Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb and Yogurt Parfaits
Roasted, honey-sweetened strawberries and rhubarb yield a delightfully sweet and tart sauce. You swirl the sauce into yogurt, oatmeal and milkshakes.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 29, 2024
Will my fellow perfectionists please raise their hands? I know Iโm not the only one who chases perfection and suffers for it. In its more mild form, perfectionism can be a good thing, a steady drive to improve. Iโve taken it to the extreme lately, though, into never-good-enough territory. At this point, I am my own harshest critic and my own worst enemy. Whenever a surefire recipe concept fails me, or I donโt like what I see in the mirror, or the crumbs and splatters take over my kitchen countertop, my disappointment spirals downward until I hit rock-bottom defeat.
Eventually, I drag myself up and put on Cookieโs leash so we can walk it off. Those brisk walks bring perspective. I remind myself that perfection is entirely subjective. Not to mention, impossible. Nothing will ever be perfect. So why am I bothering with such an impossible pursuit? My drive to be the best only succeeds in making me feel worthless, jealous, even bitter. Thatโs not me! To that end, Iโve hired a professional to help me. I want to learn how to accept less-than-perfect with grace rather than defeat.
I wanted to find the perfect vehicle for this sweet and sour strawberry-rhubarb topping, but itโs just plain good on a lot of things. My strawberry and rhubarb were threatening to go bad, so I decided to roast the strawberries and rhubarb in the oven like I did for this balsamic stone fruit sundae. Roasting fruit is so simple and magical. If youโve ever cooked down rhubarb on the stove and been disappointed by the resulting fibrous goop, I think youโll prefer it roasted. The heat of the oven concentrates the sweetness of the strawberries and the tartness of the rhubarb. The final product is kind of jammy and still retains some texture, just like the filling in my strawberry rhubarb crisp.
Itโs great on pancakes, ice cream or swirled into milkshakes. Iโm pretty sure it would be the best cheesecake topping ever. Tart plain yogurt might be my favorite creamy base, though. Add layers of granola, yogurt and strawberry-rhubarb stuff for a โparfaitโโwhich, ironically, means perfect in French. (A coincidence, really. Insert eye roll here.) I just sprinkled granola on top for the pictures, but you can load it up however youโd like. If youโre looking for an exceptionally simple and fresh spring dessert, this is it.
Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb and Yogurt Parfaits
Roasted, honey-sweetened strawberries and rhubarb yield a delightfully sweet and tart sauce. You swirl the sauce into yogurt, oatmeal and milkshakes. The warm sauce would be a killer topping for ice cream, cheesecake or toast.
Ingredients
Strawberry-rhubarb sauce
- 1 pound strawberries, hulled and sliced into bite-sized pieces
- 1 pound rhubarb (about 4 stalks), cut into ยผ-inch wide slices
- โ cup honey
- 1 small lemon, juiced
Parfait ingredients
- 1 batch of homemade honey almond granola, or several cups of store-bought granola (nut free if desired)
- 32 ounces plain yogurt (Greek yogurt/vanilla yogurt works, too)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- On the baking sheet, toss the strawberry and rhubarb with the honey and spread the fruit into a single layer. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, tossing halfway, until fruit is tender and juicy. Watch the fruit on the edges of the pan, as the honey can burn quickly.
- Transfer the fruit and the juices to a bowl. Stir in the lemon juice. Serve warm over ice cream or cheesecake or let it cool and swirl it into a milkshake, etc.
- If you want to make parfaits: in small glasses or bowls, layer yogurt, strawberry-rhubarb sauce and granola to your liking.
Notes
- Adapted from my balsamic roasted stone fruit sundae and my strawberry rhubarb crisp.
- This recipe yields enough sauce to flavor about 8 (ยฝ cup) servings of yogurt.
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.
P.s. Some relevant reading: The Confidence Gap and Iโll Finish the Dishes When Iโm Dead.
I feel your pain!!! No matter how many recipes turn out right the one that doesnโt is the one you remember that drives you bonkers. As sure no need know about it reallyโฆbut it just niggles!! Youโre not alone!
Where did you find the rhubarb?! Iโve been looking all over for it. And by all over I mean at cosentinos.
Haha, hey Sara. I found it at Natural Grocerโs. Iโve also seen rhubarb at Whole Foods. Neither of those are close to you, though, sorry!
oh my gosh, I was drooling while reading this post haha! Looks amazing!
Looks simply delicious โ I LOVE strawberries and rhubarb together
Mary
Fellow perfectionist here, raising BOTH hands in the air! I totally hear you when you say it can be a good thing, but on the other hand youโre your own worst enemy. Having said that, when it comes to finding the perfect vehicle for this recipe, Iโd say licking it off a spoon sounds pretty perfect to me! :)
Thanks, Angela! Maybe we should start a support group for perfectionistic bloggers. ;)
I have been looking for a good way to spice up my yogurt, and it looks like you found a good one! This looks delicious! Never had strawberry rhubarb, but am excited to give it a shot. Thanks!!
Ashley, I hope you try the recipe! Strawberry rhubarb has to be my all-time favorite fruit combo. So good.
Roasted strawberries and rhubarb sound amazing, will have to try.
I am shyly raising my hand because I am one of those perfectionist for sure and it can go to the extreme too! It really bugs me when my recipes turn out upside-down but I am glad you walk it off with Cookie because animals always cheer up!!! Congratulations on the Parfait though because it is leaving all of us drooling on our keyboard (yuck!)
Hello, Kira! I do hate it when my recipes donโt turn out right. Cookie always makes me feel better, though. Hope youโre having a great weekend.
How exciting that itโs rhubarb strawberry season (almost). Lovely, unique use of the pair. :)
Also I can totally relate to the quest for perfection conundrum. I get to that place a lot, especially when photographing food. None of the pictures ever feel good enough. But nothing wipes my stress like a good, quality nap. Itโs a great way to slow down and realize that life is not about perfection- but about doing the best you can, doing good for others, and enjoying the ride.
Ugh, I know the feeling. Great suggestion on the napโIโm not much of a napper, but I always do feel reinvigorated afterward. I like your attitude. :)
Because Iโm a perfectionist, I havenโt posted a recipe on my blog yet. Iโve prepared several meals with the intent of sharing them; unfortunately, they didnโt turn out exactly the way I wanted them to. :P
I never considered roasting fruit, even though I love roasting veggies. This looks amazing!
Oh, I can so relate. I hate it when recipes donโt turn out just right! Happens to me all the time. Hope youโll try roasted fruit sometimeโthey basically turn into pie filling. Yum.
Coincidentally, Kate, I was just remembering a simple dessert I once literally threw together at the last minute which turned out deliciously. It was layered, like this, with different flavours of Greek yoghurt, lemon curd and ginger biscuit crumbs. Love your healthier version! What a great reminder.
As for the perfectionism, I think a large proportion of us suffer from it. For me, Iโm a perfectionist when it comes to work, mostly, but not with things that I donโt enjoy like doing dishes!
Helen, that dessert of yours sounds marvelous. I bet the tangy yogurt balanced the sweet cookies nicely. Youโre right, Iโm not a perfectionist about absolutely everythingโฆ like, my car is a pit right now and I donโt really care. I think I set the bar a little too high for myself when I quit my job to blog full time, so Iโd be much better off with more realistic expectations.
Strawberry and Rhubarb is a great and delicious combination!
Perfection can be helpful in some situations, but also devastating, so itโs good that you recognize its potential danger and are working on it.
And I love this light dessert! Or even breakfast. :)
Well said, Maryea. I am working on taming the perfectionism. Glad you appreciate the parfait!
I am craving all things rhubarb lately. Love this!
Mmm. I love Rhubarb, hasnโt hit the shelves here in Northern Canada yet but I am so excited โ these look delicious!!
I feel like I could have written this exact post myself. YES โ I am a crazy perfectionist and am still trying to convince myself that perfection is overrated (itโs sort of going well? I dunno). One thing I do know is that this recipe sounds amazing and these photos, !!!. LOVE.
Stephanie, itโs nice to hear that you relate. I want to make everything *just right* and Iโll keep trying until I get there. Itโs probably a big waste of time and energy, but it is nice to be really proud of the outcome! xo!
I love yogurt parfaits! Theyโre just so fun and fruity and they remind me of summer (which is always a good thing). These parfaits look so delicious! I love how you incorporated the classic strawberry-rhubarb flavor into these โ I can only imagine how amazing they are.
Pinning!
*Raises hand* This is definitely me! Im constantly striving to improve, which in itself is not a bad thing as you say, but when it comes with the negative implications such as being to harsh on yourself and over-analysing, then I agree โ a long reflective walk is definitely in order! Love the look of these parfaits by the way โ strawberry and rhubarb go together wonderfully โ it looks pretty perfect to me :)
Thanks, Dearna! Glad Iโm not the only one. Thank goodness for restorative walks.
Love this! Rhubarb is such a great spring treat, especially with strawberry!
Itโs amazing how walks with the dogs always bring perspective. You are not alone!
This recipe sounds lovely.
Wow, the color of this is insane! Must try! I wish you well on your journey to allow yourself grace to not be perfect. Letting things go just doesnโt come naturally to us perfectionists! I also hired a professional for help, and along the way found that there were actually more things to like about myself and be proud of than to not like or to hide. I dont know why I was surprised, but Iโll take it :) Overall Iโve felt more peace and more time to โrelaxโ, which has never been a strong word in my vocabulary ;) Itโs paying dividends in how I feel and Iโm sure, in how my husband and others close to me feel when being around me! Good luck, Kate! You are always good enough!
Thank you, Sophie! Itโs really nice to hear that you can relate. Good for you, for getting help! I hope I can find more time to relax soon. Iโm pretty good at chilling out when Iโm with my friends, but left on my own, I just work all the time!
I am a perfectionist as well! Nothing makes me feel better than going for a walk with my pooch, too! And this recipe just looks wayyyy to good! Iโd put this sauce on everything. I love the sour/sweet combo :)
Girl, I have those moments ALL the time. Take this weekend for exampleโฆI was on a tight schedule and was supposed to me participating in this french macaron challenge with a โsuper secret recipeโ wellโฆlet me tell you, after 3 attempts, I called it a day. Thatโs rightโฆ3! It was so defeating, I used just about every bowl in the house and went through a dozen eggs and was super late. I walked my dog at the end and realized that while super annoying, I had learned something, but still, ugggghhh! So this post totally made my day to see that iโm not alone. And the parfaitsโฆthey just look delectable! yum!
Phi, Iโve heard macarons are impossible! Iโm sorry yours didnโt turn out. Iโm also really sorry about all those dishes you had to wash afterward. :( You are definitely not alone. Glad the dog walk brought some perspective! xo
These look so delicious! I love rhubarb so much. And I never would have thought of roasted strawberries!
I have never tried rhubarb as itโs is not sold in Moscow. And yesterday I saw it in the supermarket for the first time, and ta-dam! you posted the recipe with it! Lovely! I will def try it soon!
Victoria, I loved rhubarb the first time I tried it (in a strawberry-rhubarb pie) and I hope you feel the same way about it!
I have a TON of those, but good for you for actually pushing yourself to do something about them! I have had rhubarb roasted and it is seriously the best. Pretty sure I want to smear this parfait over all the things.
Hahaโฆ I used to be a perfectionist but Iโve attempted to โreform myselfโ over the years, particularly since Iโve been married. It feels good to be a little more relaxed about things these days! Being a perfectionist definitely leads to great outcomes though; I reckon higher standards yield continuous improvement and make someone (i.e you!) better at what they do! Hence the amazing standard of this blog and its recipes :) Love this one. I am a big fan of any kind of fruit dessert. Plus, I adore rhubarb and strawberry together, yum! x
Oh my word these photos!!! I am for reals about to dive into my screen. Sorry youโve had such hard feelings lately. Itโs much more intensified when youโre working for yourself, too. So much to do all of the time and no one available there to brainstorm ideas, get opinions, etc. Itโs a LOT, so give yourself a pat on the back for all that youโre doing. Glad you reached out for help! Sometimes these things are bigger than us! Letโs catch up soon. :)
Thank you, Ashley! Always nice to hear from someone who gets it. Yes, letโs talk soon!
Just made your strawberry rhurbarb crisp today (husband said it was the best ever) and I decided to come back and check out your other recipes. This post gives me the idea to just put the crisp I made tonight on my yogurt in the morning as a breakfast parfait!
Jen, hope your breakfast was delightful! I bet it was. Iโm so glad youโre enjoying my recipes, thank you for commenting!
Thanks, Kate
This is to die for. Making it for sure this weekend.
Let me now what you think!
Hi, is the lemon essential?just wondered if I could leave that out.
It really helps with the overall flavor.
How long do you think this lasts kept in the fridge? Trying to make ahead a few days but donโt necessarily want to freeze
Hi, Hi, I find itโs best consumed right away. I havenโt tried storing it.
This is such a delicious recipe. I grow rhubarb in my garden and am always looking for a good recipe. Roasting the strawberries and rhubarb brings out their sweetness and I also like that you donโt need too much honey in this recipe (I might even try a bit less when I make this recipe again). thumbs up for this recipe!