National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Rhubarb and strawberries make an amazing combination! While the strawberries are sweet, the rhubarb provides a deliciously sour complement that offers a balance and tasty complexity.

And when these two are combined and put together in a pie? Well, there’s nothing quite like it.

It’s time to celebrate and enjoy National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day!

Ancient China (at least 2700 BCE)
Medicinal Use of Rhubarb Documented
Rhubarb is first recorded in Chinese medical texts as a powerful purgative and prized trade good, long before it is used widely as a food in Europe or America.
13th century
Strawberries Cultivated in Europe
Wild European strawberries, especially Fragaria vesca, begin to be cultivated in gardens in France and England, setting the stage for their later use in sweets and pastries.
Early 17th century
Rhubarb Introduced to England
Rhubarb plants arrive in England from Asia via Russia and the Near East, initially grown mainly as a medicinal curiosity before gradually entering the kitchen garden.
1740s
Garden Strawberry Developed in France
French horticulturists create the modern garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) by hybridizing North and South American species, giving bakers a large, juicy fruit ideal for tarts and pies.
Late 18th century
Rhubarb Becomes a Popular Pie Filling in Britain
With sugar more available, British cooks begin using rhubarb as a tart “fruit” for puddings, tarts, and pies, helping establish rhubarb as a classic dessert ingredient.
Early 19th century
“Pie Plant” Rhubarb Spreads in the United States
Rhubarb, commonly called “pie plant,” becomes widely grown in New England and the Midwest, and American cookbooks feature recipes for rhubarb pies and preserves.
1890
Early Printed Strawberry and Rhubarb Pie Recipe
An American community cookbook, “The New Galt Cook Book,” includes a recipe pairing strawberries and rhubarb in a pie, reflecting the growing popularity of this sweet‑tart combination.

How to Celebrate National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Enjoy a deliciously sweet slice of pie in celebration of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day. Check out some of these other ideas for observing the day as well:

Try Making Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

When there’s a bumper crop of rhubarb, it’s the perfect time to try baking this delightful dessert. Those who want to take a shortcut might consider using a pre-made refrigerated pie crust to cut down on the preparation time.

The rest of the pie is fairly easy to make, with cut rhubarb stalks, sliced strawberries, some sugar, orange zest and a few other ingredients. Mix the filling, put it into the crust, top with a second crust and bake. Yum!

Those who are short on time or are feeling intimidated by the idea of working with pie crust might want to consider cheating a little and making a strawberry rhubarb crisp instead.

The filling ingredients are basically the same, but instead of a pie crust, the dish is covered in a crumbly oat and cinnamon topping that is also super tasty!

Learn Health Benefits of Rhubarb

Though strawberry rhubarb pie has a lot of sugar, it does have some redeeming qualities since the rhubarb is a vegetable.

Consider some of these health benefits of rhubarb in honor of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day:

Rich in antioxidants
Lowers bad cholesterol
Aids with digestion
Filled with nutrients (Vitamins C, K, A, Potassium, Calcium, and more)

History of National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

While everyone knows what strawberries are – and most people enjoy eating them – rhubarb is a bit more of an obscure ingredient.

Technically a vegetable, rhubarb is stalky and red, often growing prolifically and offering an early harvest compared to many other garden items. Its slightly sour taste makes it a little odd to be eaten on its own, but when paired with strawberries and baked, it’s just delicious!

Originating in Europe (Germany and UK), the rhubarb pie was introduced to the United States in the late 18th century. It’s unclear when the addition of strawberries came about, but just like many fruit pies, the strawberry rhubarb pie is traditionally either made with two crusts, or with a bottom crust and a lattice crust top.

Though most pies don’t need a special day to be enjoyed, National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day offers a delectable reason to show appreciation for and pay attention to this yummy summer pie.

Plus, since the rhubarb season in many climates ranges from April until July, and strawberries are usually coming in between May and July, this is the perfect time of year to celebrate National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day!

Facts About National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day

Rhubarb’s Journey from Medicinal Root to Dessert Favorite

Rhubarb was first recorded in ancient Chinese texts more than 2,000 years ago, not as food but as a powerful purgative and medicinal root traded along Eurasian routes at high prices.

It did not become a common culinary ingredient in Europe until the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when cheaper sugar made its tart stalks suitable for sweet dishes like pies and tarts.

Why Only the Stalks of Rhubarb Are Eaten

The colorful stalks of culinary rhubarb are rich in fiber and vitamin K, but the leaves contain high levels of oxalic acid and other compounds that can be toxic in large amounts.

Cases of poisoning have been documented from consuming rhubarb leaves, which is why food safety guidance from agencies and universities consistently recommends using only the stalks in cooking.

Rhubarb the Vegetable That Became a Legal Fruit

Botanically, rhubarb is a perennial vegetable in the buckwheat family, yet in the United States it is legally treated as a fruit for tariff purposes.

In 1947, a New York federal court ruled that because rhubarb was most often prepared and served like fruit in pies and desserts, it should be classified as fruit under customs law, illustrating how culinary habits can influence legal definitions.

The Science Behind Pairing Sweet Strawberries with Tart Rhubarb

Food scientists studying flavor balance note that combining high-sugar fruits with very sour ingredients creates a more complex sensory profile by engaging multiple taste receptors at once.

Strawberries supply sugars and fruity esters, while rhubarb brings sharp malic and oxalic acids; together, they hit sweet and tart notes simultaneously, which many tasters perceive as more “refreshing” and less cloying than sweet fruit alone.

How Modern Strawberries Came from a Chance Hybrid

The familiar large garden strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a relatively recent creation that arose in 18th‑century France from an accidental cross between a North American species and a Chilean species grown side by side.

This hybrid combined bigger fruit with better flavor and hardiness, and virtually all commercial strawberries today descend from this fortuitous cross rather than from Europe’s tiny wild strawberries.

Rhubarb’s Preference for Cold Climates

Culinary rhubarb thrives in temperate regions because it needs a period of winter chill to break dormancy and grow strongly in spring.

Agricultural guides note that it is typically one of the first harvests of the season, with stalks ready while many fruits are still weeks away, which historically made rhubarb valuable for early-season pies and preserves before summer produce arrived.

Rhubarb’s Antioxidants and Cholesterol Effects

Several studies have found that rhubarb stalks contain polyphenols and anthocyanins with antioxidant properties, and that rhubarb fiber in particular can modestly lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.

In a controlled trial, participants who consumed rhubarb stalk fiber showed significant reductions in LDL cholesterol compared with baseline, suggesting that, outside of sugary desserts, rhubarb can contribute to heart‑healthful eating patterns.

National Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Day FAQs

Is it safe to eat rhubarb, and which parts should be avoided?

How does rhubarb affect the overall nutrition of a strawberry rhubarb pie?

Rhubarb is low in calories and provides fiber, vitamin K, and antioxidants, so it adds some beneficial nutrients to desserts, but most of the calories in strawberry rhubarb pie come from added sugar and pastry.

Health organizations suggest enjoying such pies as occasional treats and moderating portion sizes, since the high sugar and fat content can outweigh the natural benefits of the fruit and vegetable filling.

Why do strawberries and rhubarb pair so well in baking from a flavor standpoint?

Rhubarb has a sharp, tart flavor due to its natural organic acids, while ripe strawberries are sweet and aromatic, rich in sugars and volatile compounds like esters that give a fruity aroma.

When combined with sugar and baked, the tartness of rhubarb balances the sweetness and fragrance of strawberries, creating a sweet‑sour profile that food scientists describe as complex and pleasing because it stimulates multiple taste receptors at once.

What is the best way to prevent a soggy crust when baking pies with juicy fruits like strawberries and rhubarb?

Bakers often use a combination of techniques, such as tossing the fruit with starch-based thickeners like cornstarch or tapioca, chilling the assembled pie before baking, and baking it initially at a higher temperature to set the crust.

Some also brush the bottom crust with egg white or a thin layer of jam, or bake the pie on a preheated metal sheet so the bottom heats quickly and moisture has less time to soak into the pastry.

Can rhubarb be used in savory cooking, or is it only for desserts?

Are there important differences between garden rhubarb and wild or ornamental rhubarb?

Most culinary rhubarb sold in markets or grown in vegetable gardens belongs to selected varieties bred for edible stalks, while some ornamental or wild species are grown mainly for their foliage and may have tougher, more bitter stems.

Because toxicity can vary and identification can be difficult, food safety authorities advise using only clearly identified culinary rhubarb from reliable sources and continuing to discard all leaves regardless of the variety.

How do strawberries and rhubarb fit into diets for people with kidney or calcium concerns?

Rhubarb and strawberries both contain oxalates, which can contribute to certain types of kidney stones in susceptible individuals, so some kidney specialists recommend limiting portions or avoiding them in strict low‑oxalate diets.

People with a history of calcium oxalate kidney stones or chronic kidney disease are often advised to consult a healthcare professional or dietitian before regularly eating rhubarb desserts or large amounts of strawberries.