Roasted rhubarb and sweet strawberry pair up for the perfect springtime sundae

From Hailee Catalano's new cookbook, this sweet treat makes the most of seasonal produce

By Hailee Catalano

Cookbook author

Published April 20, 2025 3:30PM (EDT)

Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Sundae (DK/Penguin Random House)
Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Sundae (DK/Penguin Random House)

Excerpted from "By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear" reprinted by permission of DK, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2025 by Hailee Catalano

Strawberries and rhubarb are such beautiful ingredients in both color and shape. Roasting them together with a touch of sugar is such a nifty way to cook them because they become soft and sweet without totally falling apart, and this also locks in their beautiful pink hue. Serving them with ice cream and a crunchy pepita topping makes for a delicious and elegant sundae that is reminiscent of a cozy crumble or crisp but with a bit more lightness.

This is the perfect make-ahead dessert because both the roasted rhubarb and strawberry mixture and the pepita crunch can be made up to 3 days ahead.

Roasted Strawberry and Rhubarb Sundae with Pepita-Sesame Crunch
Yields
4 servings
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour (plus cooling)

Ingredients

Strawberry-Rhubarb Mixture

8 ounces (227 g) rhubarb, cut into 1⁄2-inch (1 cm) irregular pieces

8 ounces (227 g) strawberries, hulled and halved

1⁄3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar

3 whole cardamom pods, crushed

1 star anise pod

1⁄2 vanilla bean, split and scraped

1 inch (2.5 cm) ginger, thinly sliced

 

Pepita-Sesame Crunch

1⁄2 cup (75 g) pepitas

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 teaspoon Espelette (or Aleppo) pepper

Kosher salt, to taste

 

For Serving

Vanilla ice cream

1 batch Honeyed Whipped Cream

Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) with racks positioned in the upper and lower thirds. Line a sheet tray with parchment paper.

  2. Make the strawberry-rhubarb mixture: Place the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, cardamom, star anise, vanilla (pod and all), and ginger in a small baking dish, and toss to combine. Cover with foil.

  3. Roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rhubarb and strawberries are soft and a beautiful pink syrup forms. Remove the foil, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Remove and discard the large spices, vanilla pod, and ginger (see Note 1).

  4. Make the pepita-sesame crunch: Toss the pepitas, sesame seeds, syrup, pepper, and a good pinch of salt in a small bowl. Transfer to the sheet tray, spread into an even layer, and bake in the same oven as the rhubarb for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly toasted.

  5. Let cool fully and then break up the pepita-sesame crunch into small pieces (see Note 2).

  6. To serve, divide the strawberry-rhubarb mixture among small serving bowls. Top with a scoop of ice cream, a dollop of the Honeyed Whipped Cream, a drizzle of olive oil, and some of the crushed pepita-sesame crunch.


Cook's Notes

1. You can refrigerate this mixture until you are ready to serve. It will last for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.

2. The pepita mixture will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

If you liked this recipe, consider picking up "By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear" by Hailee Catalano, which is now available. 


By Hailee Catalano

Hailee Catalano is the author of "By Heart: Recipes to Hold Near and Dear"

MORE FROM Hailee Catalano


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