Healthy Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Celebrate juicy spring produce with this vibrant Healthy Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp. Juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb melt into a jammy, jewel-toned filling under a buttery, golden oat crumble that just happens to be vegan and gluten-free. It’s cozy yet refreshing, rustic yet refined, and simple enough to whip up on a weeknight. Serve it warm with a dollop of coconut whip or let it chill for a bright, fruity breakfast.
Flavor Notes
Jammy | Oatmeal | Tangy
Pairing Suggestions
Whipped Aquafaba | Dinner Parties | Vintage Jazz
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Reasons to love this healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp
- Quick: this strawberry rhubarb crisp comes together in about an hour
- Easy: absolutely no advanced baking techniques required!
- Fruit-forward: a seasonal spring rhubarb recipe that also features a family favorite: strawberries!! This vegan crumble is the perfect introduction to the world of rhubarb.
- Tart and Sweet: this combination of flavors is one that apples deliver on their own to make a delicious pie – and it’s the same combo that makes this strawberry rhubarb crisp so popular. Strawberries bring the sweetness while rhubarb delivers the tart bite – the result is perfectly balanced with textural interest.
- Biotin: using almond flour in the crumble topping makes this crisp rich in flavor and value – one serving provides 30% of the daily recommended intake for this vitamin (B7).
- Beta-glucan: among other subtypes of fiber, beta-glucan truly stands out. It contributes to weight loss by increasing satiety, increasing water content of stools (making them easier to pass), and by lowering the glycemic load of foods eaten along with it. It also increases the production of short-chain fatty acids in your gut, which down-regulate hunger hormones. Oats are the primary dietary source of this unique fiber, but it can also be found in yeast and mushrooms.
Ingredients for vegan strawberry rhubarb crisp
Crumble Topping
Oats: old fashioned rolled oats form the base of the crumble topping. To ensure this recipe is gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free oats.
Almond flour: a touch of almond flour in the crumble helps it bind together while contributing a lovely nutty flavor.
Salt: always always always use a pinch of salt whenever oats are involved – the salt blocks their slightly bitter edge all while bringing out the sweetness in this crumble topping.
Coconut sugar: to gently sweeten the crumble topping, we’re leaning into one of the most nutrient rich sweeteners out there. Coconut sugar comes with a significant dose of potassium and calcium – more than 4 times the amount found in maple syrup and obviously much more than cane sugar (which has zerooooo).
Butter: to moisten, bind, and achieve a lovely rich toasted caramel crumb in the crumble topping. My personal favorite brand of plant based butter is miyoko’s creamy european style butter (not sponsored, just a huge fan!) which is made from a blend of cashews and coconut. That said, any block-style plant based butter you have on hand will do! If you’re not vegan, go forth with your typical salted butter.
Orange zest: this is quite a powerful flavor agent that should not be underestimated! Add a touch of orange zest to the coconut sugar to really bring this crumble topping to life.
Cardamom: a gentler flavor profile than cinnamon and one that’s perfect for matching the clean, bright vibes of spring produce.
Vanilla: the essential ingredient in almost any traditionally sweet recipe! Although vanilla does not contribute any sweetness of its own, it flags a strong, nostalgic flavor profile that many of us have linked it to sweet desserts like ice cream and cookies.
Filling
Rhubarb: celery’s elusive, fun, tangy alter ego! Look for deep red rhubarb stalks in the grocery store between April and June. Be sure to remove the leaves if they aren’t already cut off – the leaves are actually toxic to humans due to their super high oxalic acid concentrations!!
Strawberries: sharing the spotlight with rhubarb – strawberries conveniently come into season at the same time of year here on the east coast.
Coconut sugar: the strawberries add a good amount of sweetness but we’ll toss in another couple scoops of coconut sugar to help break down the tough rhubarb walls and gel the fruits together while they’re in the oven. Plus it gives the filling that extra nutty, sweet flavor to tie it together with the crumble topping.
Orange juice: ideally from the same orange that we zested for the crumble topping. Orange juice adds a touch of acid to help break down the polymers in the rhubarb cell wall and if that weren’t enough, oranges are a great source of micronutrients like folate, vitamin C and potassium.
How to make vegan strawberry rhubarb crisp
This recipe is a fantastic no-fuss bake because it really doesn’t require too many steps, chilling, planning, nor much baking technique at all.
The first step is making the strawberry rhubarb filling. You want to start with the filling so that the juices have time to start releasing while you make the crumble.
Wash and slice the rhubarb stalks into small ½ inch pieces. Add them to a large mixing bowl with sliced strawberries.
Gently toss the fruit with the coconut sugar and orange juice to coat, then set them aside.
Preheat the oven, then start working on the crumble topping.
Add the oats, almond flour, cardamom, coconut sugar, and orange zest to a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl, then add the vanilla into the melted butter and stire gently.
Mix the melted butter and vanilla mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula or spoon (or your hands – hey, we don’t judge). You’re looking for a wet sand consistency.
In a square or round 9” baking dish, layer the fruit and top with the crumble. Do this by dropping the crumble in globs without pressing it down: you want a scattered, imperfect rustic look.
Bake and let cool (if you can wait) before serving.
Serving suggestions for this healthy strawberry rhubarb crisp
- With fresh vanilla nice cream
- Topped with whipped aquafaba
- Alongside fresh coconut whipped cream
Use a kitchen torch to toast your whipped cream or aquafaba meringue for an extra fancy finish!
FAQ
Recipe Card
Healthy Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Slice the strawberries and rhubarb, then add to a large mixing bowl.
- Gently toss the sliced fruit with the orange juice and coconut sugar. Let sit for about 15 minutes while you prepare the topping.
- In a large bowl, add the oats, almond flour, coconut sugar, cardamom, salt, and orange zest. Whisk to combine.
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the vegan butter. Add the vanilla extract to the melted butter.
- Pour the buter-vanilla mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Set aside.
- Add the fruit to a deep 9" square baking pan. Any shape will do really – the deeper the dish the better.
- Top with the crumble by dropping it over the fruit using your hands. Do not even it out, do not press it down. You want a rough, imperfect layer.
- Bake at 350 for 25 – 30 minutes. You'll know it's done when the fruit filling bubbles up from underneath the crumble topping. Tent the dish with foil if you notice the topping is getting too dark.
- Let sit for a couple minutes before serving – the filling will thicken as it cools.
- Store for up to 5 days covered in the fridge. Enjoy this strawberry rhubarb crisp either warm or cold – both are delicious!
