Rhubarb soup is a tangy vegetable-based soup that can easily be made vegetarian. It's an easy way to use rhubarb from your garden!
You're probably familiar with using rhubarb in sweets and desserts like rhubarb crisps, pies, cobblers, and compote. But have you ever tried using it in savory dishes?
Rhubarb on it's own isn't particularly sweet. It's actually just tart, and it is technically classified as a vegetable. But it is typically paired with sugar to make tart desserts. But it can just as easily (and deliciously) be paired with other vegetables, herbs, and spices to make savory dishes too. One perfect example is this Rhubarb Soup.
What does Rhubarb Soup taste like?
Many of you are probably wondering exactly what rhubarb soup tastes like before you commit to making it. I'll admit - it sounds unusual if you've never tried it. The first time I tried it was many years ago. My Aunt had made it, and at first I thought it was some kind of pickle soup. It tasted a little sour, with a hit of dill - just like pickles.
It's also quite thick, as the rhubarb breaks down when it's cooked and helps to thicken the soup. And it's creamy thanks to the addition of evaporated milk.
How do you make rhubarb soup?
Years ago, when I asked my Aunt for the recipe for this intriguing soup, I was a little disappointed when she basically told me to boil rhubarb with whatever vegetables I happened to have in my fridge and throw in some dill and cream.
I made it several times over the years, replacing the water she used with broth (use vegetable broth to make vegetarian soup), bacon (or skip it to make vegetarian soup), and a standardized list of veggies. I became happy enough with this delicious and easy soup to share it.
Rhubarb Soup Ingredients:
- Bacon (skip it to make your soup vegetarian)
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Salt
- Garlic
- Black pepper
- Potatoes
- Rhubarb
- Chicken broth (or vegetable broth to make your soup vegetarian)
- Canned evaporated milk (or half and half cream)
- Dill
Want more Rhubarb recipes?
Rhubarb Soup Nutrition Notes:
The nutrition information calculation uses the recipe as written, including the bacon, chicken broth, and evaporated milk. Omitting the bacon will reduce saturated fat content. Using half and half cream instead of evaporated milk will increase total and saturated fat content.
Serve this soup with some crusty bread, and/or a leafy green salad to make a complete meal.
Rhubarb Soup
Ingredients
- 3 slices regular bacon, or 2 thick cut slices (omit bacon and add 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil to make this recipe vegetarian)
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, sliced
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 4 cloves, garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced (about 2 cups)
- 3 cups chopped rhubarb (from about 6 medium stalks)
- 3 cups chicken broth (replace with vegetable broth to make this recipe vegetarian)
- 1 can evaporated milk (or 1 cup half and half cream)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
Instructions
- Heat a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until fat begins to render, about 3-5 minutes. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until beginning to soften and brown slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add the salt, garlic, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the potatoes, rhubarb, and broth. Bring to a simmer and cook until the potatoes can be pierced easily with a paring knife an the rhubarb has broken down, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the evaporated milk and dill.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer: I try my best to make sure the nutrition information I provide is accurate to provide you with the best information possible. However, due to ingredient discrepancies and other factors, the above nutrition information should be considered an estimation only.
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