Blueberry Rhubarb Pie

Blueberry Rhubarb Pie is the best way to kick off the summer season! Packed with fresh blueberries, tangy rhubarb, and a hint of lime, this rustic pie is finished with a buttery crumb topping. Serve it warm with ice cream for the perfect end to a summer day.

Crumb Topped Blueberry Rhubarb Pie

Most folks probably think of Thanksgiving when they think about pies, but I’ve always been more of a summer pie girl. You’ll never convince me that pumpkin pie can compete with a bubbly, jewel toned berry pie, bursting with sweet tart flavor.

 Plus, berry pies are obviously meant to be served a la mode, a situation that is especially enjoyable in the summer months.

If Peach Crumble Pie is the go-to for long, late summer days and Bumbleberry Pie is the obvious pick for Fourth of July, this Blueberry Rhubarb Pie is the perfect kick off to summer, highlighting some early season fruits (and vegetables).

Yes, rhubarb is technically a vegetable, which is why we can say we’re eating this pie for our health.

I adapted this Blueberry Rhubarb Pie recipe from the fabulous cookbook, Midwest Made. It’s a rustic crumb pie with a no-cook berry filling and buttery crumble topping that practically begs for ice cream.

The tangy rhubarb and squeeze of fresh lime juice balance the sweetness of the blueberries, for a pie that feels both familiar and surprising.

If you’re in the Midwest, I’d argue that the best place to find rhubarb is not in the grocery store, but in your neighbor’s back yard. Ask around! This perennial grows prolifically every year from April to July, so you’re likely to find someone that’s thrilled to give some away!

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Pie Crust– We are big fans of this homemade Buttermilk Pie Crust. It’s made in a food processor and pretty easy to work with. However, you can definitely use a store bought pie crust if you prefer.
• Pantry staples including flour, sugar, and salt, as well as cinnamon and ginger. Feel free to experiment with different spices. Cardamom and a bit of nutmeg would also be lovely here.
• Butter– We use butter for the crumb topping as well as just a tad in the filling. I prefer to use unsalted butter.
• Turbinado sugar– This coarse sugar is my secret weapon for adding a bit of sparkly crunch to muffins (see it on our Orange Poppy Seed Muffins), but it’s also perfect for crumb toppings!
• Cornstarch– Since we’re not pre-cooking the filling, we need plenty of cornstarch to thicken and soak up the juices as the pie bakes.
• Blueberries– This recipe was tested with fresh blueberries. I think it could be made with frozen, but you would need to add an extra tablespoon of cornstarch, as frozen blueberries tend to release more moisture.
• Rhubarb– If you’re not familiar with this vegetable, here’s a great tutorial for how to chop rhubarb. Rhubarb does not need to be peeled. You can use frozen chopped rhubarb for this recipe. Just make sure it is thawed and drained before proceeding with the recipe.
• Lime– We use both lime zest and juice. The lime pairs so beautifully with the blueberries, but you could also use lemon juice if you prefer.

How to Make Blueberry Rhubarb Pie

Step 1: Prepare the crust. Roll the crust out, then transfer to a 9 inch pie dish. Whisk together flour and sugar and sprinkle it on the bottom of the crust. Chill in the freezer while you prepare the other ingredients.

Step 2: Make the crumbs. Beat together flour, butter, granulated sugar, turbinado sugar, and salt until the mixture is blended, then continue to beat until it’s broken up into small crumbs. Place in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Step 3: Make the filling. Whisk together sugar, cornstarch, ginger, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, combine blueberries, rhubarb, lime zest and juice, and butter. Pour the sugar mixture over the berries and use your hands to gently stir them together.

Step 4: Assemble. Pour the berry filling into the pie crust, then sprinkle crumbs evenly over the top.

Step 5: Bake. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 and bake another 50-60 minutes, or until juices from the berries are bubbling up around the edges. After 15 minutes, place a pie shield around the edges of the crust so it doesn’t get too brown.

Step 6: Rest. Allow the pie to cool for at least two hours unless you don’t mind really sloppy slices. Bluebarb pie can be served warm or at room temperature.

Our Best Tips for Pie Making

• Keep your pie crust cold! We chill the pie crust after it’s in the pie pan, and sometimes even between rolling it and putting it in the pie pan. Basically, if your pie crust is sticky or hard to work with, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes.
• Roll pie crust out between parchment or wax paper to avoid adding too much flour or having it stick to the counter. Peel off the top layer, place it in the pie pan, then gently peel off the other layer.
• Sprinkle the bottom of your crust with sugar and flour to keep it from getting soggy.
• Bake on a baking sheet. This helps catch any spillage or overflow of the fruit juices. Line it with foil for easy clean up, if desired.
• Use a pie shield to avoid an overly browned crust. The pie filling will take much longer to bake than the outer pie crust will. The shield is a handy tool that prevents the crust from burning. As you can see, ours still got pretty brown, so we’ve adjusted the recipe to put the shield on earlier in the baking process.
• Let it rest. Fruit pies need to cool before slicing. I know, I know, this is torture, but if you dive right in, you’ll have very sloppy pies. After about two hours you’ll have sliceable but still a bit messy slices (as you see in the pictures). After 6-8 hours, they’ll be nice and firm.

More of our Favorite Pie Recipes

• Mini Pecan Pies
• Caramelized Apple Pie
• Coconut Custard Pie
• Peanut Butter Meringue Pie
• Pecan Pie Bars