Easy Rhubarb Galette with Cardamom

This simple, foolproof rhubarb galette is my favourite way to eat rhubarb, with a rustic wholegrain dough and sweet-tart rhubarb filling, fragrant with cardamom and just a hint of black pepper. The dough comes together in a food processor in 5 minutes and you literally cannot mess it up. Oh, and it’s easily made vegan…but no one will know!

Rhubarb and me go waaaaay back….my grandmother had a few rhubarb plants in her garden so we always had rhubarb pie or crisp on the counter, just waiting to be snacked on. I love that it’s a weirdo vegetable that somehow we only ever eat in sweet recipes, and you know this dietitian is all about getting those veg any way we can!

But really, it’s all about flavour: I love the sweet-tart tang of rhubarb in plant-based recipes, paired with just enough sugar to tame its sass, but not annihilate it, like my cozy rhubarb and oat crisp or a gingery rhubarb compote.

And while I am definitely NOT a pastry chef, and have never made a pie crust from scratch in my whole life, the easy whole grain dough I created for my Pear Tart works wonders as a galette, which is the rustic – and dare I say it, more satisfying? – alternative to pie dough.

If you’re a rhubarb lover (and maybe, even if you’re not!!), this recipe will knock your socks off. The unusual combination of rhubarb with rye, cardamom and black pepper will make you think you’re sitting in some cute coffee shop in Copenhagen being all cool in the nordic sunshine. 

It serves six, so it’s perfect for brunch or bringing to a potluck or picnic. Oh, and it’s pretty yummy for breakfast too! 

Looking for more delicious ways to eat more plants?? I’ve got over a hundred easy, nutrient-dense plant-based recipes in my book Eat More Plants!

If this basic baker can make this vegan rhubarb galette, you can too

A gorgeous rhubarb galette, from scratch, with only 8 ingredients and 15 minutes of hands on time?!? Yes, you read that right. While the dough chills, or the galette bakes, you’ll have plenty of time to bask in the sun with a tall glass of iced tea and dream of delicious desserts to come.

Because I’ve made this galette maybe like 50-odd times…when it comes to ingredients, in keeping with the “you can’t mess it up” spirit, there are just a couple of things you need to know to make this galette foolproof. Let me make the mistakes so you don’t have to ha ha.

First things first: if using non-dairy butter, you need to use hard stick type NOT tub. Essential. I find that Earth Balance Baking sticks or Becel Plant Butter sticks perform most like regular butter. Others, like Melt, are just too….well, melty.

And I personally don’t like an overly sweet dessert, so I find just ½ cup of sugar is enough to tame the tartness without being sugary. Rhubarb can differ in acidity though…if you find it’s too tart, just sprinkle over some additional sugar and warm under a low broiler! It will add a nice crunch.

Let’s talk hydration: if the dough looks too dry in the food processor, this is the time to fix it. Drizzle in more water, 1 tbsp at a time, while pulsing until it looks good! But if it looks too wet? No worries! Sprinkle over a bit more flour before you knead. All fixed.

Yes….you can absolutely make the galette dough ahead of time and bake it off when you’re ready! If it’s in the fridge for a few days, maybe give it 10 minutes on the counter to temper before you try to roll it.

Tips, Tricks and Substitutions

• This galette will keep well on the counter, covered in food wrap, for up to a day or in the fridge, tightly wrapped for up to three days.
• As is typical with a galette, some of the juices may escape and harden on the pan. For this reason, always cover your rimmed baking sheet with parchment for easy clean up!
• Yes, you can totally substitute half the rhubarb for strawberries if you’re into it…and no, I haven’t tested this one gluten free yet! Honestly, this method will work for any fruit you have on hand. If the fruit is less juicy, like apples or pears, adding some diced vegan butter to the top, like I do for my pear tart, will improve texture.

More wholesome and delicious vegan fruit desserts

• Healthy 3 Ingredient Blueberry Sorbet (instant!)
• Flaky Pear Dessert Tart (Vegan)
• Raspberry Dark Chocolate Vegan Magnum Bars
• Vegan Peach Blackberry Crumble (Crisp)
• Nourishing Rhubarb and Rolled Oat Crisp