Have you tried rhubarb salsa yet? A crisp, tart and lightly spicy scoopable dip, rhubarb salsa is the best celebration of spring and a perfect partner for tortilla chips.
Why Make Rhubarb Salsa
Rhubarb is just coming into season here on the West Coast and should be here for a while. I love to snap a piece off, dip it in sugar and remember being a kid again!
In pies, muffins, crisps and crumbles, it's pretty easy to find a sweet recipe but did you know rhubarb is a vegetable? It is, so I think it's a fun surprise to use it in places you wouldn't expect like salads and this salsa which is amazing on grilled pork and chicken.
More Rhubarb Recipes
I love rhubarb. From delicious easy Rhubarb Snack Cake to my most popular muffin recipe, Rhubarb Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins to a festive treat, try my Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake. I'd love to hear from you if you try one or simply rate it with the easy star rating on the recipe card.
Yogurt Olive Oil Rhubarb Coffee Cake 
Best Easy Summer Shortcake With Strawberries And Rhubarb 
Strawberry rhubarb muffins in a bowl
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How To Grow And Harvest
I say snap because it should be pulled off the plant to try to avoid making flat spots that can trap water and cause rotting. If you're growing your own, rhubarb should be fed yearly with some compost, well-rotted manure or a general 10-10-10 fertilizer and if they start to flower, clip the flowering stalks off so that the plants energy goes into the edible stalks.
Rhubarb is in the same family as Sorrel, another early spring growing perennial and is extremely cold hardy.
NOTE: The leaves are poisonous so only use the stalks and throw those leaves in your compost.
Visual Step by Step Instructions
Expert Tips
Letting your diced rhubarb macerate with the sugar and vinegar for a while before mixing the salsa, helps soften it while helping all the flavors meld together once mixed.
If you are buying your rhubarb at the store, 1 lb fresh equals about 3 cups chopped. For this recipe, you will want to chop it in a fine dice, just like you would for tomatoes in regular salsa.
Storage And Make Ahead Tips
Rhubarb salsa will keep well, covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can make this salsa up to 3 days ahead. To make this ahead, add everything except cilantro, cover and refrigerate. Right before serving, add cilantro and toss.
Related Recipes
Let me know what you're cooking up with your rhubarb or pop onto social and tag me if you try one of my recipes!
Cheers,
Sabrina
For more on what I'm cooking up, follow me on Instagram or Facebook and come on into my home and kitchen shop, West Coast Kitchen Garden!
Recipe
Savory Rhubarb Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 c Rhubarb Finely diced (approx ⅛" dice)
- 2 teaspoon Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Red Wine Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ c Red Onion Finely chopped
- 1 Jalapeno, small to medium Very finely diced
- 1 Cilantro, Small Bunch Approx. ½ c chopped
- ½ Lime Juiced
- ⅛ teaspoon Ground Coriander and Cumin Each
- Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
Instructions
- Mix together rhubarb, sugar, vinegar and salt and let sit while chopping other ingredients and up to 30 minutes before. Stir occasionally.
- Once the jalapeno, onion and cilantro are chopped, add them and the rest of the ingredients. Stir gently and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with tortilla chips and margaritas or as a condiment for grilled pork or dinner sausages.
I usually only use rhubarb in a crisp. I love new easy ideas!
I know right?!? or Strawberry Rhubarb pie which is great but kind of time consuming and we can't always have dessert 🙁 I'm planning 1 more savory rhubarb recipe and possibly a sweet one too, stay tuned 🙂
I haven’t made the recipe yet but looking at it, it makes sense and I’m thinking rhubarb could be used anywhere tomatillos are used?
Wow what a great idea! I’ve never thought of using rhubarb as a salsa, I can’t wait to try it, looks delicious!!
Thanks Laura! It’s a fun savoury take on this summer classic, enjoy!
This is such an innovative way to use rhubarb! And I have all the ingredients on hand. Absolutely trying this!
Awesome! Thanks Justine, easy accessible ingredients are always important to me when I’m developing recipes. Enjoy!
Oh yum! I love that these are made with rhubarb - what a fun recipe! That little pop of tart is just perfect, and makes them so tasty!
Thank you for the kind words Micki, I’m so glad you like it 🙂
I always think of using rhubarb for sweet recipes so it's so nice to see a savoury recipe! And what a delicious way to use it!
Thanks Jessica! I agree, if growing any amount of rhubarb it’s nice to have a healthier and non-dessert option, enjoy 🙂
I LOVE the idea of using rhubarb in a salsa - can't wait to make this with fresh rhubarb from the market!
Thanks for your kind words Marieke, I hope you love it as much as we do! Enjoy the market 🙂
What a fun twist on salsa using rhubarb! Ours is just starting to grow and this would be a lovely use for it ...pass the chips 😉
Thanks Dawn, I hope you have a bumper crop of rhubarb this year, so many delicious things to make with it. Enjoy 🙂
What an interesting way to use rhubarb! I tend to mostly use it in sweet stuff, like rhubarb cake or compote, but I love the idea of making salsa with it. I definitely need to try this for my next taco night 🙂
Thanks Aryane, Rhubarb is delicious in sweet desserts but also nice in savoury dishes too. Enjoy!
This is a unique way to use rhubarb. It is full of flavor and absolutely worth a try!
Thanks so much Joss for your kind comments, enjoy!
I love this unique spin with rhubarb! I grew up on the island and my mom grew rhubarb in our garden. Every year we had it stewed with a side a vanilla custard. 🙂 This salsa is such a fun opposite of that and I love it. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Sharon! Stewed with custard sounds super yummy and comforting 😋 yes this is opposite and a nice change when there’s lots growing, perfect with a margarita and tortilla chips!
I love rhubarb (I've got two big stalks sitting on the counter right now, left over from making crisp), but I don't do enough versatile recipes with it! Not for lack of trying mind you - I do make rhubarb barbecue sauce and a rhubarb salad dressing - I'm just always looking for a new idea. This definitely fits the bill perfectly - it sounds delicious, and it's a use I've never thought of before. Great recipe - thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks Sean, I also love rhubarb. It’s fun to do some savoury dishes with it as much as the sweet 🙂
PS. Is your bbq sauce recipe on your site? I’ve been thinking of making a batch soon.
I love rhubarb and this is such a fun and great way to use it! Not only in sweet recipes, moreover, it is a vegetable and not a fruit! Love all the pictures!
Thanks Nicoletta 🙂 yes, little known facts about rhubarb! It’s tartness goes so nicely in savoury dishes. Cheers!
Perfect timing for me to read this because I FINALLY planted my own rhubarb! I wasn't aware of 'the snap' rule or the flowering issue, so this was helpful. But I'm still getting rhubarb from a friend this summer and this looks like a wonderful way to use it!
Thanks Terri! Good luck with your newly planted rhubarb, it’s such an easy and rewarding perennial. I hope you also enjoy this recipe 🙂 Cheers!
Thank you Sabrina for a delicious refreshing recipe. It was a perfect way to celebrate the start of rhubarb season!
Aw thanks Chris! I’m so goad you liked it, I think it’s such a fresh recipe for spring. Cheers!
Rhubarb won't be ready here for probably another month but I LOVE the idea of this salsa with grilled sausages. Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Oooh, with sausages sounds like a great pairing! Thanks:-)
I have a nice big rhubarb plant in my garden, and I'm always looking for new ways to use it. This salsa is perfect. I can think of so many ways to use this, too. I think shrimp tacos will be first up. Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome Colleen, and thank you for your kind words 💕 tacos are excellent as is any grilled pork!
Love this salsa! Made this recipe for my parents who love rhubarb. A nice twist to the “regular” salsa. Will definitely make it every rhubarb season!
Thank you Megan! I really appreciate you letting me know. Happy rhubarb season!
Have you tried it pulsed in a food processor and adding some tomatoes? Mine is really too chunky to use with chips or nachos.
Hi Rosemary, no I haven’t! Did you? Did it turn out tasty?
I’ve been working on a cooked and canned version I hope to share by next spring.
Yum! This sounds like such a delicious and creative way to use rhubarb!