Rhubarb And Strawberry Crumble
You’re going to fall head over heels for rhubarb the moment you try this dessert.
Technically, rhubarb is a vegetable — but with its vibrant, fruity aroma, it successfully plays the role of fruit in the kitchen. Only the stalks are edible: the leaves and roots contain oxalates and should be avoided. What you get instead is a tangy, aromatic punch that smells like green apples with spring flowers and citrus zest.
Rhubarb has two growing seasons: spring to early summer, and winter. The winter variety, called forced rhubarb, is grown in darkness, making the stalks sweeter, more tender, less acidic, and a deep ruby red. This method is especially loved in the UK.
You can find rhubarb fresh or frozen, but right now we’re at the start of the spring season, and this is the best time to buy that crisp and aromatic rhubarb on your local market.
Check the video version of this recipe on my YouTube channel.
This updated rhubarb crumble is a lighter, more balanced take on the traditional version. By cutting out refined sugar and using sweeteners like erythritol or allulose, it significantly reduces the overall carbohydrate load, making it suitable for people managing their blood sugar or following a lower-carb lifestyle. Instead of cornstarch or flour, chia seeds are used to thicken the fruit filling — they not only absorb the juice but also add fiber, helping to slow glucose absorption and promote satiety.
Almond flour in the crumble topping adds healthy fats and a dose of protein, making the dessert more nutrient-dense and helping to stabilize blood sugar levels. The combination of rolled oats, almond flour, and whole grain or oat flour brings a hearty texture and extra fiber without compromising flavor. Altogether, this version of rhubarb crumble offers the same juicy, tangy, and crisp experience of the original, but in a way that’s more blood sugar–friendly and nutritionally balanced.
Let’s dive in!
Recipe
Rhubarb & Strawberry Crumble
Ingredients
Pie base
- Whole wheat/oat flour 40 g
- Butter 40 g
- Almond flour 50 g
- Oat flakes aka rolled oats, 50 g
- Zest of 1/3 orange 0.5 tsp
- Sugar 1 tbsp, or any sweetener in this equivalent (e.g., erythritol)
- Salt a pinch
Filling
- Rhubarb 400 g
- Strawberries 300 g
- Sugar or sugar substitute 80 g of regular sugar or erythritol
- Chia seeds 3 tsp
- Vanilla extract 0.5 tsp
- Salt a pinch (to balance the flavor)
Instructions
Filling
- Cut off the leaves and the bottom part of the rhubarb stalks. Slice the stalks into 5 mm thick pieces.
- Cut the strawberries into quarters (4 segments). In a bowl, mix the berries, rhubarb, sugar (or sweetener), vanilla, salt, and chia seeds.
- Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
- We need the chia seeds for thickening. Rhubarb will release a lot of liquid, but we don't want to add starch, and chia seeds will turn this liquid into a gel.
Crumble Pie
- Pour the almond flour and wheat flour into a bowl, add the cold butter cubes, and rub the mixture with your hands into crumbs.
- Add salt, sugar/sweetener, oat flakes, and orange zest. Mix well.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) convection setting.
- Grease a baking dish, transfer the filling, sprinkle the crumble topping evenly, and bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes. The rhubarb should release its juices, and the top should turn golden brown.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or unsweetened yogurt.
