Recipe: Rhubarb Lemonade

A drink with old roots

Jun 23, 2025

For a while, it was neck and neck—half of you preferred just the recipe, while the other half liked the full article with the recipe. Then, in the final stretch, the “just the recipe” crowd pulled ahead, squeaking out a win: 53% to 47%. Darn near a tie, if you ask me.
So… what to do?
From now on, I’ll include a 📌 Click here for the Recipe link right at the top of each column. That way, if you’re here to cook, you can dive right in. And if you’re here for the full story, reflections, and a little kitchen magic, you can savour the whole thing at your leisure.
A pretty fair compromise, I think—and everyone stays well-fed and happy.

So let’s get going!

📌 Click here for the Recipe

It was love at first sip

I admit, I’d never heard of rhubarb lemonade until Theo Tuharsky, a long-time follower on Facebook, sent me the recipe during the pandemic. I was intrigued—and immediately headed out to my rhubarb patch, pulled a few stalks, and made this beautiful, blushing drink.

The flavour was unexpected—vivid, tart, and just sweet enough. It danced somewhere between a classic lemonade and something altogether new. It had that mouthwatering zing that wakes up your tastebuds, like the first bite of a sour apple, but softened by the familiar comfort of stewed rhubarb. I found myself going back to the glass again and again. It was just so refreshing and enjoyable. I now make it every summer.

Rhubarb has always been part of the prairie kitchen—tough, resilient, and sharply flavourful. Turning it into a summer drink felt like the most natural thing in the world. A prairie stand-in for lemons, but with its own bold personality.

Help me spread the word! Refer a friend.

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A plant that endures

Drive the back roads of Saskatchewan—or really, any Canadian province—and you’ll spot it: that determined rhubarb patch still growing beside long-abandoned homesteads. You’ll find it in many gardens with it’s large leaves protecting long red stalks. It’s a plant that endures. And it keeps coming back, long after the people have gone.

And while rhubarb isn’t the broccoli of the garden, it’s still a worthy seasonal ingredient. It contributes fibre, vitamin K, and antioxidants, and it brings a bold tartness that simply tastes delicious. And it’s a beautiful reminder that food doesn’t have to be a superfood to be super delicious.

A fresh approach brings new fresh uses

Rhubarb is way more versatile than simply a filling for fruit pie or tossing a handful into muffins. With a fresh approach and out-of-the-box thinking here are some other ways you can enjoy rhubarb at your table.

Rhubarb syrup; lentil soup brightened with rhubarb syrup; rhubarb jam; rhubarb chutney

Rhubarb syrup drizzled over fruit or made into a salad dressing adds a bright fresh note. Add a splash of that same syrup to lentil soup and you’ll add that hit of acidity that simply elevates the flavour of the soup.
A shrub (a fruit-and-vinegar syrup) made with rhubarb is fun added to a cocktail or mocktail. Try it in a small bowl on a charcuterie board and drizzle some over brie or goat cheese. It’s also delicious brushed on chicken for a glossy tangy finish.
Ferment it into wine. Rhubarb wine is surprisingly delicious and I’ve found it to be one of the few wines that pairs well with a salad, which generally is difficult to pair with wine.
And of course, in baking in an old-fashioned strawberry-rhubarb pie, or muffins. Try it in coffee cake instead of blueberries. At my coffee shop, Momentum Cafe, our lemon-rhubarb scones fly off the shelf whenever they appear in the pastry case. They offer a taste of the unexpected inside a buttery flakey biscuit.
Rhubarb is superb cooked into a sweet jam and or an exotic chutney. Try a spoonful next time you have chicken.

Make it a summer tradition

I think you’re going to love this week’s Rhubarb Lemonade recipe. My bet? It’ll become one of those well-worn recipe cards you reach for again and again, summer after summer.

Enjoy and let me know if you made the drink in the comment section below.

Happy drinking!
CJ
xo

🌱 Your Action Steps this Week

🌱 Freeze rhubarb now, thank yourself later.
Harvest the stalks. Remember to pull each stalk at the base, never cut with a knife. Then, chop them, and freeze in bags for the winter months. You'll be grateful when you're craving a taste of summer.
🌱 Stockpile a few pies.
Make your favourite rhubarb pie, freeze unbaked, and toss straight into a 425°F oven mid-winter. After 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for another 40 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly.
🌱 Stew some rhubarb.
Chop stalks and add to a pot with a bit of orange zest and the juice of 1 orange. Bring to a boil, then simmer until it cooks into a sauce-like consistency. Sweeten with honey to taste and chill. Serve over plain yogurt—it’s a classic for a reason.