 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
Best strawberry rhubarb pie EVERRRRR!!!!!! THANK YOU
I used canned raspberry filling with the rhubarb…so good
I was hoping to make this for Thanksgiving but can’t find rhubarb, fresh or frozen. Any suggestions for the rhubarb? I’ve read cranberries or tart apples. What do you think?
You can definitely replace with the same amount of another fruit or simply use more strawberries. Happy baking!
My first strawberry rhubard pie ever and it was sooooooo good. Great recipe! Can’t wait for next season for fresh ingedients to make this one again!
Very good recipe. Easy to follow and delicious outcome!
I made 6 mini pies following your recipe! So yummy
Thank you!
I always stew my rhubarb when I harvest it and then freeze it in one cup portions. Do you know how much stewed rhubarb is equal to three cups fresh?
Love your carrot and lemon cake recipes, even the chocolate chip cookies and banana bread but this … I feel betrayed! Perhaps most of the sweetness settles in the liquid mix you’re spooning your filling from but, this was the most bitter pie I’ve ever tasted. One bite and my husband had to stop me from tossing the whole thing out. We’ve had rhubarb pie before and were pleasantly surprised; unfortunately this time around, it wasn’t a good surprise.
Should I wait for the pie to cool before freezing ??
Hi Sally- For best results, let the pie cool to room temperature before freezing it.
I want to make this for my fiancé’s birthday however he wants pure rhubarb, no strawberry. How should I doctor the recipe?
Is there a way to make the pie filling pureed? I have terrible texture problems and my husband would love me to make this
Hi Charity! I wouldn’t recommend pureeing this filling– it will be very liquidy and may not set up properly.
I just made this pie using frozen rhubarb and store bought frozen sliced strawberries. I had no choice since rhubarb season is over. I mixed the frozen berries & rhubarb with the filling ingredients. It was very watery so I dumped it all in a large fry pan. I cooked it on low until some of the water evaporated. I let it cool while I rolled out the crust. I had to cook it 10 minutes longer. It is the best rhubarb pie I ever made!!
Hi, really excited to bake this, just wondering, once the filling has set, can you reheat the pie briefly to serve it warm? Or is it better to eat cooled…!?
Thanks, Emily
Yes, you can reheat it and serve it warm. Enjoy!
Since I’m gluten free I want to attempt this with a store bought GF crust. The instructions have me pre baking the crust I think? (not a pie baker here, lol) just wondering how I should go about this with a store bought crust. I know it wont be as delicious as yours but gotta take what I can get being GF. Should I unfreeze the crust as it is then follow your directions? Their directions say to thaw crust for 10-20 min, then bake for 10-14…Not sure what to do.
Hi Kristi, We haven’t tested this pie with a store bought crust. I wonder if their pre baking instructions are for use with a no-bake pie? But either way, I recommend thawing it following the package directions (just until not frozen but still cold) and then filling it and baking. Let us know how it turns out!
Absolutely amazing pie!! Followed recipes for both pie and crust and it was perfection. (Probably the prettiest pie ever made too). I did bake the pie and let it set overnight before serving and I think that is probably the best route. Flavors always taste better after they set.
Thanks again for this recipe, it’s definitely a keeper! ❤️
You are my hero! Seriously, if I knew you, I would find you and hug you. Covid be damned. I have never been able to make pie crust. I mean, I can bake like crazy, bread, cookies, cakes, eclairs, English muffins… yet pie crust eluded me. But the pile of rhubarb in the store this morning called to me. I was determined to try again. I used your recipe and now have an actual pie in the oven!! Hallelujah!!
Hey Sally – I made this pie along with your crust recipe. The crust turned out fantastic, perfectly flaky and moist (used the vodka trick!). However, the filling itself was almost too dry, and the rhubarb was still crunchy after baking. I cut it into inch long strips but it was quite thick, so maybe I should have cut it thinner/shorter? I’m wondering if I had had more liquid in the pie if it would have cooked through better. Perhaps I spooned out TOO much of the sugary liquid. Any suggestions welcome; I’d love to give it another go.
Hi Jennifer, I’m so glad you tried this pie and enjoyed the pie crust recipe. Slicing the rhubarb into smaller pieces will definitely help it cook a little faster.
I followed the recipe exactly, but unfortunately my pie came out waaay too tart. Maybe my rhubarb was unusually tart?? I might try it again, but with more sugar next time.
I did not like this pie at all. As a few others have mentioned, the crust was far too salty. The crust texture was ok. I made the lattice topping which looks really great when the pie comes out, but is messy when you cut into it. The pie was not sweet enough either.
How would I do use this filling for mini muffin tin pies?
Hi Breanna, If using a 12-count standard muffin pan you can cut the pie dough into 3 or 3.5 inch circles, press into the muffin pan and spoon the filling into each. I’m unsure of the bake time needed.
It was my first time making my own pie crust and it was perfect. Sally’s baking addiction is my go to website for all my baking questions and recipes. Her directions are so easy to follow and very descriptive and I love that she adds videos to some as well. I went from having no confidence with my baking to actually really enjoying it. Thank you
This recipe for both pie and crust is so good I’ve made it twice in 3 days because it went so quick! The pie crust is perfect and flaky, and the filling is the perfect combination of tart and sweet. Second time around I wanted to use up the rest of my freshly picked strawberries so I just adjusted the ratio accordingly and it still turned out perfect. Sooo good!
Hi Sally. So I forgot the butter and didn’t have orange juice. I know butter makes everything better but I don’t know how this could’ve been any better. Perfect amount of sugar! It was wonderful!thank you once again!
Picked a random recipe and made this tonight. Good grief! Best pie recipe I’ve made. My old recipe is history. I will use this from now on. Ridiculously good!
I made two pies. Can I bake them at the same time?
Thanks!
Hi Ashley, You can, just rotate them half way through the bake time and don’t be surprised if they take an extra few minutes in the oven.
should I let the mixture strain out befor I put it in a shell the rhubarb is frozen but not the strawberries looks really wet
Hi Barbara, Yes, when you spoon the filling into the crust, leave all of the excess liquid in the bowl (you don’t want that in the filling– discard it).
This is my new favorite pie! My favorite dessert is pie but I’ve never tried rhubarb before. I got curious and found some at the market and I’m so happy I tried this recipe! So yummy, no wonder this is such a popular combination. My pie came out perfectly, I used your pie crust recipe (always a winner) and the pie set up beautifully! Had a slice with a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream, just like you suggested. This won’t be the last time ai make this pie!
Hey Sally! I am so excited to try this! Can I sub fresh raspberries for fresh strawberries?
Sure can, Chelsey!
Where does the 2 tablespoon of butter come in. I dont see it in the directions?
Hi Julie, At the end of step 4 you will dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling. Enjoy!
Hi Sally,
This time I made your Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with your Streusel topping. I was not sure if I should have put the two tablespoons of dotted butter in since the streusel has butter. I had already cut up the two tablespoons, but only used half of it. Please advise. Also I am just curious what the 1 Tab. of orange ads or does? We didn’t have an orange or any juice, but my husband did pick some OJ up. I didn’t want to leave it out. If you made a larger quantity, could you also use streusel for the bottom crust? Thank you very much!
Hi Jacque, if using a streusel topping with butter, you could definitely skip the 2 Tbsp of butter added on top of the filling. The OJ adds a bit of flavor. I don’t recommend streusel for the bottom crust unless you wanted to serve this more as a fruit crisp or cobbler and not as slices.
Hi Sally I’m using frozen rhubarb and frozen strawberries will that make the pie too juicy? Should I dry thoroughly before mixing and placing in pie crust to bake?
Hi Faye, We don’t recommend using frozen strawberries for this pie. We haven’t tested this with frozen rhubarb, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you thaw it first just blot some of the moisture off.