Rhubarb lemonade with honey is a smooth pink spring-and-summer drink made from whole simmered rhubarb stalks, fresh lemon juice, filtered water, sea salt, and raw honey. It tastes tart first, then gently sweet, with a thin punch-like texture instead of thick purée or pulpy juice.
Rhubarb can be sharply sour, so this recipe works because every measure has a job: six cups water soften the stalks, one cup honey rounds the tartness, lemon keeps the finish bright, and the half-teaspoon of salt makes the fruit-and-lemon balance taste complete without making the glass salty.
Where Rhubarb Lemonade Fits on GAPS
This is a Full GAPS drink after sweet foods, fresh rhubarb, lemon, and natural honey are introduced and tolerated. Serve it between meals rather than using it to replace a meal. The source offered several liquid sweeteners; this version keeps the measured one-cup honey option and leaves out maple and agave.
The honey goes in after the cooked rhubarb mixture cools to room temperature. That keeps it raw without changing the accepted one-cup amount.
Measure Before You Start
Measure six cups filtered water and divide it into four cups for cooking and two cups for cooling. Trim the leaves away completely and use one and three-quarter pounds fresh rhubarb stalks. Measure one cup raw honey and one-half teaspoon sea salt, then juice three fresh lemons.
Simmer the Rhubarb for Ten Minutes
Put four cups water and the rhubarb in a medium stainless-steel pot with a fitted lid. Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Adjust the burner so the liquid bubbles steadily under the lid without climbing the sides.
At the end of the simmer, the stalks should be collapsed and tender enough to break when pressed with a spoon. Take the pot off the heat, add the remaining two cups cool water and the sea salt, and cool the mixture to room temperature. Refrigerating the pot can speed this step.
Add the Honey After Cooling
When the rhubarb mixture no longer feels warm, stir in the full cup raw honey until no sticky ribbons remain. Taste only after the honey is completely dissolved, since an undissolved layer at the bottom makes the top taste much more tart than the finished drink.
Blend Until Smooth
Transfer the cooled rhubarb mixture to the Ninja BN801 pitcher, secure the lid, and blend on medium-high for about 30 seconds. Before blending, the rhubarb pieces will look collapsed and stringy in pink liquid. Stop when the drink is evenly pink and no pieces remain.
For a slightly smoother drink, press it through a medium-mesh stainless-steel sieve with a whisk. A fine sieve removes too much and is unnecessary. You may also skip straining and keep the whole blended rhubarb in the pitcher.
Finish With Fresh Lemon
Stir in the juice of three lemons after blending. Chill for two to three hours or overnight, then stir before pouring. Serve over ice only at the table. Do not use melting ice as the chilling method because it changes the measured rhubarb, honey, water, and lemon balance.
Storage and Serving
Keep the lemonade covered in a glass pitcher or large jar in the refrigerator for at least four days. Stir before each serving because the blended rhubarb can settle. The recipe makes eight servings.
Recommended Equipment
Use a medium stainless-steel pot with a fitted lid, measuring cups and spoons, citrus juicer, the exact Ninja Professional Plus Kitchen System BN801 with its 72-ounce pitcher, optional medium-mesh stainless sieve, whisk, and a covered glass pitcher or large jar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Maple Syrup or Agave?
No. This Full GAPS formula uses the source’s measured honey option.
Do I Have to Strain It?
No. Use a medium sieve only when you want a slightly smoother finish. Skipping it keeps all of the blended rhubarb in the drink.
Why Add Lemon After Blending?
The lemon juice stays fresh and bright when stirred into the cooled blended rhubarb rather than simmered for 10 minutes.
Why Does the Salt Not Make It Salty?
One-half teaspoon spread through six cups water, rhubarb, honey, and lemon balances the tart and sweet flavors. Measure it rather than guessing.
Rhubarb Lemonade Recipe
Rhubarb Lemonade With Honey for Full GAPS
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Measure 6 cups filtered water, dividing it into 4 cups and 2 cups. Remove all rhubarb leaves, weigh the stalks, measure the raw honey and salt, and juice the lemons.
- Put 4 cups water and the rhubarb in a medium stainless-steel pot with a fitted lid. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes without letting the liquid boil over.
- Remove from the heat. Add the remaining 2 cups cool water and the sea salt. Cool to room temperature; refrigerate the pot to speed cooling when needed.
- Once fully cooled, stir in 1 cup raw honey until no sticky ribbons remain.
- Transfer the mixture to the Ninja BN801 pitcher. Secure the lid and blend on medium-high for about 30 seconds, until evenly pink and smooth with no rhubarb pieces remaining.
- For a slightly smoother drink, press through a medium-mesh stainless-steel sieve with a whisk. Skip this step to retain all blended rhubarb.
- Stir in the fresh lemon juice.
- Chill for 2 to 3 hours or overnight. Stir and serve. Add ice only in individual glasses at serving time so melting ice does not dilute the measured formula.
Notes
- Full GAPS: Use after sweet foods, rhubarb, lemon, and honey are introduced and tolerated. Serve between meals.
- Honey: Add after the cooked rhubarb mixture cools to room temperature.
- Texture: The medium-sieve step is optional; do not use a fine sieve.
- Storage: Keep covered in glass in the refrigerator for at least 4 days.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!More Homemade GAPS Drinks
The planned Drinks Cookbook will collect fruit drinks, holiday drinks, and other homemade alternatives with exact measurements and physical cues. Find current resources in the WFLI shop.
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