Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie has the perfect balance of sweet and tart, all wrapped up in a buttery, flaky crust!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This strawberry rhubarb pie recipe is easy to make, tasty, and captures the flavors of summer. It's impressive enough to take to a family potluck picnic and simple enough to serve with your weeknight dinner.

What You'll Need

For the best early summer pie, you'll need:

• Pie crust: You can use a store-bought crust if you're in a time crunch, but we love the flavor and texture you get from a homemade crust. This all-butter pie crust comes together easily in the food processor, or you can use this gluten-free crust recipe for a gluten-free pie.
• Strawberries: Fresh and frozen strawberries work for the pie filling. If using frozen fruit, keep in mind that it contains more water than fresh fruit does. It's a good idea to thaw the fruit the night before over a colander to remove some of the water.
• Rhubarb: Rhubarb is a vegetable that acts like a fruit. It's important to prep this vegetable carefully before cooking with it, as the leaves of the plant are poisonous. Keep rhubarb stalks whole until you plan on using them. When you're ready to make your pie, cut the prepared rhubarb stalks into ½-inch pieces.
• Orange juice: The acidity of the orange juice helps bring together the tartness of the rhubarb and the sweetness of the strawberries.
• Tapioca starch: This recipe uses tapioca to thicken the pie filling. Tapioca doesn't require a cooling off period to thicken, there's no unpleasant taste, it's not affected by acidic ingredients, and it won't break down and become runny after the cooking process is over. That's what makes tapioca the perfect pie thickener.
• Egg wash: Beat one egg with one tablespoon of cold water to make the egg wash. Brush this on top of the crust right before baking to give the pie a golden brown gleam!
• Sugar: You'll use both brown sugar and granulated sugar.

How to Make This Recipe

Follow along with my numbered instructions and step-by-step photos to see exactly how to make this strawberry rhubarb pie. Here's how to do it:

1. Mix together the strawberries, rhubarb, both kinds of sugar, and orange juice. If you are using frozen fruit, it should be thawed and drained before using. If your fresh strawberries are particularly juicy, allow the fruit and sugar mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes. Liquid will gather at the bottom of your bowl, which you can drain out. Then add the tapioca and stir well. Let the filling sit for at least ten minutes before moving to the next step.
2. Roll out the pie crusts, and arrange one in the bottom of a pie pan. Trim and flute the edges of the bottom crust, then pour in the pie filling.
3. Put the second crust on top. When covering your pie with the top crust, you can slice it into strips and weave them to create a lattice pattern. If this is too challenging, you can also cover the pie with a full circle of crust, cutting a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Both will create delicious pies!
4. Brush the egg mixture over the edges and top crust. This is where your pie will get its golden finish!
5. Place the pie on a large rimmed baking sheet to catch any overflow (trust us, this will save you some clean up time!). Bake in a 375°F oven for 70-75 minutes. Check on the pie about halfway through-if the edges are darkening too quickly, cover the edges with a pie guard or aluminum foil. Cool for at least three hours before slicing.

How to Keep Strawberry Rhubarb Pie From Being Runny

A few different things can cause runny strawberry rhubarb pie.

1. You used frozen fruit without thawing-If you're going to use frozen fruit, allow it to thaw for a day to release excess water. It's a good idea to set your frozen fruit in a colander over a bowl to allow the water to drip out as it thaws.
2. Your pie was cut too soon-It's tempting to cut into your pie as soon as it's removed from the oven. However, it takes at least three hours for the pie to cool enough for you to cut it. As it cools, the pie solidifies as the fruit juices and tapioca gel together.
3. Too much water in your fruit-Because fruit is mostly water, it can make the pie soggy as it releases liquid during the cooking process. If you have particularly juicy berries or are otherwise concerned about this, allow your fruit and sugar mixture to sit for at least thirty minutes (don't add the tapioca right away!). Liquid will gather at the bottom of your bowl, which you can then drain out. Then you can add the tapioca and bake the pie.

Make Ahead and Storage Directions

Strawberry rhubarb pie will store well in the fridge, freezer, and even on the counter. Fruit pies that have completely cooled can sit on the counter at room temperature for up to two days. If you need to store the pie for four to five days, wrap the top loosely in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and keep it in the fridge.

You can store strawberry rhubarb pie in the freezer for six to eight months. To store your pie in the freezer, wrap it tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Pull the frozen pie out of the freezer and thaw it in the fridge for a day before allowing it to come up to room temperature on the counter when you want to serve it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should strawberry rhubarb pie be served hot or cold?

That's a matter of personal preference-you can serve it warm a la mode, at room temperature, or cold. No matter how you want to serve it though, make sure you let the pie rest for at least three hours out of the oven, so the filling sets completely.

Should rhubarb be peeled for pie?

If it is later in the season, your rhubarb may be a little tough or stringy. If this is the case, use a vegetable peeler to peel the stalks. For early tender rhubarb, you can skip the peeling.

More Great Pies

Want more great pie recipes? Try one of these:

• Homemade Cherry Pie
• Peach Crisp
• Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie
• Indiana Sugar Cream Pie Recipe
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie