Rhubarb Betty Dessert

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Updated on 01/20/22
Rhubarb Crumb Dessert
Martin Poole/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 40 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

This rhubarb Betty dessert is a rhubarb version of the classic apple brown Betty.

This rhubarb Betty is made with breadcrumbs, butter, and fresh rhubarb. This is a great way to use fresh spring rhubarb. If your rhubarb is more green than red, feel free to add a bit of red food coloring. Or add some sliced fresh strawberries for their brighter color and flavor.

 

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Ingredients

  • 3 pounds rhubarb stalks, to make 6 cups chopped

  • 1 1/4 cups sugar

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca

  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind, or orange rind

  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

  • 2 1/2 cups breadcrumbs, preferably from soft white bread

  • 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

  3. Lightly butter a 1 1/2-quart or 2-quart baking dish.

  4. Chop the rhubarb and place it in a large bowl.

  5. Add the sugar, tapioca, lemon rind, and salt; set aside.

  6. Mix the bread crumbs with melted butter in another bowl and drizzle with vanilla; toss well.

  7. Fill the baking dish with alternating layers of the rhubarb mixture and breadcrumb mixture, starting with rhubarb layer on the bottom and finishing with a breadcrumb layer.

  8. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

  9. Remove the foil and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until top is browned.

  10. Serve warm with a drizzling of fresh cream or a scoop of ice cream.

Tip

  • The recipe makes use of day-old fresh breadcrumbs, which is a money-saving bonus. Whenever you have day-old bread, process it in your food processor to make coarse or fine crumbs and freeze them for casserole toppings, meatloaf or meatballs, dressings, and desserts like this one. 
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
353 Calories
10g Fat
62g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 353
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 10g 12%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 20mg 7%
Sodium 377mg 16%
Total Carbohydrate 62g 23%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 8mg 40%
Calcium 144mg 11%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 334mg 7%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)