A simple recipe for rhubarb compote, or stewed rhubarb, without the added sugar. This simple recipe is refined sugar free and tastes fantastic. Delicious for dessert or a healthy breakfast.
Stewed rhubarb must be the quickest and simplest way to cook this strangely fruit-like vegetable. Yes - rhubarb is actually a vegetable!
In this easy recipe for healthy rhubarb compote all you need to do is:
- chop your rhubarb
- add in some sweetener
- and a little vanilla extract if you like, and
- pop it all in a saucepan for 15 minutes.
Why is rhubarb usually cooked with a lot of sugar?
Rhubarb has rather a tart taste that many people don't like.
For this reason it is usually cooked with lots of sugar. I took a quick look online for other rhubarb compote recipes and found that sugar was added that weighed anywhere from a tenth to a sixth the weight of the rhubarb used. That means that if you used 1kg of rhubarb you'd add at least 100g sugar.
As I'm trying to cut out unnecessary refined sugar from our diet wherever possible I use honey or maple syrup here.
Personally, I rather like the tart taste of rhubarb and so I just used a small amount.
If you prefer a sweeter taste you can increase this of course - just taste as you go. And if you want to go traditional and use caster sugar go for it - I'll never know!
How to cook rhubarb without sugar
Of course if you really want to cook rhubarb without sugar feel free to leave it out altogether.
Alternatively adding berries is a great way to naturally sweeten rhubarb, if you don't want to use honey or maple syrup. Strawberries go particularly well with rhubarb.
Try my strawberry rhubarb crumble.
Do you need to peel rhubarb?
No. I never peel my rhubarb. I do usually cut off both ends however and discard those.
Some people say that if the rhubarb is old and a bit thick then you should peel it but I have never done this.
When to serve this low sugar rhubarb compote
My healthier rhubarb compote is delicious however you serve it.
It's a lovely dessert with some yoghurt, or why not have it for breakfast with some bircher muesli? That's my favourite way to serve it.
See below for some other ways that you could use stewed rhubarb.
How to use your stewed rhubarb
- on top of pancakes for breakfast
- stirred through bircher muesli
- to make rhubarb muffins
- with granola
- mixed into Greek yoghurt
- as a crumble or pie filling
- in my rhubarb tea loaf recipe
- with strawberries for a gorgeous summer pudding
- with mead in a semifreddo as in this recipe by Jenny Eatwell's Rhubarb & Ginger
- as a filling for Danish pastries as seen on Jess Cantoni's blog.
Other healthy rhubarb recipes:
- Rhubarb and earl grey tea loaf
- Vegan rhubarb and ginger muffins
- Rhubarb and strawberry oven baked risotto
- Strawberry and rhubarb crumble
- Vegan healthy rhubarb bars
- Spiced rhubarb chutney
You may also like this mixed berry compote.
How to make simple spiced rhubarb compote
If you have made this recipe I would love it if you’d leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!
Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.
Simple rhubarb compote (refined sugar free)
Ingredients
- 400 g rhubarb ends cut off and discarded and then chopped
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick optional
- 2 star anise optional
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger optional
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup, honey or sugar of choice optional
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Put all the ingredients in a small saucepan over a low heat. Start with 2 tablespoon maple syrup or other sugar alternative and add more after cooking if needed.
- Stir well, cover the pan, and cook for 15 minutes, until the rhubarb is soften and broken down.
- Stir occasionally to stop it sticking.
- You can also roast the rhubarb if you prefer.
Notes
- This recipe serves two people. Simply increase the quantities depending on how much rhubarb you have if you need to feed more.
- Can be frozen once cooled.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only
Nutrition
Pin rhubarb compote for later
NB: this recipe was updated in June 2019. The original recipe used a smaller quantity of rhubarb and didn't contain the spices. If you prefer you can leave the spices out.
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Bernadette
Threw in a couple of apples and a little extra water, is tasting delicious. Wish I still had some rhubarb gin to pair it with
Mandy Mazliah
Sounds delicious - glad you enjoyed it Bernadette
Donna
I usually sweeten with a tiny amount of stevia, rhubarb compote is great on porridge
Mandy Mazliah
I love it on porridge too Donna - so delicious
Choclette
I'm a big rhubarb fan and i love stewed rhubarb. It goes wonderfully well with porridge. I have to confess, that I usually use sugar. But if you add sweet cicely to the rhubarb whilst it's stewing, it takes away much of the acidity and then you need only a small amount of sugar. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it 😉
Pinned.
Mandy Mazliah
I think a bit of sugar is fine - I'm not so sure about some of the huge amounts of sugar added in some rhubarb compote recipes though!
Jane Saunders
Rhubarb is the ultimate sugar magnet, so I love your idea to switch it out for honey or maple syrup.
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Jane - it still tastes great - hope you love it
Angela Roberts
I can see this so well with a fried chicken dinner.
Anna | Serving Dumplings
I adore rhubarb, love the flavors you used
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Anna!
Cat | Curly's Cooking
I love rhubarb and I bet the spices you have added compliment it really well and make it even more delicious.
Mandy Mazliah
It really is delicious
Donna
I love rhubarb, I never peel mine either! #CookBlogShare
Mandy Mazliah
Life's too short!
Rebecca - Glutarama
This is a favourite for Lewis and myself we ADORE rhubarb crumble and the tartness has never botheredvus, I agree with Mel in the comments that adding ginger too works really well. Thank you for linking with #CookBlogShare
Mandy Mazliah
Rhubarb is so great - I'm so happy that you all love it too x
Pamela Williamson
Great idea. I'll add ginger too. No sweeteners for me.
Mandy Mazliah
Hope you enjoy it Pamela!
Mel
Added some ginger instead of vanilla and was delicious
Mandy Mazliah
That's a great idea Mel - rhubarb and ginger go really well together
Maureen Peaston
Re the Rhubarb Compote recipe. You say you use honey. However the receipt says maple syrup! Which is best and, if using honey, how much? I do not have a sweet tooth and like the tartness of rhubarb.
Mandy Mazliah
Hi Maureen, You can use either honey or maple syrup depending on your personal taste - I think they both work well. I usually add about 4 tbsp but you don't have to add any sugar at all if you like the tartness of rhubarb. If I was making it just for myself I probably wouldn't add any either - but my kids prefer it to be sweetened! Let me know how you get on.