Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp (Vegan)

What to expect?

Prepare your taste buds for a delightful journey of flavors with this heavenly vegan strawberry rhubarb crisp! The tantalizing sweetness of the ripe strawberries combines perfectly with the tartness of the rhubarb, creating a balance of flavors that is simply irresistible. Without the strawberries, the rhubarb’s natural sourness can be overwhelming, but with them, they complement each other like a perfect dance duo.

But wait, there’s more! Not only is this recipe a match made in heaven in terms of flavor, but it’s also incredibly simple and quick to make. We know how challenging it can be to find a recipe that is both easy and quick, but this crisp recipe has it all! With only four ingredients for the filling and four ingredients for the crisp topping, it’s a breeze to whip up. In fact, this could be the easiest vegan dessert recipe you’ll ever make!

Ingredients

Strawberry rhubarb filling

• Fresh strawberries – frozen are better to be used to make strawberry puree
• Fresh rhubarb
• Sugar – We like using coconut sugar as it gives a nice caramel flavor. You can add other sweeteners (granulated sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup). Honey is not vegan, so check out these vegan honey substitutes.
• Cornstarch – I also tested this recipe with tapioca starch, but its binding power was not as strong as cornstarch. I don’t recommend using all-purpose flour (or any other flour for that matter) as they make the strawberry rhubarb filling grainy.
• Cinnamon

Crisp topping

• Rolled oats – They are kind of rustic looking, aren’t they? You can also use quick oats, making more of a crumble than a crisp.
• Almond flour or almond meal – The texture will be quite similar, but the nutty taste of the almonds will be a little more prominent in the meal.
• Coconut sugar – It has a subtle caramel taste, which gives the crisp a speculoos or biscoff kind of flavor. If you haven’t tried it, you should. It certainly brings it to the next level.
• Unsalted butter – We used dairy-free butter.

? You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

This vegan strawberry rhubarb crisp is not only the easiest, but also one of the quickest desserts you can put together. I love to make crisp, crumble, or streusel topping or whatever it is called, as they are quick and easy. No kneading, rolling, or special skills are needed to make them.

Making the crisp topping

1. Take your food processor and add all ingredients.

2. Pulse a couple of times to combine.

Preparing the filling

Washing: My mom always told me to wash the strawberries with the leaves on for two reasons. One, so that the dirt will not get into the strawberries. Two, if you take the leaves out the strawberries will taste watery 🙂 So I did it as she told me to do. First, wash, then take the leaves out. Well, I am my mother’s daughter.

Hulling: I use a knife, angle it close to the stem, push the knife gently in, and turn the strawberry. This strawberry huller* makes things extra easy, or you can use this straw trick.

Peeling: I usually peel the rhubarb, although many places say it is not necessary to do so. I use a potato peeler or a small knife as it is so easy to remove the strings. Rhubarb softens quicker if I do it. You can see how to peel a rhubarb with a knife in action here.

Cutting: I recommend cutting the strawberries in quarters and slicing the rhubarb at most 1-inch wide (less than one cm). 

Making strawberry rhubarb crisp

1. Choose an oven-safe baking dish or pie dish.
2. Add the fruits directly to it.
3. Sprinkle it with coconut sugar and cornstarch. Stir it gently with a spatula until combined.
4. Spread the crisp topping using your fingers on top of the fruit filling.
5. Bake it in a preheated oven of 350 Fahrenheit (ca. 177 °C) for at least 20 minutes. The fruit should soften and be bubbly on the side. The crisp topping is crunchy enough but not yet brown.

Variations

• Vanilla extract – Add 1 teaspoon to either topping or filling, or both for a subtle vanilla flavor.
• Ginger and cardamom – Mix 1/2 teaspoon (in total) into the crisp topping to give it a spicy flair.
• Basil or mint – 1 Tablespoon of freshly chopped leaves will give freshness to the filling.
• Balsamic vinegar – If you like exciting combinations, drizzle some on the strawberry rhubarb filling.
• Lemon or orange zest – While the tart rhubarb is usually enough for me, you can add 1 teaspoon of grated lemon or orange zest for some extra zing.
• Lavender – Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried lavender buds to the topping mixture to infuse the dessert with a subtle floral flavor that pairs beautifully with the sweetness of the strawberries.

Equipment

Oven-safe glass baking dish – I prefer using a glass pie dish or a ceramic pie dish if I use an uncooked filling. If I need to pre-cook the filling, I like using our cast-iron skillet from UnoCasa, for example, in our apple crumble recipe.

Storing tips

Let this vegan strawberry rhubarb crisp cool completely before covering it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and storing it in the refrigerator. The crisp can last for up to four days.

If you want to store it for longer, you can freeze it for up to three months. We recommend using airtight containers for individual servings. It is really tricky to wrap small portions in aluminum foil or find a space for a whole baking dish.

Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight and then reheat it in the microwave.

FAQs