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Strawberry rhubarb pie is a true taste of summer. With its perfect blend of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb in a buttery crust, it’s a seasonal dessert that brings comfort and nostalgia. This pie means so much to me—from growing up with rhubarb in Iowa to planting it in my garden here in Idaho—and it continues to be a favorite in my kitchen.

There’s something unforgettable about the tangy-sweet flavor of strawberry rhubarb pie. For me, it’s more than just a delicious seasonal dessert—it’s a direct connection to my roots in central Iowa, where rhubarb was a summer staple in nearly every backyard.

Growing up, rhubarb was always planted in one of our flower beds, and each spring it would return like clockwork—thick, ruby-red stalks surrounded by giant green leaves. My family never made a big deal about it; rhubarb just was. We’d pull a few stalks, add them to pies, crisps, or jams, and savor that perfect tartness that marked the start of summer. My favorite then—and still today—was always homemade strawberry rhubarb pie.

Now that I’ve planted roots of my own in southern Idaho, one of the first things I knew I wanted in my yard was rhubarb. It’s a way to bring a piece of home with me. I planted a rhubarb crown right in my Idaho flower bed, and despite the differences in climate from Iowa, this hardy perennial has thrived.

Gardening in Idaho has been a learning experience, but rhubarb is surprisingly easy to grow here. It loves full sun and well-drained soil—perfect for the raised beds and garden spaces many Idaho homes have. My plant has come back stronger each year, and this season, I finally harvested enough stalks to make my first Idaho-grown strawberry rhubarb pie.

Baking with rhubarb I grew myself was surprisingly emotional. That pie wasn’t just a dessert—it was a tribute to my childhood, a connection to my family, and a celebration of how gardening can ground us in both memory and place.

If you’ve never tried growing rhubarb, I highly recommend it. It’s low maintenance, drought-tolerant once established, and provides a generous harvest each spring/summer. Even better, it pairs beautifully with local Idaho strawberries, which start showing up in markets around the same time. When combined in a homemade pie, the result is a flavor that’s bold, nostalgic, and unmistakably seasonal.

Whether you’re looking for a new plant for your garden, or you’re chasing that perfect balance of tart and sweet in a seasonal dessert, strawberry rhubarb pie is a classic worth rediscovering. And if you’re like me—someone who grew up with rhubarb and now grows their own—baking this pie is more than just cooking. It’s preserving tradition, growing your own story, and making your house feel even more like home.

So here’s to summer, to family recipes, and to planting memories that come back year after year—one pie at a time.

Want to know how to grow rhubarb successfully?

Start by planting rhubarb crowns in early spring in a sunny spot with well-drained, fertile soil. Enrich the soil with compost or aged manure. Space rhubarb plants 3 feet apart and keep the bed weed-free. Mulch to conserve moisture and water consistently—especially during dry spells. Avoid harvesting rhubarb stalks the first year to let plants establish. In following years, pull (don’t cut) stalks and remove flower stems to boost production. With proper rhubarb plant care, your crop can thrive and produce delicious stalks for up to a decade.

Bekah & Kaylie’s Tips:

• Use a deep pie dish, or don’t use all the filling. Just be aware that the filling will bubble while baking and may spill over if over-filled.
• You can mess with the strawberry and rhubarb ratio based off preferences as long as you keep the total amount the same – then let us know which ratio is your favorite!
• Because of the high moisture content of this pie, it can result in an underbaked crust. Be sure to keep your crust thin so it will fully bake.
• This pie can also be made with a crumble topping rather than the lattice – see our crumble recipe here
• For your pie crust, we recommend our Hot Water Pie Crust recipe found here
• This pie can also be made gluten free. My favorite gluten free pie crust recipe is linked here. I use the same gluten free flour for the pie filling as I do for the crust.

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