Rhubarb Tarts with Beetroot Powder – Vegan and Vegetarian Options

Share it!

These rhubarb tarts are not too sweet, and flavoured with subtle hints of orange and ginger. The secret to their rosy red shortbread crust? Beet-root powder! It’s totally optionally but adds a bit of earthy sweetness, with no beet-y taste to the tarts.

Eating Together Made Easy

You can make these rhubarb tarts vegan or vegetarian. If you’re serving them to a mixed group of eaters, you can make the vegan version and then pair them with a variety of sweet and creamy toppings. From vegan to omnivore, here are some topping suggestions:

• whipped coconut cream
• vegan coffee cream replacement
• plain soy yogurt
• nice cream
• whipped cream
• full fat, plain Greek yogurt
• vanilla ice cream

These rhubarb tarts can be made ahead, and you can store them in the fridge safely for a few days and then warm them up to serve. I call them plant-based and picnic-perfect! Enjoy!

Let’s Make Rhubarb Tarts!

This will make six 4 inch tarts. I used 4 inch springform pans to make mine.

Rhubarb Tarts

Rhubarb Tarts subtly flavoured with orange and ginger, and optionally sweetened and coloured with beetroot powder. Easily made either vegan or vegetarian, delicious with your choice of sweet and creamy toppings. Perfect plant-based picnic food or easy make-ahead dessert. 

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: fruit pie, fruit tart, makeahead dessert, picnic dessert, picnic food, rhubarb pie, rhubarb tarts

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Chill Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 4 inch tarts

Calories: 532kcal

Author: Sylvia Eastman

Ingredients

Crust

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup butter or vegan substitute
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 tablespoons beetroot powder, optional {See Recipe Notes}
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/2 teaspoon orange rind, grated

Rhubarb Filling

• 4 cups rhubarb, chopped
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons beetroot powder, optional {See Recipe Notes}

Instructions

• Make the crust:

  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.

  Mix in the orange juice and beet-root powder.

  Slowly mix in the flour and then add in the ginger and orange rind.

  As the dough starts to blend together, get in with your hands and shape it into a large ball.

  Chill for about 1/2 hour. Make the filling while you are waiting.
• Preheat the oven to 350F. 
• Make the filling:

  Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low to medium heat.

  Stir every few minutes and cook for about 10-15 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft but not too mushy.
• Once the dough is chilled:

  Lightly flour a surface for rolling, then roll out the dough to fit your pans. {I used 4 inch springform pans to make mine. I make 6 bottom crust pieces that are slightly larger than the bottom of my muffin tins and press the extra dough on the sides, to make a rim.}

  Add about 1/4 cup of filling per tart.

  Make top crust pieces, using a small cookie cutter to cut out a vent hole. 
• Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes until the crust is firm.
  
• Serve with your favourite toppings. Suggestions are from vegan to carnivore:

  whipped coconut cream

  vegan coffee cream replacement

  plain soy yogurt

  nice cream

  whipped cream

  full fat, plain Greek yogurt

  vanilla ice cream

Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition information is for one 4 inch tart. 

About Beetroot Powder 

• Beetroot powder is just dehyrated, ground-up beets. It’s got a sweet earthy flavour and provides a lovely vibrant hue to the food. 
• Make sure you get any lumps out of it first, before you combine it with anything else. Blend it, pound it, spice-grinder it! Whatever you need to do. 

Storage

You can make this ahead and store it in the fridge safely for 2 or 3 days. I like to warm mine up in the oven at about 250F for about 10 minutes or so before serving.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 532kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 274mg | Potassium: 411mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 1050IU | Vitamin C: 12.2mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 1.7mg

Share it!