This easy stewed rhubarb and apple recipe is naturally sweetened with honey and a touch of ground spice with no refined sugar. It is delicious served as a healthy dessert, and poached rhubarb and apple compote can also be enjoyed as a healthy breakfast topping.
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Why you'll love this healthy rhubarb compote
- Stewed rhubarb and apple is very quick and easy to make in just 15 minutes
- It's healthy. Rhubarb is a great source of fibre and antioxidants
- This poached rhubarb recipe is naturally sweetened. The combination of apple and a little honey provides enough sweetness that the stewed rhubarb can be made without sugar
- This simple, healthy rhubarb compote is versatile - enjoy it for dessert, or as a breakfast topping for yogurt, porridge or pancakes.
- This recipe makes the most of seasonal rhubarb in the Spring. If you are lucky enough to have a ready supply in the garden, it's a great way of using it up. And it freezes well.
Ingredients
Rhubarb. You can use either forced rhubarb which is available from January, or maincrop, available from mid spring until early summer.
Rhubarb is really easy to grow as it comes back year after year, so if you've got a little bit of outdoor space, it's worth giving it a go.
Rhubarb is one of the quickest, easiest fruits to cook.
Whilst it's in season, you could also try this rhubarb and custard fool, oaty rhubarb flapjacks or a gluten free rhubarb and almond cake. And of course rhubarb crumble is always very popular!
Apples. Apple adds natural sweetness to the recipe so you can make this rhubarb stew without extra refined sugar. It complements the tart flavour of rhubarb perfectly. Use dessert not cooking apples such as Bramleys for this recipe, as they will add more sweetness.
Honey. You'll only need a couple of tablespoons of honey to sweeten your stewed rhubarb, along with the sweetness of the apples.
But rhubarb varieties and tastes can vary, so try the recipe as you go, and add a little extra honey if necessary.
You can use either runny or set honey as it will melt down during cooking. Maple syrup or an alternative sweetener can also be used in place of honey.
Ground cinnamon or ginger. Both cinnamon and ginger go perfectly with the flavour of rhubarb, so use whichever you prefer.
You can also use a cinnamon stick rather than ground cinnamon. Mixed spice would also work well.
How to make stewed rhubarb without sugar
Prepare the fruit. Give the rhubarb a rinse under the tap, trim the ends, and chop into 2cm pieces. Core the apples and cut them into thin slices.
There's no need to peel the apples as the peel will soften and is a good source of nutrients. Slices of apple are better than chunks as they'll soften in the same amount of time that the rhubarb takes to cook.
Add the fruit to a pan, along with 2 tablespoonfuls of water, the honey and spice. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 8 - 10 minutes until the fruit is soft.
The rhubarb should be starting to fall apart, but retain its shape a little.
Keep an eye on the mixture so that it does not catch on the bottom of the pan.
The juices will naturally thicken into a delicious syrup.
Wendy's recipe tips
- Rhubarb varieties can vary widely in sweetness. I have 2 varieties in my garden, and one is naturally much sweeter than the other (I think that is Victoria, it has greener stems than the Timperley Early).
- You might find that you want to adjust the sweetness of your compote depending on the fruit you are using and your personal taste. If you use a very sweet variety of apple such as Fuji or Gala, you may not even need to add any honey.
- You can also make stewed rhubarb with frozen rhubarb if you prefer. Allow a couple of extra minutes for the rhubarb to defrost in the pan, and don't add any water to the recipe as frozen rhubarb will release more liquid.
Serving
Sugar-free stewed rhubarb compote goes very well with creamy dairy products. Serve it with Greek yogurt, these almond yogurt parfaits, or with an easy homemade custard.
If you want some extra crunch, try adding some quick healthy granola that you can make on the stovetop in just 10 minutes.
You could also serve stewed rhubarb and apple as a sauce for a healthy cheesecake, or as a healthy breakfast topping for your regular cereal or porridge.
How to store stewed rhubarb compote
This stewed rhubarb will store in the fridge for 4 or 5 days.
If you want to keep it for longer, seal it in a freezer-proof container and pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight.
Frequently asked questions
No, it's not necessary to peel rhubarb. That way, you can keep all of that lovely pink colour. Just trim the very bottom of the stems, where they have been in contact with the soil. If your rhubarb seems especially stringy, remove the strings as you cut it up.
In addition to apples, oranges and strawberries also balance the tart taste of rhubarb and add natural sweetness. You could add a little orange zest to the recipe if you like, or replace the water with orange juice.
Rhubarb stems are fine for human consumption. But the leaves are poisonous, and must not be eaten.
Yes. Both rhubarb compote (or compôte) and stewed fruit just mean that the fruit has been gently cooked with a little water and usually sweetened to taste.
Other rhubarb recipes you might enjoy
Make the most of rhubarb when it's in season with these other delicious healthy rhubarb recipes
If you like seasonal stewed fruit, you might also like to try this stewed blackberry and apple, or stewed plums with honey. Or browse the collection of sugar-free stewed fruit recipes.
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Recipe
Healthy Stewed Rhubarb and Apple
Ingredients
- 400 g rhubarb
- 2 dessert apples
- 2 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Rinse the rhubarb, trim the ends and cut into 2 cm pieces. Core the apples and cut into 2-3mm slices.400 g rhubarb, 2 dessert apples
- Add the fruit, honey and spice to a lidded pan, along with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and bring to the boil.2 tbsp honey, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp water
- Simmer gently for 8-10 minutes until the fruit is soft. Check regularly to ensure that the mixture does not catch on the bottom of the pan.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can use a cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon. Simply add the stick to the pan, and remove it when the fruit is cooked.
- Ground ginger can also be used instead of cinnamon. Or use ground mixed spice.
- Maple syrup can be used instead of honey.
- Rhubarb and apple varieties can vary in sweetness, so taste the recipe, and add a little extra honey if necessary. If you are using a very sweet variety of apple, such as Fuji or Gala, you may not need to add honey to the recipe.
Nutrition
Please note nutritional information is per serving and is provided for guidance only.
Pauline says
I love this apple and rhubarb sugarless compote - especially with Greek yoghurt! I think i would peel apples next time, omit cinnamon and use oranges instead. Thank-you for posting delicious recipe.
Kathy Simmons says
I made this last night with Pink lady apples and honey. Delicious 🤤
Mark says
I just made this. I used maple Syrup instead of honey and Pink Lady apples.
It's so sweet I think next time I'll leave the maple syrup out.
I'll have some later with Greek Yogurt
Wendy Faulkner says
That's good to know thank you. Pink lady apples are my daughter's favourite!
Lorna Jones says
The month of May in South Australia is History month. I have just cooked a pot of rhubarb and apple for an Early Settlers lunch. Will serve with custard (no refrigeration in 1839).
This recipe always works well.
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you. I love that you'll be enjoying rhubarb and apple as part of your historic celebration meal! I hope it goes well.
Joanne Pickett says
Thanks for the recipe growing rhubarb in our garden. Also pink lady apples from a friend's trees. She gave us apples we gave her rhubarb that's what it's all about sharing
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you. I love that:)
Deirdre Lampard says
Great with Greek yoghurt!!
Peter Dinmore says
Yes great for breakfast with muesli and yogurt 😋
Wendy Faulkner says
Thanks for your comment. That sounds like a great combination!
Alayne says
Super easy to make and oh delicious with my breakfast muesli and Greek yoghurt
Wendy Faulkner says
Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Lara says
Super easy. Love it on my breakfast!
Wendy says
That's great to hear, thank you.