This homemade strawberry rhubarb pie has a flaky, buttery pie crust and a strawberry rhubarb filling that's both sweet and tart! Top with vanilla ice cream for the perfect summer dessert!
You might also like this classic cherry pie or this strawberry galette!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few ingredients to make this classic strawberry rhubarb pie!
Homemade Pie Crust - I use my homemade flaky pie crust for this strawberry rhubarb pie, but you can use whatever homemade pie crust you prefer.
Cornstarch - We use cornstarch to help thicken the filling, but you can also substitute flour or clear jel. This is a great guide for making those substitutions!
Vanilla Bean Paste - I like using vanilla bean paste because it has a much stronger, richer flavor! However, you can easily substitute pure vanilla extract.
Cinnamon Stick - This is totally optional, but I like adding a cinnamon stick to the filling for a very subtle cinnamon flavor. Just be sure to remove and discard before filling the pie!
Strawberries - I prefer fresh strawberries, but frozen will also work well for the filling! Just be sure to wash and hull the strawberries before cutting up for the filling.
Rhubarb - Rhubarb is a very tart spring vegetable that looks similar to celery and pairs beautifully with strawberries! The leaves of rhubarb are toxic so be sure to discard them, but luckily most of the rhubarb sold in stores already has the leaves removed. Choose rhubarb where the stalks are thin, crisp, and have a deep color.
I like to use half strawberries and half rhubarb for this filling so that it's equally sweet and tart! However, if you prefer a sweeter filling, you can substitute more strawberries instead. You just want to use about 6 cups of total fruit!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
How to Make Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
I think we can all agree that runny, soggy fruit pies are the worst! My number one tip for making sure your strawberry rhubarb pie isn't runny, is to pre-cook the filling! It only takes about 15 minutes and makes all the difference! You can also make the filling a day or two ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.
This recipe was developed using fresh strawberries and rhubarb, but you can also use frozen if that's all you can find. However, if you use frozen fruit, you definitely need to pre-cook the filling!
Wash and hull the strawberries and cut into 1 inch pieces. Discard any rhubarb leaves, then wash and trim the ends. Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1 inch pieces.
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, butter, salt, and the cinnamon stick.
Cook, stirring frequently, until the strawberries and rhubarb begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely to room temperature before filling the pie crust.
I use my Perfect Pie Crust recipe for this strawberry rhubarb pie and it's jam-packed with tons of tips and photos! It's a long post but definitely worth checking out if you want to learn to make amazing pie crust every time!
Prepare the Pie Crust dough and place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling. You can also make it a day or two before and let it chill until it's time to bake the pie!
Lightly flour your counter-top and roll out half of the pie dough to ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Roll the pie crust into the pie pan and cut away any excess crust.
Then roll out the top crust and cut into 2 inch wide strips (or keep it in one piece, you do you).
Pour the cooled strawberry rhubarb filling into the bottom crust and top with the strips in a lattice pattern. Cut and crimp the edges as desired.
Let the pie chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before baking. While the pie is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Before baking, lightly brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar if desired.
Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375°F for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges of the crust start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remainder of baking.
For best results, let the pie cool completely before serving to let the filling fully set.
Serve the fresh strawberry rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pie!
For all my pie recipes, I like to use my classic flaky pie crust! I have a whole blog post with tons of tips and tricks for perfect pie crust, but the most important are listed below. Be sure to check out the rest of our pie recipes too!
Keep it cold! The secret to a super flaky pie crust is keeping the dough cold at every step. Use cold butter and cold water while making the dough, and try to keep the dough as cold as possible while working with it. I often refrigerate my pies for at least 10-20 minutes after each step so that the dough stays as cold as possible. You want very cold dough going into a very hot oven for the best results!
Use a metal pie pan! Not all pie pans are created equal! Most pie pans on the market are either metal, glass, or ceramic. Overall, metal pie pans are the best of the best because they keep the crust very crispy and they're also the most durable and affordable. A fun alternative to classic aluminum pie pans that yields the same results is a cast iron skillet! I know ceramic pie plates certainly are pretty, but unfortunately the bottom crust just never gets crispy so I just don't recommend them.
Brush the crust with egg wash before baking! Brushing the crust with an egg was (just a beaten whole egg) before baking, gives a beautiful, glossy, golden brown appearance! For savory pies I like to sprinkle with flaky sea salt and for dessert pies I like to sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
Par bake for extra crispy crust! For pies with more runny fillings (like a berry pie or custard based pie), par baking the crust before filling helps ensure a super crispy bottom! It also helps prevent overcooking the filling. Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is just beginning to brown. [Note: unfortunately this won't work with double crust pies]
Let it rest! Letting the pie rest for a bit after removing from the oven helps the filling thicken up and prevents a runny pie. For pies that you want to eat immediately while they're still hot, it's still best to let it rest for 20-30 minutes before cutting so that the filling can thicken up slightly. But for fruit pies or custard pies, letting the pie rest for at least 4-6 hours is ideal!
Recipe FAQ's
This strawberry rhubarb pie is best eaten the same day, but will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. To reheat, bake at 350°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through.
This happens when the pie isn't cooked long enough, or there wasn't enough thickening agent added. But if you pre-cook the filling, you'll never have a runny pie again!
Absolutely! Frozen strawberries are a given, but frozen rhubarb can be hard to find in stores, but if you happen to have some in the freezer feel free to use it. The best part of pre-cooking the filling is that you never have to worry about it being too runny if using frozen fruit!
Rhubarb has a very tart flavor that's similar to a green apple (which is why it pairs so beautifully with sweet strawberries). It's crunchy and has a similar texture to celery when raw, but when cooked becomes perfectly soft.
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
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Recipe Card
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Special Equipment
Ingredients
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
- 1 homemade pie crust
- 3 cups strawberries, 1 inch pieces
- 3 cups rhubarb , 1 inch pieces
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional
Top With
- 1 egg , beaten for egg wash
- sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Wash and hull the strawberries and cut into 1 inch pieces. Discard any rhubarb leaves, then wash and trim the ends. Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1 inch pieces.
- In a large pot over medium heat, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, butter, salt, and the cinnamon stick.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until the strawberries and rhubarb begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely to room temperature before filling the pie crust.
- Prepare your favorite homemade pie dough and place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling. You can also make it a day or two before and let it chill until it's time to bake the pie!
- Lightly flour your counter-top and roll out half of the pie dough to ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Roll the pie crust into the pie pan and cut away any excess crust.
- Then roll out the top crust and cut into 2 inch wide strips (or keep it in one piece, you do you).
- Pour the cooled strawberry rhubarb filling into the bottom crust and top with the strips in a lattice pattern. Cut and crimp the edges as desired.
- Let the pie chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before baking. While the pie is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Before baking, lightly brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar if desired.
- Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 375°F for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges of the crust start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remainder of baking.
- For best results, let the pie cool completely before serving to let the filling fully set.
- Serve the fresh strawberry rhubarb pie with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.