Strawberry Deep Dish Rhubarb Pie

Here is my favorite deep dish rhubarb pie recipe, with a buttery, flaky homemade crust made with both butter and lard, and a filling packed with fresh rhubarb, strawberries, and just the right amount of sugar.

This pie is what I make every spring when rhubarb season hits. The deep dish means you get extra filling in every slice, and the strawberries balance out the tartness of the rhubarb perfectly. I love serving this one warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

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What Kind of Rhubarb Should I Use?

Fresh rhubarb is always your best bet for this deep dish pie, and you’ll find it at most grocery stores during spring and early summer. The color of the stalks – whether they’re bright red, pink, or greenish – doesn’t really affect the flavor, so don’t worry too much about finding the reddest stalks. Just make sure the rhubarb feels firm and crisp when you pick it up, avoiding any stalks that look wilted or have brown spots. If fresh rhubarb isn’t available, frozen rhubarb works just fine too – just thaw it completely and drain off any excess liquid before using it in your pie.

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Options for Substitutions

This pie is pretty forgiving when it comes to swapping ingredients:

• Lard: If you don’t have lard or prefer not to use it, you can replace it with an equal amount of butter or vegetable shortening. Your crust will still turn out flaky and delicious.
• Strawberries: While strawberries pair beautifully with rhubarb, you can use raspberries or blueberries instead. You could also make it all rhubarb – just use 3 pounds total and maybe add an extra 1/4 cup of sugar since rhubarb is quite tart on its own.
• Rhubarb: Fresh rhubarb is best, but frozen works too. If using frozen, don’t thaw it first – just add it straight to your filling. You might need to bake a bit longer to account for the extra moisture.
• Cornstarch: You can swap cornstarch with tapioca starch using the same amount, or use 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour instead. The filling might be slightly less clear with flour, but it’ll still taste great.
• Sugar: Depending on how sweet your fruit is and your personal taste, you can adjust the sugar anywhere from 3/4 cup to 1 1/4 cups. Taste your fruit first to help decide.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake with deep dish rhubarb pie is not baking it long enough – that full 2 hours is necessary to cook down the filling and thicken it properly, otherwise you’ll end up with a runny, soupy mess when you slice into it.

Make sure your butter and lard are cold when making the crust, as warm fat will create a tough, dense pastry instead of the flaky layers you want.

Don’t skip cutting those slits in the top crust, since the steam needs somewhere to escape or your pie could bubble over and make a mess in your oven.

The hardest part is waiting the full 5 hours for cooling – cutting into the pie too early means the filling won’t have set, and it’ll just pour out onto your plate instead of holding its shape.

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What to Serve With Deep Dish Rhubarb Pie?

A big scoop of vanilla ice cream is pretty much mandatory with rhubarb pie – the cold, creamy sweetness balances out the tart rhubarb perfectly. If you’re not an ice cream person, a dollop of fresh whipped cream or even some tangy Greek yogurt works great too. I love serving this pie after a lighter dinner like grilled chicken and roasted vegetables, since it’s a pretty rich and sweet dessert. For a casual get-together, pair it with hot coffee or cold milk, and don’t be shy about serving it warm right out of the oven when the filling is still bubbling.

Storage Instructions

Store: Once your pie has cooled completely, cover it loosely with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days. The filling will firm up nicely in the fridge, making it easier to slice clean pieces.

Freeze: This pie freezes really well for up to 3 months. You can freeze it whole or in individual slices wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then foil. I like to freeze slices separately so I can grab just one whenever a craving hits.

Serve: Let refrigerated pie sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving, or enjoy it cold if you prefer. For frozen slices, thaw them in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple hours. You can also warm individual slices in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes if you want that fresh-baked feel.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3500
• Protein: 25-30 g
• Fat: 110-130 g
• Carbohydrates: 520-560 g

Ingredients

For the dough:

• 2.75 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 14 tbsp unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled)
• 1/4 cup lard (I prefer Armour brand for the flakiest crust)
• 1/2 cup water

For the filling:

• 1.5 lb strawberries (hulled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1.5 lb rhubarb (trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1.25 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: Make the Pie Crust Dough

• 2.75 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 14 tbsp unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 1/4 cup lard, chilled
• 1/2 cup water

Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor until combined.

Add the chilled butter cubes and lard in batches, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of fat still visible—this creates the flakiness.

Add the water a little at a time while pulsing just until the dough comes together without being wet or sticky.

Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling.

I prefer using both butter and lard because the combination gives you the flakiest, most tender crust possible.

Step 2: Prepare the Fruit Filling

• 1.5 lb strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1.5 lb rhubarb, trimmed and cut into pieces
• 1.25 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

While the dough chills, prepare your fruit by hulling and slicing the strawberries into 1/4-inch thick rounds and trimming and cutting the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the prepared strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, gently tossing until the fruit is evenly coated and the cornstarch is distributed throughout.

Let this mixture sit at room temperature—the fruit will begin to release its juices and the cornstarch will absorb them, creating a thickened filling that won’t make your pie soggy.

Step 3: Assemble the Pie

• dough disks from Step 1
• fruit filling from Step 2

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

On a floured surface, roll out the larger dough disk into a circle about 1/8-inch thick and large enough to line your pie plate with a slight overhang.

Transfer it to the pie plate, letting the edges drape over the rim.

Pour the fruit filling mixture into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center.

Wet the edges of the bottom crust with a little water using your finger or a pastry brush—this helps seal the top and bottom crusts together.

Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filling, then press the edges together firmly and crimp them decoratively with a fork or your fingers to seal.

Step 4: Finish and Bake the Pie

Brush the top crust generously with water and sprinkle with a light coating of sugar to give it a sparkling finish.

Using a sharp knife, cut 4-5 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking—this prevents the filling from bubbling over and helps the crust bake evenly.

Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake at 375°F for about 2 hours, until the crust is golden brown and you can see the filling beginning to bubble slightly through the slits.

I like to rotate the pie halfway through baking to ensure even browning, and if the edges brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil.

Step 5: Cool and Set the Pie

Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 5 hours before slicing.

This resting time is crucial—the filling needs time to set as it cools so it slices cleanly rather than running.

Resist the urge to cut into it sooner; patience here makes all the difference in presentation and texture.

Once cooled, you can serve it at room temperature or gently reheat individual slices before serving.

Strawberry Deep Dish Rhubarb Pie

Delicious Strawberry Deep Dish Rhubarb Pie recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 6 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Total Time 10 hours hrs

Servings 8 slices

Calories 3350 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dough::

• 2.75 cups flour (I always use King Arthur all-purpose flour)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 14 tbsp unsalted butter (cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled)
• 1/4 cup lard (I prefer Armour brand for the flakiest crust)
• 1/2 cup water

For the filling::

• 1.5 lb strawberries (hulled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick rounds)
• 1.5 lb rhubarb (trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
• 1.25 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Pulse the flour and salt together in a food processor until combined. Add the chilled butter cubes and lard in batches, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with some pea-sized pieces of fat still visible—this creates the flakiness. Add the water a little at a time while pulsing just until the dough comes together without being wet or sticky. Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes while you prepare the filling. I prefer using both butter and lard because the combination gives you the flakiest, most tender crust possible.
• While the dough chills, prepare your fruit by hulling and slicing the strawberries into 1/4-inch thick rounds and trimming and cutting the rhubarb into 1/2-inch pieces. In a large bowl, combine the prepared strawberries and rhubarb with the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, gently tossing until the fruit is evenly coated and the cornstarch is distributed throughout. Let this mixture sit at room temperature—the fruit will begin to release its juices and the cornstarch will absorb them, creating a thickened filling that won't make your pie soggy.
• Preheat your oven to 375°F. On a floured surface, roll out the larger dough disk into a circle about 1/8-inch thick and large enough to line your pie plate with a slight overhang. Transfer it to the pie plate, letting the edges drape over the rim. Pour the fruit filling mixture into the crust, mounding it slightly in the center. Wet the edges of the bottom crust with a little water using your finger or a pastry brush—this helps seal the top and bottom crusts together. Roll out the second dough disk and place it over the filling, then press the edges together firmly and crimp them decoratively with a fork or your fingers to seal.
• Brush the top crust generously with water and sprinkle with a light coating of sugar to give it a sparkling finish. Using a sharp knife, cut 4-5 slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking—this prevents the filling from bubbling over and helps the crust bake evenly. Place the pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips) and bake at 375°F for about 2 hours, until the crust is golden brown and you can see the filling beginning to bubble slightly through the slits. I like to rotate the pie halfway through baking to ensure even browning, and if the edges brown too quickly, tent them loosely with foil.
• Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool at room temperature for at least 5 hours before slicing. This resting time is crucial—the filling needs time to set as it cools so it slices cleanly rather than running. Resist the urge to cut into it sooner; patience here makes all the difference in presentation and texture. Once cooled, you can serve it at room temperature or gently reheat individual slices before serving.