I created this panna cotta on a Sunday in May when my garden was overflowing with rhubarb and my first strawberries were beginning to ripen. The idea came to me while observing how these complementary colors harmonize so well on the plate.

This dessert perfectly captures the spirit of spring with its silky texture and balanced flavors. Rhubarb provides a touch of acidity that awakens the taste buds, while strawberries soften the overall sweetness with their natural sweetness. Fresh mint, added at the last minute, enhances the whole with incomparable freshness.

I particularly appreciate this recipe because it can be prepared entirely in advance, perfect for stress-free entertaining. You can adjust the intensity of the mint to your liking and even replace the agar-agar with gelatin if you don't have any vegetarian restrictions.

This panna cotta represents for me the very essence of seasonal cuisine: simple, respectful of the products and full of authentic flavors that tell the story of the garden in spring.

Rhubarb-strawberry panna cotta with fresh mint

Recipe by Nathalie Laplace

5.0 based on 1 vote(s)

Type of dish: dessertKitchen: FrenchDifficulty: average

Portions

portions

Preparation time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

468

kcal

Total time

hours

A creamy, gluten-free panna cotta that combines tangy rhubarb with sweet spring strawberries. Fresh mint adds a refreshing touch, perfect for this season.

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Ingredients

300 g of rhubarb
200g strawberries of
400 ml of full liquid cream
80g of white sugar
2 sachets of agar-agar (4g)
10 fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon of honey
The zest of half a lemon

Preparation steps

Peel the rhubarb and cut it into 2cm pieces. Hull the strawberries and cut them into quarters.
In a saucepan, simmer the rhubarb with 30g of sugar for 8 minutes over medium heat. Set aside.
Finely chop 6 mint leaves. In another saucepan, heat the cream with the remaining sugar and the chopped mint.
When the cream is simmering, add the agar-agar in a steady stream while whisking vigorously for 2 minutes.
Remove from heat, add the lemon zest and let it infuse for 3 minutes. Strain to remove the mint pieces.
Divide the rhubarb compote among 4 glasses. Gently pour the mint cream over it.
Place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the panna cotta to set.
When ready to serve, arrange the strawberry wedges on top, drizzle with honey and decorate with the remaining mint leaves.

📝 Notes

For perfect unmolding, quickly dip the bottom of the verrines in hot water before turning them over onto the serving plate.

💡 Chef's Tips

Choose a deep red rhubarb for a more intense color. If it's too tart, slightly increase the sugar in the compote. The panna cotta will keep for 48 hours in the refrigerator.

🔄 Variations

Cherry version: replace the strawberries with pitted cherries and add a touch of vanilla
Tarragon version: replace the mint with finely chopped tarragon for a more sophisticated touch

Nathalie Laplace

Food writer for the Simple & Bon website. Passionate about healthy cooking and especially salads, slow-cooked or oven-baked recipes.