Tag: Rhubarb vegetable

Despite being botanically classified as a vegetable, in 1947, the USDA declared rhubarb a fruit for tax purposes, adding to the culinary confusion. For those asking what food family is rhubarb in, the answer lies in its true botanical classification within the Polygonaceae family.

Botanically, rhubarb is a vegetable, a member of the buckwheat family, though a 1947 U.S. court ruling reclassified it as a fruit for tariff purposes. This legal reclassification has long obscured its true nature and limited its culinary perception to mostly pies and desserts. However, its tart, tangy profile is incredibly versatile and shines equally well in savory applications.