Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

Bake a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie like grandma used to make. The perfect dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream – yum!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe - Savory Nothings (1)

Pie is one of my all-time favorite desserts. I love everything about it: The sweet filling, the flaky pie crust, the bit of pie crust where the fruit juice kind of seeps into it…

So, is it inappropriate to call this the best recipe for strawberry rhubarb pie? Well, maybe. But it is the best to me, so I’m going to roll with it. It has such a delicious, jammy filling. AND a super easy homemade pie crust that bakes up flaky and crispy.

If you’re short on time, feel free to use a ready made crust – with three kids at home, I’m definitely past the “100% homemade, 100% of the time” stage when it comes to cooking and baking ?

Ingredients you’ll need

Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for quantities!

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Ingredient notes

  • Fruit: I have tested this recipe with fresh fruit, not with frozen. Frozen fruit generally releases more liquid than fresh fruit when used in pie fillings, so if you’re using frozen fruit, you will want to add 2 extra tablespoons of cornstarch.
  • Sugar: Using all white sugar is fine if you don’t have any light brown sugar on hand.
  • Minute tapioca: Make sure to use tapioca clearly labelled as “minute tapioca”, else the filling may not thicken enough.
  • Pie crust: I used my easy homemade pie crust in this recipe. You can use your favorite homemade or store-bought refrigerated or frozen pie crust. This is a double crust pie, so plan accordingly. Defrost froze crust according to package directions before using.

How to make a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Please note: If you are making your own crust, you will need to have that in the refrigerator at least 1-2 hours before you’re planning to assemble the pie! You’ll want to divide the crust into two discs to refrigerate, for easy rolling later.

1. Start by rolling out one of your crusts, then fit it into a buttered 9-inch deep dish pie plate. Place the dish in the fridge – this helps to develop a flaky crust later!

2. Assemble the filling – just combine all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir well!

3. Spread the filling in the prepared crust and dot with diced butter.

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4. Roll the top crust into a ~10-inch circle. For a lattice crust, cut it into strips and assemble on top of the pie filling as follows:

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5. Once you have weaved all of the crust strips over the top of your pie, use clean kitchen shears to trim the overhang all around the pie. Crimp the edges to seal.

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6. Brush the crust with egg white and sprinkle with sugar (you may use coarse sugar if you have it, but regular is just fine).

7. Bake the pie according to the instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, then let it cool before slicing to serve.

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Recipe tips

What does a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie taste like?

Since the rhubarb is quite tart, the filling has quite a tang to it.

But we’re balancing this tartness with sweet strawberries (and sugar, of course), for a sweet-tart, very fruity and jammy filling.

Do you have to peel rhubarb for pie?

It’s not necessary to peel rhubarb, unless you have very coarse, thick stalks.

Don’t worry, the rhubarb skin is not poisonous. BUT if you have garden-fresh rhubarb, make sure to remove the leaves, because these are toxic.

How do you thicken a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie?

The thing with Strawberry Rhubarb Pie filling is that it has the tendency to end up runny. Rhubarb releases quite a lot of water as it cooks, and strawberries soften up a lot as well.

To counteract this, you will need to add thickeners to your filling. There are recipes out there using flour, but I REALLY do not like how it kind of makes the filling past-y and flour-y.

Instead, we’re using tapioca and cornstarch to bind and thicken the filling.

Also, make sure to cut enough air vents in the top crust (if you don’t want to bother with a lattice crust) – this will allow the steam to evaporate as the pie bakes.

What pie dish should I use?

I tested this recipe in a deep 9-inch pie dish. I have never tried a different size dish, so I cannot recommend any substitutions.

This is the exact one I have on Amazon (FYI, this is an affiliate link and I make a commission for purchases made after clicking through) – it’s so pretty, I love it!

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Storage tips

Should you refrigerate strawberry rhubarb pie?

You can leave a baked fruit pie covered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.

I do refrigerate a fruit pie if I want super clean slices though!

Freezer tips

Wrap the unbaked pie well in a double layer of foil, label and freeze for up to 3 months.

To bake, unwrap the pie and bake it from frozen as the recipe states. Add about 15 minutes of baking time at the end.

Fruit tends to be more watery after freezing, so if you know you’re going to freeze your pie for later, you may want to add an extra tablespoon or two of cornstarch to the filling.

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PSIf you try this recipe, please leavea review in the comment section and add a star rating in the recipe card – I appreciate your feedback! Follow along onPinterest,FacebookorInstagram.

Printable recipe

Printable Recipe Card

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe - Savory Nothings (16)

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Bake a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie like grandma used to make! The best dessert with a scoop of ice cream to go with the fruity filling & buttery crust.

Recipe by Nora from Savory Nothings

made it? tap the stars to add your rating!

5 from 8 votes

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Recipe details

Prep 1 hour hr

Cook 1 hour hr

Cooling Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings 10 slices

Difficulty Easy

Ingredients

Pie Crust (OR use ready-made double crust)

  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ cup cold unsalted butter diced
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup ice-cold water

Pie Filling

  • 3 cups sliced rhubarb 1-inch pieces
  • 3 cups strawberries quartered
  • 1 cup sugar
  • cup light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup minute tapioca
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Pinch of salt

To Finish

  • 2 tablespoons butter diced
  • 1 egg white beaten
  • granulated sugar

Instructions

Make the crust:

  • Blend dry ingredients and butter:

    Mix flour and sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and blend using pastry blenders or your fingers until you have a bowl filled with crumbs.

  • Make pastry:

    Mix vinegar and water in a measuring jug. Slowly pour over dry ingredients and mix just until it comes together into a dough. Push into a ball. Do not knead or overwork! Divide into 2 disks, wrap in foil and chill for 1 hour.

  • Roll out bottom crust: Place 1 disk of the pastry between 2 sheets of baking parchment. Roll into a circle slightly larger than a 9 inch pie dish. Fit into the lightly greased pie dish and place back into the fridge to chill.

Assemble pie:

  • Prep:

    Preheat oven to 420°F.

  • Mix filling ingredients:

    Place all ingredients for the filling in a large bowl and mix well. Pour into prepared bottom crust. Evenly dot with the diced butter.

  • Add top crust:

    Remove the second disk of dough from the fridge and roll into a 10 inch circle between two sheets of baking parchment. You can either place it on top as a whole (make sure to cut some air vents into the top if doing this!) OR cut it into strips to make a lattice. The lattice is a bit of a pain with this crust… But it looks pretty and helps the filling to thicken and set as more liquid can evaporate.

  • Crimp edge:

    Pinch together the edges of the top and bottom crust, then crimp. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Bake the pie:

  • Hot bake:

    Bake the pie on the bottom rack for 10 minutes at 420°F. Place a pie shield or aluminum foil over the edge once these 15 minutes are up.

  • Finish Baking:

    Lower the heat to 375°F and finish baking the pie for 35-45 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is baked. Cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Serve:

  • To get neat slices, cool overnight. If you want to eat the pie warm after a shorter cooling period, the filling will be a little more lose like in a crisp. But it's delicious either way!

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Notes

  • If using frozen fruit, add 2 more tablespoons of cornstarch to filling.
  • Additional white sugar is fine to use in place of the brown sugar.
  • If rhubarb stalks are very coarse/thick, peel before slicing.

Store baked and cooled piecovered with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 405kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 4gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 148mgPotassium: 223mgFiber: 2gSugar: 29gVitamin A: 540IUVitamin C: 28.5mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 1.8mg

Nutrition is an estimate.

More recipe information

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Traditional

Recipe first published on 03/20/2019. Updated with additional photos and better text on 05/15/2022.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe - Savory Nothings (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep a rhubarb pie from being runny? ›

Thankfully the science of baking has an easy trick up its sleeve to deal with this, and all it involves is tossing your rhubarb with some sugar. Mixing your fresh fruit with sugar and letting it sit is called maceration, and it helps draw excess liquid out of your rhubarb before it cooks out and leaves your pie soggy.

Do I need to peel rhubarb before baking? ›

Peeling rhubarb is rarely necessary. Most recipes require the rhubarb to be cut into batons. Using a paring knife, top and tail the stem, slice at an angle into the size that the recipe requires – this could vary from 1 inch chunks for quick-stewed rhubarb to longer batons for roasting or poaching.

Why is my rhubarb pie soggy? ›

Because there's a lot of moisture in rhubarb, it's common to get a soggy lower crust. A blast of higher heat when you first start baking helps prevent that.

Why is my strawberry pie not setting? ›

There are a few ways to prevent your strawberry pie from coming out runny. First, your recipe needs the right amount of cornstarch. Second, the cornstarch needs to be dissolved first in a cold liquid, then heated to its boiling point in order to fully activate its thickening power.

Why is my strawberry rhubarb pie soupy? ›

If you don't bake your pie at a high enough temp your thickener doesn't get to the necessary temperature for a long enough time to thicken your filling. Also, that high temp is needed to get your pie crust light & flaky. If needed, use a pie shield to help protect your crust from burning.

What is the best thickener for berry pies? ›

Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency. Tapioca starch is preferable for products that will be frozen because it will not break down when thawed. We like tapioca in blueberry, cherry or peach pies.

How to cook rhubarb without it going mushy? ›

Method. Put the rhubarb into a saucepan with the orange zest, juice, sugar and 2 tbsp water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 8 mins until the rhubarb is cooked but still holds its shape.

Why do you pull rhubarb instead of cutting? ›

To pick rhubarb, hold the stalk firmly, pull and twist. Do not use a knife to cut the stalks from the plant. The knife can carry diseases from plant to plant, and the remaining stalk can be a point of entry for other pests.

How do you keep the bottom crust of a fruit pie from getting soggy? ›

Sprinkle dried breadcrumbs or crushed cornflakes, or other types of cereal, on the bottom crust before filling and baking in the oven.

Should I egg wash the bottom pie crust? ›

Brushing on egg white will lead to a paler baked good with a very good shine. An egg white only egg wash is useful for brushing on the bottom of blind-baked pie crusts to create a watertight barrier between the filling and the crust. Or it can be used to help sugar adhere to pastry.

How to keep strawberry pie from being runny? ›

Berry pies need starch to help thicken the filling because berries give off a lot of juice when they cook. For a typical nine inch pie, you need two tablespoons of flour, cornstarch, or tapioca starch. Tapioca is best because it sets clear, which let's the filling look bright and glossy.

How to make a fruit pie without a soggy bottom? ›

Crust dust is a 1:1 mixture of flour and granulated sugar. When baking a pie, especially a fruit pie, a couple of teaspoons of crust dust sprinkled into the bottom of the crust will help prevent the crust from becoming saturated with juicy filling as it bakes.

How to keep pie filling from being runny? ›

Adding Thickener

A thickener prevents the filling from being too watery by adding a substance that will absorb some of the liquid that seeps out of the fruit. A small amount of thickener should not alter the flavor of your pie. Use cornstarch as a thickener.

How do you firm up pie filling? ›

Types of Pie Thickeners
  1. All-Purpose Flour. Flour is a popular thickener for sauces and soups, and it can be used to add body to your fruit filling. ...
  2. Cornstarch. ...
  3. Arrowroot. ...
  4. Quick-Cooking Tapioca. ...
  5. Instant ClearJel.
Oct 29, 2018

What can I use to thicken rhubarb? ›

In a large bowl, fold together the drained rhubarb and tepid cornstarch-thickened rhubarb and orange juice. Spoon the filling into the prepared crust, and spread it evenly with a rubber or metal spatula.

How do you get moisture out of rhubarb? ›

Macerate Your Rhubarb With Sugar To Draw Out Excess Liquid

Mixing fruit with sugar draws out moisture through the process of osmosis, which happens when water naturally balances out by migrating from the cells in your fruit to the dissolved sugar molecules on the surface, the same way it does with salt.

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