Rabrabragrøt (Rhubarb Porridge)
A classic Norwegian rhubarb porridge that captures the tart, rosy brightness of early summer in every spoonful. This plant-based rabarbragrøt is simple, nostalgic, and beautifully old-fashioned, served with a cool vanilla-scented cashew cream that softens the rhubarb’s tang and turns this humble garden dessert into something really special.
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Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
For the rabarbragrøt
- 1 ½ lbs (700 g rhubarb), trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 quart (1 liter) water
- ¾ cup (150 g) sugar plus more to taste
- 1 vanilla bean pod split in half, vanilla scraped out (optional)
- Pinch of sea salt
- 4 tablespoons potato starch
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) cold water
- Optional topping:
- Additional sugar
For the vanilla cashew cream
- 1 cup (130 g) raw cashews, soaked overnight or covered with boiling water and soaked for 1 hour
- ½ cup (125 ml) cold water plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or organic cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- Tiny pinch of sea salt
- 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Make the rabarbragrøt
- Place the rhubarb, 1 quart (1 liter) of water, sugar, vanilla pod and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Let the rhubarb cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stalks have softened and begun to fall apart into a rosy, fragrant compote.
- Taste and add a little more sugar if needed, keeping in mind that the cashew cream will soften the tartness when served.
- In a small bowl, whisk the potato starch with the cold water until completely smooth.
- Lower the heat and slowly pour the potato starch slurry into the rhubarb mixture while stirring constantly. Do not pour it all in at once, as the potato starch might get lumpy.
- Continue stirring until the grøt thickens and turns glossy, then remove the pan from the heat as soon as you see the first lazy bubble rise to the surface. Do not let it boil hard after the potato starch has been added.
- Pour the rabarbragrøt into a serving bowl and sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the surface to help prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool slightly (or complete if you prefer it chilled!)
- Serve warm, room temperature, or chilled.
Make the vanilla cashew cream
- Drain the soaked cashews and place them in a high-speed blender with the water, maple syrup or sugar, vanilla, salt, and lemon juice.
- Blend until completely smooth and silky, adding another tablespoon or two of water if needed to create a pourable cream.
- Chill until ready to serve.
To Serve
- Spoon the rabarbragrøt into small bowls, drizzle with some optional additional sugar, and serve with the vanilla cashew cream on the side, letting everyone pour as much as they like over the top.
- I likek it best slightly chilled, when the rhubarb has settled into its tart sweetness and the cream creates pale ribbons through the pink grøt. It is simple, seasonal, and quietly beautiful in the way so much Norwegian food is, rooted in what is available, shaped by memory, and made special not by extravagance but by timing.
- Rabarbragrøt is not a dessert that tries to impress you. It does something better. It reminds you that the first true taste of summer can come from a plant growing in the corner of the garden, waiting patiently for someone to remember it.