For fans of pickles or rhubarb, this recipe for Easy Pickled Rhubarb is right up your alley — no canning needed! Just make a quick apple cider vinegar brine, mix it with the rhubarb, and let it sit in the fridge. In a couple of days, you’ll have a tangy, tart, bright-pink rhubarb ready to put on top all the things.
Attention, pickle lovers! I am one of you people, and I am here for you with this easy pickled rhubarb that you will LOVE with all of your tart-loving tastebuds.
The Start of (Pickled) Rhubarb Season
I know it’s just the veryveryvery start of rhubarb season, but you see, I was at the grocery store the other day and there — tucked between the Swiss chard and the organic carrots that I always want to buy just because they still have those gorgeous long green frond-y stems attached but GARSH are they expensive — was a bundle of bright red rhubarb. Glory glory. Spring is HERE, y’all. The rhubarb said so.
So naturally, I hoofed it over to the display and maniacally shoveled a gigantic handful of stalks into my cart. Onlookers probably thought me insane — they might be right. But RHUBARB, you guys.
Of course, I ended up buying way more rhubarb than I needed for any one recipe, so first, I made a pie (recipe is coming soon!) and with what was left, I made pickles. And it was good.
Truth be told, I’ve never made my own pickles before, not in any variety. But I’ve always been intrigued by the idea, and I do love pickles. In fact, I have a whole back half of one shelf of our fridge dedicated to pickle jars holding dill spears, baby gherkins and bread and butter slices. It’s that tart, vinegar-based tang that renders a pucker, and I just love the flavor. It’s what I love most about kombucha, and vinaigrette and now, these pretty rhubarb pickles.
How to Make Pickled Rhubarb
There are plenty of variations of pickled rhubarb out there, but I kept my version simple: water, apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt. Boil the liquids, pour them over chopped rhubarb stalks in a resealable jar, seal the jar and let it chill in the fridge for a couple of days. The rhubarb will soften just slightly and take on that tangy-tart vinegar flavor with just a hint of sweetness. Eat the stalks straight out of the jar, chop them up and put them on top of yogurt (with a drizzle of honey — SO GOOD, trust), dice them and serve on top of a blue cheese turkey burger, brat or salad, etc. The options are innumerable, really.
You can even add a few of your favorite spices to the liquid mixture before boiling it — star anise, mustard seeds, peppercorns and cloves are just a few go-to options I’ve seen out there. For me, I like the simple version. It’s all I need to get my tangy-tart fix.
I’m just tickled pink for these rhubarb pickles (get it? Eh?).
Easy Pickled Rhubarb
Ingredients
- 1 lb rhubarb stalks, trimmed to fit 2, 8-ounce or 4, 4-ounce resealable jars
- 1 ½ cups water
- ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
Instructions
- Tightly arrange rhubarb upright in resealable jars. In medium saucepan, bring water, vinegar, sugar and salt to boil. Cook 1 to 2 minutes, stirring until sugar and salt is dissolved.
- Pour water-vinegar mixture over rhubarb in jars, leaving about 1/2-inch headspace at top of each jar (there may be leftover water-vinegar mixture). Seal jars. Chill 48 hours in refrigerator. Store in fridge up to 1 month.
Notes
- Use the pickled rhubarb on top of meats, in salads, as part of a relish or dip, etc.
- 2, (8 oz) or 4, (4 oz) jars
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
Thank you for the great recipe! I love how simple and versatile it is. Can’t wait to try it!
Hi there! So happy to hear it, hope you enjoy! ~gvd team
Great idea. I never thought about picking rhubarb. Thanks for the tip. And your recipe.
Great easy recipe, no canning is a major plus!
Inedible. Way too much salt in this recipe. Are you sure it’s not 1 tsp instead of tablespoon? Had to throw this out and use a different recipe.
Trish, I’m so sorry the recipe didn’t work out for you!
When you say seal the jars, do you mean water bath (can them) or just put lids and rings on and store in the frig?
Crystal, no canning needed here! Just put lids on and refrigerate.