Rhubarb Vinaigrette- Is your garden going wild with rhubarb? Did you go crazy at the Farmers Market and buy too much of it? I know I’m guilty of that! This recipe right here is one of many ways you can utilize rhubarb (and it’s not another dessert!). You can in fact make a delicious salad dressing out of rhubarb, and I am going to show you how!

rhubarb vinaigrette in a glass jar on a wooden board.

Rhubarb Salad Dressing

Can you make salad dressing out of rhubarb? Why not? This easy recipe is yet another way to make use of fresh ingredients you find at your local grocery store, Farmers Market, or in your CSA box (and maybe your garden if you have one).

This site is all about using these types of ingredients, and how to make more things from scratch and eat fewer processed foods. If you are wanting to do all those things too, then I am glad you’re here! I love helping others cook food they feel great about while using fresh ingredients. If you’re visiting The Copper Table for the first time, I encourage you to find out more about me and the blog.

When the rhubarb hits the markets, I make this dressing as often as I can and it seems to carve out its own special place in my refrigerator (and on my salads) every Spring. Rhubarb is very popular in the Pacific Northwest where I live, and it is all over the place. Even if you don‘t live in a part of the country where rhubarb is a familiar ingredient, please give it a try if you happen to come across it (and try this recipe while you’re at it).

Why You’ll Love This Simple Rhubarb Vinaigrette

There is a lot to love about this vinaigrette! It tastes like Spring, and it’s lovely shade of pink adds a nice pop of color. Here are a few more reasons you’ll want to make this recipe:

This is a great way to do something a little different with rhubarb if you are getting worn out on pies and cobblers. It is also wonderful if you’re someone who loves rhubarb and you just want to use it in an unexpected way.
The flavor profile of this dressing is perfect for pairing with all that fresh Spring produce.
Easy to make and few ingredients!
You only need one stalk of rhubarb to make this dressing, so if you have extra laying around but it’s not enough to do anything else with, then you can still get some use out of very little rhubarb!
If you want to change up your salads and do something a little unique, this recipe is perfect!

Important Notes About Rhubarb

If you have ever seen rhubarb growing, you know that at the ends of the stalks, it has large beautiful leaves that are a rich dark green. When buying rhubarb, you will notice that these greens are missing.

There is a good reason for this. They are toxic! If the greens from a rhubarb plant are eaten, they will cause a lot of gastrointestinal distress that no one wants. If you are a gardener or you cook with rhubarb often you may already know this, but if you are looking to grow your own rhubarb or are new to growing it then chances are this is new information for you. I felt it was really important to share this.

Should you encounter rhubarb for sale with any greens still intact (as shown in this photo) be sure to discard them. When I worked at the farm, we always made sure to get rid of the greens before putting the stalks out for sale at the honesty stand.

Rhubarb stalks with greens still intact.

What You’ll Need For This Recipe

Rhubarb- Look for firm stalks that are not showing any signs of rotting (especially at the ends where they tend to rot first).

Pink Peppercorns- I love the spicy yet floral flavor of these! For another recipe using pink peppercorns, check out these strawberries!

Vinegar- You will want to use something milder in flavor so you don’t overtake the rhubarb. The recipe card has notes you won’t want to miss!

I have not listed every ingredient here. Don’t forget to refer to the recipe card for everything you’ll need!

How to Make Rhubarb Vinaigrette

This is very easy! It is important to note that you will need to cook the rhubarb before making the vinaigrette. You’ll need either a standard blender or a stick blender as well.

There is not much more to this than combining the ingredients in the blender and combining everything together. I’ve got notes and complete instructions at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

Rhubarb in a saucepan with water. — Slice the rhubarb.

Other Delicious Uses For Rhubarb

This surprisingly versatile ingredient is a welcome addition to many dishes. These hand pies are wonderful, and rhubarb is amazing when added to lemonade!

This vinaigrette is great on salads loaded with fresh Spring and Summer fruit, or salads with tangy ingredients like goat cheese.

To store your vinaigrette, keep it in a jar or plastic container with a lid in the refrigerator for up to 10 days. You will need to give it a good shake before using, as the dressing may separate.

If you made this rhubarb vinaigrette, I’d love to hear from you! Ratings and comments are always welcome. For all the latest updates and other info, you can sign up for my newsletter. Happy Cooking!

Rhubarb dressing with salad greens and sliced rhubarb.

Rhubarb Vinaigrette

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Print Recipe

Rhubarb Vinaigrette adds beautiful notes of sweet and tart to your salads. This lovely dressing is a great use for extra rhubarb, and yet another way to cook with it if you are looking for new ideas!

Total Time: 7 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 stalk of Rhubarb (about 1/2 cup chopped)
3 Tbsp of Water
1/3 cup of Avocado Oil
2 Tbsp of Honey
2 Tbsp of White Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 tsp of Salt
12 Pink Peppercorns

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Instructions

Cut the rhubarb into 1/2 inch thick slices until you have half a cup. This should be about one stalk of rhubarb.
Add the rhubarb and the 3 Tbsp of water to a small saucepan. Cook the rhubarb and the water over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the rhubarb has softened and mashes easily with a wooden spoon and the3 water has cooked off.
Add the 1/3 cup of oil, the 2Tbsp of honey, the 2 Tbsp of white balsamic, the 1/2 tsp of salt, and the 12 pink peppercorns to a tall jar or the cup that came with your immersion blender.
Add the cooked rhubarb to the container and blend until smooth.
Use the vinaigrette right away, or refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

If you can't find white balsdamic vinegar, champagne vinegar is a good substitute.

If you want your dressing to have more or less kick, you can either add more pink peppercorns, or use less.

This dressing will keep for up to ten days refrigerated. It will need a good shake each time before using, as it can separate a bit.

Be sure to cut off any greens that may be on your rhubarb stalks and discard them. Don't eat them! See the blog post for more info on this.

This dressing is great on most any salad, especially one that has some acidic tang to it, such as goat cheese or feta. The slight sweetness plays well with those flavors. Salads with fruit such as berries or kiwi is wonderful too.

You can double or even triple this recipe if you need to make a larger amount.

If you like to freeze extra rhubarb to use after the season has ended, this dressing is a nice way to use it up.

Author: Amy at The Copper Table
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Additional Time: 0 hours
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Category: Sauces and Condiments
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1
Calories: 148
Sugar: 7
Sodium: 197
Fat: 12
Saturated Fat: 1
Unsaturated Fat: 10
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 11
Fiber: 2
Protein: 1
Cholesterol: 0