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    Home » How to » How to Freeze Rhubarb: A Step-by-Step Guide

    How to Freeze Rhubarb: A Step-by-Step Guide

    April 24, 2025 , Updated May 9, 2025 Maria 2 Comments

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    Diced rhubarb on a wooden board.

    Do you happen to have an excessive amount of fresh rhubarb on your hands? Or how about a glut ‘ready to pick’ harvest that you are not quite ready to utilize yet? If so, learn how to freeze rhubarb most effectively and seamlessly.

    Diced rhubarb on a wooden board, next to a knife.

    There is something quite exhilarating about picking perfect ‘ready to harvest’ rhubarb stalks from your garden and heading straight to the kitchen to make your favorite rhubarb recipes.

    From rhubarb coffee cake to rhubarb muffins to everyone’s favorite tart dessert, strawberry rhubarb crostata!

    Rhubarb, also known as pieplant, is a truly delectable (and healthy) vegetable used in many mouthwatering recipes.

    This bright, green, and red vegetable can be easily harvested from late spring to early summer.

    But here’s the zinger: what if your bumper crop of rhubarb is ready to be harvested, but you are not ready to use it just yet? 

    If you ever find yourself in this unique and wonderful situation, don’t deem your rhubarb harvest doomed just yet! There is a key solution to solve this dilemma, and it’s called freezing your rhubarb!

    Despite its short season, rhubarb is a wonderful preservative, and freezing fresh rhubarb is the easiest and most effective way to get the most out of your bountiful harvest all year long. 

    Not only does freezing rhubarb help you reduce waste and maintain freshness, but it also allows you to leverage this wonderful vegetable to make delicious tart desserts and savory dishes now or a year from now.

    If you’re ready to learn how to freeze rhubarb and reduce waste, check out these step-by-step directions.

    And if you’re interested in preserving other fresh produce, I also have a helpful tutorial on how to freeze fresh peas for long-lasting freshness.

    Diced rhubarb on a wooden board.
    Jump to:
    • Prep and Freezing Time
    • What You’ll Need
    • How to Freeze Fresh Rhubarb: From Harvesting to Freezing to Thawing 
    • FAQ
    • How to Use Frozen Rhubarb
    • Summary 
    • Foods Preserved by Freezing
    • Recipe

    Prep and Freezing Time

    • Prep Time: 10–15 minutes (active; includes washing, trimming, and cutting rhubarb)
    • Optional Blanching Time: 5–10 minutes (active; blanching and cooling)
    • Flash Freezing Time: 2-3 hours (passive; allows rhubarb pieces to freeze individually)
    • Packaging Time: 5–10 minutes (active; transferring frozen rhubarb into freezer-safe containers)​

    Total Time: Approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to 3 hours 35 minutes

    Step-by-step photos are included in the article. You can also watch the video on the recipe card to see how easy it is to make!

    What You’ll Need

    • Rhubarb – as much as you’d like
    • A sharp chef’s knife 
    • Freezer bags or freezer containers
    • boiling water (optional for blanching)
    A handful of fresh rhubarb.

    How to Freeze Fresh Rhubarb: From Harvesting to Freezing to Thawing 

    When is Rhubarb Ready to Pick?

    If you are new to the rhubarb harvesting game, you may have questions about when to pick your rhubarb.

    Like asparagus, rhubarb is one of the first vegetables harvested, usually from mid-spring to early summer. 

    You can pick your stalks when they are about as thick as your finger and at least 8 inches long. Please make sure they are blemish-free. For reference, rhubarb tends to be the tastiest when closer to 12-18 inches long. 

    Make sure not to harvest your rhubarb in the first year of planting. As a young perennial plant, it still needs to develop a strong root system.  Instead, wait until the second year and harvest just a few stalks over a 3- to 4-week period. By the third year, you can harvest as many mature stalks from your rhubarb plant as you’d like over a period of 8-10 weeks. 

    So now that you know when to harvest your rhubarb, here’s how to do it. First, grasp and twist the base of the rhubarb stalk with an upward movement. As an alternative, you can use a sharp knife.

    Although this tart vegetable is often used fresh, it freezes well. The best time of the year to freeze rhubarb is in peak season, either available at your farmer’s market, grocery stores, or freshly picked. This will ensure the flavor and texture of the rhubarb are at their maximum.

    If purchasing, look for crisp, brightly colored stalks. Limp and soft stalks are an indication that they are not fresh. 

    Rhubarb stalks in a colander.

    Prepping 

    Let’s say you have your supply all harvested and ready to be frozen. The next step towards freezing rhubarb is getting it prepped and ready.

    The leaf and root are cut off from the rhubarb stalk.

    This includes cutting off the leaves and the bottom part of the stalks. Although the leaves are toxic to ingest, they are safe for your compost pile. [source]

    Once done, thoroughly wash rhubarb stalks under cold running water. 

    Rhubarb stalks on a clean dish towel.

    Place on a clean tea, lint-free tea towel and pat dry with paper towels or another clean tea towel.

    Rhubarb stalks next to a knife, lined up to get cut.

    Line up your stalks, and with a very sharp knife, cut the stalks into ¾-1 inch pieces.

    Blanching (optional step) 

    Blanching is a favored process that helps preserve the bright color of rhubarb and other vegetables before freezing. This is an entirely optional step, but one to consider implementing if you plan to freeze your rhubarb longer than three months.

    To do this, boil a pot of water and drop your cut raw rhubarb into it for one minute.

    Once that minute is up, drain the boiling water immediately and run your rhubarb under cold water to stop it from cooking. After this, thoroughly dry your rhubarb before heading to the freezing phase.

    The last step in this how-to-freeze rhubarb guide is actually freezing the rhubarb.

    Freezing

    Diced rhubarb on parchment paper on a rimmed pan.

    Arrange your rhubarb pieces in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet or baking tray lined with parchment paper. Remember to use a baking sheet that fits in your freezer.

    Place it in the freezer for about 2-3 hours.

    Frozen rhubarb in a Ziploc bag on a baking tray.

    Transfer the individual partially frozen rhubarb to resealable freezer bags. Use a straw or a sealer to remove the excess air, which reduces the formation of ice crystals and freezer burn.

    Label your bags by indicating the date and place them in the freezer.

    Diced rhubarb in a Ziploc freezer bag.

    Thawing

    Congratulations! You successfully froze your rhubarb.

    Now, depending on what you want to make with it, there are different methods of thawing it. 

    You can use the frozen pieces without thawing if you are cooking stewed rhubarb or making a rhubarb sauce. However, remember that you may have to reduce the amount of liquid used in the recipe to compensate for the high moisture content in the frozen rhubarb. 

    For best results, thawing rhubarb is recommended for delicious recipes like rhubarb cake, muffins, bread, and crumbles.

    Now, there are several ways you can do this. 

    The most common is to place your frozen rhubarb in a sieve over a bowl to collect the excess liquid. You can leave it covered overnight in the fridge or on your kitchen counter, at room temperature, for a couple of hours.

    You can also place the bag in a bowl of cold water to quickly thaw. Follow up by placing the bag’s contents in a sieve over a bowl to collect the excess moisture. 

    Fun Fact: One pound of harvested rhubarb equals about three cups of chopped pieces, both raw and frozen. This same amount yields about two cups when cooked.

    Rhubarb stalks on a sheet of aluminium foil.

    FAQ

    How to store fresh rhubarb?

    The best procedure to store fresh rhubarb in the refrigerator is to wrap the stalks loosely in aluminum foil. This method maintains crisp stalks for up to 10 days. 

    How long can you freeze rhubarb?

    Frozen rhubarb will keep in the freezer for up to one year. However, it is more likely to experience freezer burn the longer it stays in the freezer. If you have one, use a chest freezer as this will provide a higher quality when the time comes to defrost it.

    How to Use Frozen Rhubarb

    • Strawberry rhubarb compote in a white dish.
      Strawberry Rhubarb Compote Recipe
    • Sliced rhubarb cake on a wooden board.
      Easy Rhubarb Coffee Cake Recipe with Buttermilk
    • A pile of rhubarb muffins.
      Rhubarb Muffins with Buttermilk

    Summary 

    In summary, freezing rhubarb is not as complex a process as one may think. It all boils down to knowing when the perfect time to harvest is, the quick prepping process in between, and using your rhubarb supply within the allocated one-year window to ensure its freshness.

    And for anyone wondering if freezing rhubarb hinders the quality of nutrients, the answer is no. Freezing your rhubarb holds in more nutrients than if you left your rhubarb out for a couple of days!

    Since rhubarb is often coupled with strawberries, you may also plan to freeze fresh strawberries. Be sure to consult this step-by-step guide and more in-depth information on how to freeze strawberries.

    So if you have ever wondered if you can freeze rhubarb, the answer is yes! Overall, rhubarb freezes well and is an excellent ingredient to make tasty dishes and desserts any time of the year.

    Luckily, all you need is a simple step-by-step guide on freezing rhubarb like this one, some fresh rhubarb, and an old-fashioned freezer to make that happen. 

    Such a great way to enjoy summer produce throughout the year! 

    Happy freezing!

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    Foods Preserved by Freezing

    • Frozen whole tomatoes in a freezer bag.
      How to Freeze Tomatoes Without Blanching
    • A bunch of Swiss chard being help up.
      How to Freeze Swiss Chard
    • Freshly picked blueberries in baskets.
      How to Freeze Blueberries: Tips and Tricks
    • Fresh green and yellow beans being washed.
      How to Freeze Green Beans: A Simple Guide

    ★★★★★ If you have used this procedure to preserve rhubarb this way, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!

    Recipe

    Fresh rhubarb cut into pieces on a wooden board.

    How to Freeze Rhubarb

    Do you happen to have an excessive amount of fresh rhubarb on your hands? If so, here's how to freeze your rhubarb effectively and seamlessly. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Pin Rate
    Course: how to
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes
    Freezing Time: 3 hours hours
    Total Time: 3 hours hours 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 2 cups
    Calories: 24kcal
    Author: Maria Vannelli RD
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    Ingredients

    • 1 bunch rhubarb or as much as you want
    • water

    Instructions

    • Trim the ends and discard any leaves attached to the plant as they are toxic.
    • Place the rhubarb in a colander and rinse under cold running water.
    • Remove excess moisture with a tea towel.
    • Cut the rhubarb into ¾–1 inch (approximately 1.9–2.54 cm) pieces.
    • If planning to freeze the rhubarb for longer than 3 months, it is recommended to blanch the rhubarb pieces before freezing. Refer to notes.
    • Place cut rhubarb on a baking sheet that’s been lined with parchment paper.
    • Place the baking sheet in your freezer for about 2-3 hours.
    • Transfer the individual partially frozen rhubarb in resealable freezer bags.
    • Use a straw or a sealer to remove as much air as possible. This, in turn, will reduce the formation of ice crystals.
    • Properly label your bags by indicating the date and place your bag in the freezer.
    • Step-by-step photos are included in the article. You can also watch the video on the recipe card to see how easy it is to make!
    Enhance Your Cooking Experience!SCROLL UP for essential step-by-step photos embedded in the article above. When available, videos can be found in the next section. These visuals are designed to help you achieve perfect results every time. Happy cooking!

    Video

    Notes

    How to Blanch Rhubarb:
    Blanching rhubarb involves boiling the cut pieces for about one minute, then immediately transferring them to an ice bath or running them under cold water to stop the cooking process. Thoroughly dry before freezing. 
    This step can help maintain the rhubarb’s vibrant color and texture during extended periods of freezing. However, if you plan to use the frozen rhubarb within three months, blanching may not be necessary.​

    Nutrition

    Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 116IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 98mg | Iron: 1mg
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    I originally published this post on June 7, 2021 and republished it on April 24, 2025 with updated content. Thanks for sharing!

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    About Maria

    Maria Vannelli is a retired dietitian who lives in a suburb just outside Montreal, Canada. She's the founder of the food blog She Loves Biscotti. Maria hopes to inspire you and bring you and your loved ones closer together at meal times enabling you to create some memorable moments.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. val

      June 11, 2021 at 12:57 pm

      5 stars
      This is such a helpful guide! I can’t believe how easy this is! Thanks Maria1

      Reply
      • Maria

        June 11, 2021 at 12:58 pm

        Thanks Val! I already have a few bags in the freezer… saving them for the winter months.

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Maria! a dietitian (retired) and full-time content creator. Join me as I share traditional Italian recipes from my youth to modern twists on classics using fresh and seasonal ingredients.

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    RHUBARB RECIPES

    • Sliced rhubarb cake on a wooden board.
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    • Fresh rhubarb cut into pieces on a wooden board.
      How to Freeze Rhubarb: A Step-by-Step Guide
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