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 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 roasted rhubarb muffins or in a crisp or a 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 entertaining 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!

Gather your ingredients for this vegan rhubarb galette

This delicious vegan rhubarb galette tastes like it came from the bakery but it’s made with simple ingredients, many of which you probably already have in your pantry!

Just 5 ingredients for whole grain galette dough:

• Rye flour: one of my favourite whole grain flours because it has a rich flavour that lends plenty of personality to this dough. Don’t have any on hand? In a pinch you can totally use whole grain spelt or whole wheat flour
• All purpose flour: rye doesn’t have much gluten, so adding good ol’ all purpose gives this dough better structure.
• Vegan baking sticks: The only difference between a vegan galette and a non-vegan galette is the fat. And without a doubt, Earth Balance baking sticks perform best in this recipe. Not sponsored, just a fact! As much as I love Melt for spreading, I find Melt sticks, well, melt too much for good pastry.
• Sugar and salt: just a tiny amount of sugar and salt for flavour balance and browning!

And 6 ingredients for the rhubarb filling:

• Rhubarb: choose firm, brightly coloured stalks!
• Sugar: I don’t like an overly sweet dessert; 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.
• Cornstarch: helps thicken the juices so the tart is nice and jammy
• Vanilla, Cardamom + Black Pepper: this is what takes this over the top. Vanilla lends aroma and the illusion of sweetness. Fragrant cardamom – my signature move – has its gentle peppery edge emboldened by actual black pepper. Sounds odd, so freaking good!

How to make this easy rhubarb galette

A gorgeous rhubarb galette, from scratch, with only 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.

Step One: Mix the dough. Start by adding the flours, diced vegan butter, sugar and salt to the food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles fine crumbles. Then drizzle the water in while pulsing. It’s okay if your dough looks a little too wet, we can fix that later, but if it looks too dry? Drizzle in more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Step Two: Chill the dough. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. If it looks too wet, add a good sprinkle of flour to the top, then give it just a few kneads until it looks like a firm, cohesive, non-sticky dough that you can form into a disk. Knead in as much flour as you need so it isn’t sticky, you won’t hurt the dough. Wrap that disk in food wrap and chill for an hour.

Step Three: Prep the filling. When the hour is almost up, preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). Trim and slice the rhubarb into ⅓ inch (about 1 cm) slices and toss with sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cardamon and black pepper in a bowl.

Step Four: Roll and fill the galette. Take the dough out of the fridge and place on a piece of parchment that’s big enough to cover your rimmed baking sheet. Then roll out into a roughly circle-like shape until your dough is ¼ inch (½ cm) thick. It doesn’t have to be perfect! Transfer the parchment with the dough onto your baking sheet. Add the rhubarb filling to the dough and spread evenly, leaving about 2 inches around the edges.

Step Five: Fold edges and bake! You’re going to fold the dough over the edges of the filling and then bake for 45-55 minutes until the crust is golden brown and crisp and the filling is bubbly and jammy. Some liquid may escape, that’s normal! Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Dietitian FAQ: rhubarb and oxalates

You may have heard that rhubarb is high in oxalates – which are linked to oxalate-type kidney stones – and wondered if it was safe to eat? Let this dietitian assure you: as long as you have not been placed on a low oxalate diet by your doc, rhubarb is very safe (and delicious!).

A couple of things to note:

• Oxalates, considered an anti-nutrient because they bind minerals, are dangerously high in the leaves. Never eat rhubarb leaves.
• Rhubarb stalks are actually high in calcium, which is bound to the oxalic acid, meaning that you’re less likely to absorb both the calcium and the oxalate. However, if you wanted more calcium benefits from rhubarb, cooking – particularly boiling – will reduce oxalate and make the calcium more bioavailable.

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)

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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 black pepper. The dough comes together in a food processor in 5 minutes and you literally cannot mess it up. Oh, and it’s vegan…but no one will know!

Course Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Diet Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword baking, rhubarb, rye

Dietary Preference dairy free, egg free, nut free, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Chilling Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 2 hours hours 5 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Desiree Nielsen, RD

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

Easy Whole Grain Galette Dough

• 1 cup whole grain rye flour or spelt or whole wheat
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• ¾ cup cold Earth Balance Baking Sticks 1 ½ sticks, diced
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ scant cup cold water

Rhubarb Filling

• 1 pound fresh rhubarb trimmed and sliced into 1/3 inch (3/4 cm) slices
• ½ cup cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper add a bit more for a stronger bite if you dare!

Imperial – Metric

Instructions

• First, prepare the dough: Place the flours, cane sugar, salt and butter in the food processor and pulse until the butter is in pea-like pieces and dough looks sandy, about 10-12 pulses. Then, drizzle the water into the food processor while pulsing, just until dough comes together – it’s quick!
• Flour your surface, and knead the dough a few times until it comes together in a flattened disk. If dough feels a bit too sticky, just sprinkle a little more flour. Wrap disk in food wrap and chill in the fridge for one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 400 ℉ (200℃). Cut a large piece of parchment and lightly flour it. Place chilled dough on floured parchment and roll out in a circular shape until dough is ¼ inch (½ cm) thick. No need to get it perfect, rustic is what we’re after. Transfer the parchment and dough to a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a medium bowl, toss rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cardamom and black pepper. Pour rhubarb into the centre of the dough, spreading it out leaving about 2 inches (5cm) border. Then, fold that dough over the filling, so it forms a shallow “bowl” over the filling, pressing gently where the dough folds over itself to help seal it.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes, until filling looks jammy and bubbly and dough is golden brown and crisp. Check after 45 minutes, and every few minutes after that. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
• Galette will keep on the counter for a day or in the fridge, wrapped, for up to 3 days.

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