Rhubarb is the tart, unsung veggie of spring— here's how to use it

• Rhubarb is a pink-red perennial vegetable with a tart, sometimes bitter flavor.
• Rhubarb is often used in sweet foods like pies and tarts, but is also delicious in savory dishes.
• Rhubarb's peak season is in early spring.

Rhubarb is often found baked and blistered in sweet treats such as pies, muffins, and tarts in the spring and summertime. And sometimes, it's used in savory dishes like salads or even blended up to make a sauce. But, what exactly is rhubarb?

Rhubarb is a perennial vegetable, most often recognized for its vibrant stalk with a pink-red hue. The fleshy stalks resemble celery, but the two certainly don't taste the same. The plant was used for medicinal purposes in ancient Rome and ancient China before it made its way to Europe. A gardener in Maine brought seed to the United States in the late 1700s, kicking off its popularity that remains today.

"Rhubarb is high in the antioxidant anthocyanin, which we can thank for its pink hue," says Ann Ziata, chef-instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education. "It's a powerful antioxidant that can help rebuild tissue and protect the body from stress." Another excellent benefit? Rhubarb is high in fiber.

Is rhubarb a vegetable or a fruit?

Despite being associated with fruits, pies, and jams, rhubarb is technically a vegetable.

Rhubarb is frequently paired with strawberries to produce desserts, which often leads to confusion as to whether it's a fruit or a vegetable. And quite frankly, its identity hovers between the two. "Rhubarb is the edible stalk of the rhubarb plant," says Ziata. "Technically, 'fruit' refers to the edible flesh surrounding a seed, not the stalk of the plant, which rhubarb is."

There are multiple varieties of rhubarb, each with different growing requirements, which results in different colors and sizes. Most commonly, you'll find the Holstein Bloodred, Cherry Red, or Crimson Red varieties in stores.

There is also ornamental rhubarb, which can be a great addition as a flowering plant in a garden. Ornamental rhubarb doesn't have many stalks in comparison to traditional rhubarb. Instead, it features a large crown that flowers in spring.

What does it taste like?

Don't let rhubarb's vibrant pink color fool you into thinking it's sweet like candy. Rhubarb on its own is quite tart and sometimes bitter. It is often compared to the taste of celery and green apples mixed together, which creates a unique flavor that requires a bit more effort to pair.

When combined with something sweet, rhubarb becomes perfectly balanced, working harmoniously with ingredients such as strawberries, vanilla, honey, and cinnamon. For savory applications, it adds a unique hit of tanginess to enhance the dish.

Important: The stalks of the rhubarb plant are edible, but that's the only part of the plant you can eat. Rhubarb leaves are toxic, so be sure to remove them as you prepare rhubarb. "Usually, rhubarb is sold already trimmed and ready to go," Ziata says.

How to use rhubarb

Rhubarb is most commonly used in baking, especially to add great flavor to pies, tarts, and pastries. When baked or cooked, rhubarb's hearty stalk is softened to make it much more enjoyable. There is also room for rhubarb in savory dishes.

• Make a strawberry rhubarb pie: Rhubarb is the key to balancing the sweet flavor of strawberries in a pie. Make a filling with 4 cups chopped rhubarb, 2 ½ cups sliced strawberries, 1 cup sugar, and ⅔ cup flour, and a pinch of salt. Bake it in a prepared pie dough at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 hour for a delightful early summer dessert.
• Use it in a salad: Rhubarb adds a great pop of tangy flavor to a salad. Ziata suggests slicing it and doing a quick sauté until it is softened. Then, toss the rhubarb with arugula, goat cheese, and hazelnuts.
• Make a rhubarb crisp: Chop roughly 3 to 4 cups of rhubarb and mix it with 1 cup brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon. Make a crisp topping by combining 1 cup flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 cup oats, and ½ stick of cold butter until crumbly. Place the rhubarb in a baking dish, sprinkle the topping evenly, and bake it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. Serve this warm crisp with vanilla ice cream.
• Make rhubarb salsa: Switch up traditional salsa with a hint of tangy rhubarb. Combine three chopped tomatoes, one diced onion, one diced jalapeno, four tablespoons lime juice, and two cups sliced rhubarb. Season the mixture to taste with salt, pepper, and a hint of brown sugar. Serve with chips or add it on top of tacos, bowls, or fish.
• Sip rhubarb lemonade: Make a rhubarb simple syrup by combining 4 cups chopped rhubarb, 2 cups water, and 1 ½ cups sugar. Reduce it down in a saucepan on medium heat for about 10 minutes, strain it, and put it in the fridge to chill. Mix the rhubarb syrup with lemonade for a thirst-quenching drink.

When is rhubarb's peak season?

Rhubarb is a hearty, perennial vegetable, meaning it will keep producing vibrant stalks every year. Its peak season is in early spring, leading into early summer, when stalks are plentiful on the plant.

Rhubarb can be found in many commercial fields, as well as home gardens. It's a very forgiving plant, as long as it has room to grow with plenty of sunlight. It can be found across the United States as well as grown in the United Kingdom. Rhubarb also grows wild in some parts of Asia.

Quick tip: Rhubarb crowns can be planted and grown in your own garden. You can plant it in fall or early spring, just be sure to give rhubarb plenty of space in an area with full sun.

How to pick and store rhubarb

You can find fresh rhubarb in grocery stores or at local farmer's markets. To select the best rhubarb, look for crisp, firm stalks. The exterior should be vibrant and shiny. To ensure rhubarb is fresh, avoid stalks that are wilted, splitting, or covered in blemishes.

Once rhubarb has made its way into your kitchen, whether from the store, the farmer's market, or your garden, don't wash it until you're ready to use it. "Store rhubarb stalks wrapped in the fridge, unwashed, until you are ready to use them," says Ziata. It will last like this for a few weeks.

Quick tip: Fresh rhubarb can be blanched to maintain its color and texture for freezing. Once it's blanched, store stalks in an airtight container or bag to keep in the freezer for one year. Ziata suggests making rhubarb jam or chutney to freeze as well.

Insider's takeaway

Rhubarb is a vibrant, flavorful vegetable that can be used in a variety of ways. It's often used to complement other flavors in desserts such as pies, pastries, and crisps, but it can be used in salads, salsas, and other savory dishes as well. Rhubarb's peak season in spring is a short window, but it can be preserved in the form of jams, chutneys, or kept whole to enjoy all year long.