Rhubarb Yogurt Breakfast Parfait

These delicious rhubarb yogurt breakfast parfaits feature a simple rhubarb compote layered with spoonfuls of tangy, creamy yogurt topped with crunchy granola for a healthy breakfast treat. The bright, sweet-tart flavor of the rhubarb compote brings a naturally vibrant flavor and lovely ruby-rose color to the parfait.

If you are short on time in the mornings, you can make the fruit compote and even prepare the layers in dishes the night before. Then the parfaits will be ready to pull out of the refrigerator when you are ready for breakfast.

I get so excited when I find rhubarb in the spring. Making rhubarb pie, strawberry rhubarb crisp, rhubarb cake, and rhubarb breakfast parfaits is a spring rite of passage for our household. In fact, I consider making things with rhubarb to be an ode to spring, as it is one of the first fresh foods of the season. When I see rhubarb at the farmers market or get it from friends, I know to savor this fresh, fleeting time of year.

Rhubarb compote is really very easy to make. It simply consists of chopped rhubarb, sugar, water, and a slice of orange peel, all simmered together until the texture becomes soft and jammy. If you prefer, you can use honey in place of sugar for the sweetener. I have a coworker who uses dates to sweeten her rhubarb, which also sounds lovely, though I have not tried that yet.

An advantage of making the compote yourself is that you can control the level of sweetness. I tend to like rhubarb with just a hint of sweetness so the bright, tart flavor shines through. Another nice aspect of the compote is that it is very versatile. Not only does it make a flavorful parfait, but it also works great as a topping for ice cream, cake, oatmeal, pancakes, or biscuits, just to name a few.

For this parfait, I usually use whole milk plain yogurt, though Greek yogurt would also work well. Because the rhubarb compote has its own sweetness, I think plain, unsweetened yogurt works best in this recipe so that the sugar is not overpowering and the tanginess of the yogurt can set off the vibrant flavor of the compote.

I personally like to put a spoonful or two of granola on the top of the parfait, though you could also layer it in with the yogurt and compote. Another fun variation is to add some sliced strawberries to the rhubarb compote. Then you do not need to add as much sugar, as the strawberries are naturally sweet.

As I am writing this post, I have the windows open. The birds are singing all around me, and somewhere there is a hidden tree frog who trills now and then. We have put out orange halves on the oriole feeder and the orioles have been visiting that spot often. The grass and the leaves are a bright, verdant green.

I hope you all have a great week and if you need a tasty and nutritious addition to your morning yogurt, this rhubarb yogurt parfait is a treat.