Rhubarb Chia Jam
Easy, healthy rhubarb jam recipe made with chia seeds and honey. Tastes great on toast! The rhubarb chia jam is gluten free and easily made vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on July 10, 2024
Well hello! I received several requests for this rhubarb jam recipe after you all saw it over and over again in my โlife of a vegetarianโ post. I made another batch as the sun went down yesterday so I could share the recipe with you this morning. I finally captured a bunny and a couple of squirrels outside my window in the processโproof that I really do live in Bunnyville.
Sometimes I judge recipes too quickly, as was the case with this rhubarb jam. Itโs lovely, pink, sweet-and-sour goodness. You can spread it on toast or swirl it into yogurt or oatmeal.
I based this jam off of my strawberry chia jam recipe. Chia jams are really easy to make. Theyโre made of fruit, mostly, and naturally sweetened with honey, so theyโre healthy, too. The chia seeds are rich in Omega-3s and help the mixture thicken into a nice, jammy consistency.
Iโm going to keep this post short because itโs a beautiful day and I want to get out and enjoy it. I hope youโll get a chance to try rhubarb chia jam before rhubarb season is over!
Rhubarb Chia Jam
Easy, healthy rhubarb jam recipe made with chia seeds and honey. Tastes great on toast! The rhubarb chia jam is gluten free and easily made vegan. Recipe yields about 1 ยฝ cups.
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh rhubarb, leafy ends removed, stalks chopped across into ยผ-inch slices
- 3 tablespoons honey, maple syrup or agave nectar
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice or orange juice
Instructions
- Combine chopped rhubarb and sweetener in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the rhubarb is mostly submerged in liquid. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in the chia seeds. Continue cooking, while stirring frequently and reducing heat as necessary to prevent scorching, for 25 to 30 minutes, until there are no big chunks of rhubarb left and the jam drips slowly off your spoon.
- Remove the pan from heat and stir in the lemon or orange juice. Let the mixture cool, then cover and refrigerate. The jam should keep for a week or two in the refrigerator.
Notes
Recipe adapted from my strawberry chia jam, which was slightly adapted from The Oh She Glows Cookbook.
Wait, what are chia seeds? Chia seeds come from southern Mexico. Theyโre high in nutrients and Omega-3s like flax seeds, but they donโt need to be ground up for our bodies to benefit from them. Chia seeds develop a crazy gel-like coating when they come into contact with water, which is how they act like pectin in jam recipes. Look for chia seeds in bulk bins or bags at your health food store.
Warning: Rhubarb leaves are poisonous, so donโt feed the scraps to your dog.
Make it vegan: Use maple syrup or agave nectar in place of the honey.
Can it be canned? I donโt think so. I am not a canning expert, so I would NOT advise canning this recipe.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionistโs advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
Good very good
Thank you!
I made this with this springโs first batch of rhubarb (and added a couple of strawberries) and itโs a hit! Itโs so easy, the texture is perfect and itโs not too sweet like traditional jams. I will definitely make this again and again.
Fresh from the garden, I love it! Thank you for your review, Maggie.
Nice Post!
Thank you!
my rhubarb is getting ripe so will be making this, but using Lakanto, since I am prediabetic.
Just planted more rhubarb. since it is perrenial, and a low suger fruit it is perfect for my new low suger way of eating.
I hope you love it, Leila!
I love eating and you make a such a Delicious items hereโฆ thanks
Thank you!
I know you say you wouldnโt recommend canning this. Do you think you could freeze batches of it?
I donโt freeze all my recipes, but this one may work well. Let me know if you try it!
Kathryn โ do you think this would freeze? Iโd love to save some for my daughterโs return in November.
Hi Amy! I havenโt tried freezing all my recipes, but you could try it. Let me know if it works well for you!
Iโve made this three times now with rhubarb from local farms. I only stir in 1-2 tablespoons of honey instead of three and throw in a couple of strawberries for sweetness. Absolutely delicious! I eat it in the morning mixed into plain Greek yoghurt with a few raw almonds sprinkled on top. Yum!
Can this be frozen?
Jam recipes can work frozen, but I havenโt tried this one specifically. Let me know if you try it!
Kate can I freeze this jam?
Thanks
I havenโt tried to freeze all my recipes, but this may work. Let me know if you try it!
Iโm going to make it again and freeze it and Iโll let you know.
Btw it was so good I added and extra spoon of maple syrup. I tried it on toast, then on peanut butter on toast and with overnight oats. Mmmmmm
Yes, please report back!
I managed to make something edible but not with this recipe.
Added way more honey and chia seeds and then quite a bit of sweetner.
I wanted to love this but sadly no.
Iโm sorry to hear you didnโt love this, Cricket. I appreciate your feedback.
Made this today for the first time! I did read the recipe wrong and added both honey and maple syrup. Although it didnt seem to hurt, it did turn it a little darker in color. Our daughter first made this using strawberries, so now be tried this one. Otherwise another great recipe! Thank you!
Made this today for the first time! I did read the recipe wrong and added both honey and maple syrup. Although it didnt seem to hurt, it did turn it a little darker in color. Our daughter first made this using strawberries, so now be tried this one. Also, would it be possible to freeze this jam? Has anyone tried it? Another great recipe! Thank you!
Hey Kate! Going to make this soon but curious if you think I could add fresh strawberries to this too? If so, what adjustments would you feel necessary! Thank you Kate!
Hi Cheryl, this version is actually a remix of my strawberry chia jam recipe, so I think it would work well to combine the two.
Iโm wondering how many cups of chopped rhubarb one pound is (approximately)? My scale isnโt working and Iโve got rhubarb ready to go! Thanks!!
Hi Kelly, it will be 3-4 cups.