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Fermented Rhubarb (Low-Sugar & Delicious!)

How to make sweet fermented rhubarb using yeast-based beverages like kombucha, ginger bug or apple cider vinegar
Sweet fermented rhubarb with ginger
Simple, zero-waste, no cook fermented rhubarb. An easy recipe, perfect for beginners!

Fermented rhubarb is a sweet and tart concoction, that is perfect stirred into yogurt, served on ice cream, or drizzled over pancakes. The fermentation cuts the sourness without a lot of added sugar, so you can enjoy the flavor without the usual cloying sweetness.

Why fermented rhubarb is the BEST way to enjoy this spring fruit

Rhubarb is the first fruit of spring. Its beautiful red color comes with a tartness that usually has rhubarb paired with super sweet desserts. In comparison, fermented rhubarb has a mild flavor that doesn’t require any additional sweetness.

In fact, I only cook and serve fermented rhubarb!

  1. Fermentation cuts the tartness of rhubarb while keeping its distinct flavor.
  2. Using a yeast-based ferment means that no additional sugar is needed. Fermented rhubarb is about as sweet as cherries or pears.
  3. The fermentation liquid is perfect for flavoring sparkling water or cocktails.
  4. It’s a zero-waste, no-cook way to preserve rhubarb. Literally, pack it in a jar and you’re done!

How to serve fermented rhubarb

Rhubarb is delicious straight from the jar or pureed into a fresh sauce. Either way, it is perfect serving with all the usual suspects:

  • ice cream
  • yogurt
  • waffles
  • pancakes
  • granola
Sweet fermented rhubarb with ginger

Types of Yeast-Based Cultures

I’ve made fermented rhubarb with ginger bug, cultured cider vinegar, and whey. All three ways worked perfectly. Basically, any yeast-based culture will work with this recipe. Not sure exactly what counts as a yeast-based culture? Here is a short list:

  1. Ginger bug will add a delicious gingery flavor to the rhubarb.
  2. Other fermented beverages include kombucha, water kefir, or jun.
  3. Milk kefir whey (not yogurt or cheese whey) has the yeast necessary for this ferment.
  4. Probably the EASIEST culture is apple cider vinegar. The trick is to make sure that you are using a live-cultured ACV. If you are buying ACV from the grocery store look for “raw”, “with mother” and “unpasteurized” on the label.
Print

Sweet Fermented Rhubarb

How to make sweet fermented rhubarb using yeast-based beverages like kombucha, ginger bug or apple cider vinegar
Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

Fermented rhubarb is a delicious way to preserve the first fruit of spring. It can be left whole or pureed into a pretty pink sauce. See the section above for some serving suggestions.

  • Author: Emillie
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 1 quart jar 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Fermented
  • Cuisine: British
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup of filtered water, or enough to cover
  • 1/4 cup of yeast-based starter culture (see above for options)
  • 2 cups of rhubarb, diced (approximately 6 stalks)
  • 1-inch of ginger (optional, for flavor)

Instructions

  1. Mix the filtered water and sugar in a glass jar. Stir until the sugar is mostly dissolved. Add in the culture.
  2. Dice the rhubarb into serving-sized pieces. I like the added flavor of ginger, but it’s optional. There’s no need to peel the ginger, just wash the skin and slice it in half. It will provide plenty of flavor.
  3. Add the rhubarb and ginger to the jar, then top with enough filtered water to keep the fruit submerged, while leaving at least 1-inch of headroom at the top of the jar.
  4. Leave the jar to sit out on the counter to ferment for 2-3 days. Yeast-based cultures generally do best with exposure to air, so cover the jar with a piece of cloth held in place with a rubber band or jar ring.
  5. After 3 days the rhubarb will have developed a mild, sweet flavor. At this point, you can either leave it whole or puree it into a sauce. It may start sparkling, however, that will mellow out after a few days in the fridge.
  6. Store fermented rhubarb for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, or freeze it in straight-sided mason jars for winter eating.

Notes

  • The leftover fermenting liquid can be reused for at least two more batches of rhubarb. It also makes a delicious cordial that is perfect when mixed with sparkling water.
  • I generally don’t use sugar in recipes, however, this ferment relies on sucrose to feed the culture. If you are looking for a salt-brined fermented rhubarb, check out this recipe from Katie at Tracebridge Sourdough.

Keywords: vegan, gluten free, 5 ingredients or less, diary free, nut free, soy free, beverage, probiotic, spring, summer

Filed Under: Dessert, Fermented Fruit, SliderTagged With: Fruit, Ginger bug

Previous Post: « Sweet and Sour Fermented Plum Sauce
Next Post: Sweet and Spicy Pickles (Simplest Recipe) »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Jessica Schafer

    June 1, 2019 at 8:21 pm

    Hi Emillie. A question: would whey from homemade yogurt work as the culture or does it need to be from kefir?

    Reply
    • Emillie

      June 2, 2019 at 5:59 am

      I’m not sure. I designed this for a yeast based culture, but try yogurt (bacterial culture) and let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  2. Anonymous

    May 11, 2021 at 11:46 am

    Loved this so much! The best way to eat rhubarb! Thanks.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Emillie

      May 11, 2021 at 11:46 am

      Glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  3. Anonymous

    March 23, 2022 at 4:33 am

    Vinegar isn’t a yeast-based culture, it supports AAB (acetic acid bacteria).

    Reply
    • Emillie

      March 23, 2022 at 6:51 am

      I find that live vinegar with a mother usually has enough residual yeast to ferment sugars. Only distilled vinegar has the yeasts removed. Cheers! 🙂

      Reply
  4. Andrew

    May 13, 2022 at 9:41 am

    Do you take the rhubarb out of the liquid after it’s done fermenting or do you store it in the liquid?

    Reply
    • Emillie Parrish

      May 13, 2022 at 10:10 am

      I store it in the liquid… however, I typically use the liquid and the rhubarb separately. Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Magali

    June 26, 2022 at 1:40 am

    This sounds so awesome!
    Does freezing it cancel the probiotic goodness?

    Reply
    • Emillie Parrish

      June 28, 2022 at 9:04 am

      Nope! Probiotics can handle freezing. (I actually freeze some of my cultures for long-term storage). Cheers, Emillie

      Reply
  6. Rina

    July 1, 2022 at 12:42 pm

    Hi! I didn’t add any yeast or cultures to my jar (just sugar and rhubarb expecting to make a syrup) and it started fermenting on its own. It smells yeasty and pleasant, with a light fizz. Never happened before. Advice?

    Reply
    • Emillie Parrish

      July 1, 2022 at 7:48 pm

      It may have fermented on its own, particularly if you already make fermented foods (kombucha and sourdough both are yeasty). However, if it spontaneously fermented, then it really depends on whether you like the flavor. If there’s no mold, and the taste is pleasant, you lucked out! If it tastes like fruit juice that’s gone bad, then I recommend throwing it out. Cheers!

      Reply
  7. Hibber

    September 6, 2022 at 10:43 am

    I just tested my recipe on Day 3. The rhubarb is crunchy and slightly sweet. I guess I’ll puree it and put on top of yogurt/kefir.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Hibber

    September 9, 2022 at 7:06 pm

    I blended the chopped fermented rhubarb in my blender, but it’s TOTALLY fibrous and inedible. I don’t have a top-end blender. How did you puree yours into a sauce?? I strained the puree, tossed the rhubarb and kept the liquid to drink.

    Reply
    • Emillie Parrish

      September 12, 2022 at 9:06 am

      I don’t have a great blender either. I used a stick blender and pureed after fermenting. Fermenting should help soften the rhubarb somewhat. I also typically use younger shoots, which are thin and red, and less fibrous than thick green rhubarb. Cheers!

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Emillie, an island-dwelling fermentation enthusiast. Fermenting For Foodies features healthy recipes designed to feed your microbiome.
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