Levantine Strawberry and Rhubarb Salad with Cardamom

Name: Levantine Strawberry and Rhubarb Salad with Cardamom
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 28 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) fresh rhubarb, trimmed, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces; ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar; 6 pods green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; ½ cup (120 ml) water; 1 lb (450 g) fresh strawberries, medium-sized, hulled and halved lengthwise; 1 tablespoon (6 g) orange zest, finely grated, from 1 orange, zested before juicing; ¼ cup (60 ml) fresh orange juice; ¾ cup (180 g) labneh (strained yogurt), at room temperature; ⅓ cup (40 g) roasted unsalted pistachios, roughly chopped or crushed; 1 tablespoon (21 g) mild honey (optional); ¼ cup (6 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or left whole (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A bright, aromatic fruit salad inspired by Levantine flavors, combining tart rhubarb and sweet strawberries with warm cardamom and fresh orange zest. Finished with a drizzle of creamy labneh and crushed pistachios for a balance of tartness, sweetness, and Middle Eastern spice. Serve chilled as a refreshing dessert or light brunch dish.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 8 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 58 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 5 cups salad plus labneh)

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Steps

Before you start

Chill serving bowls or plates for at least 15 minutes before assembling
Have labneh at room temperature so it's creamy and easy to dollop
Zest the orange before cutting and juicing it

1
Poach rhubarb with cardamom
- In a medium saucepan, combine rhubarb, sugar, crushed cardamom pods, and water.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Simmer for 6–8 minutes, until the rhubarb pieces are softened and beginning to break down slightly but still hold their shape.
- The syrup should look lightly thickened and be fragrant with cardamom.
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Ready when: Rhubarb is tender but not mushy; syrup is fragrant and lightly thickened
Tip: Do not overcook rhubarb or it will fall apart completely. The pieces should maintain some structure in the finished salad.
2
Cool and strain rhubarb
- Remove the saucepan from heat.
- Pour the rhubarb and syrup into a medium bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
- Remove and discard the cardamom pods.
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Ready when: Mixture is no longer steaming and feels warm to the touch, not hot
3
Combine fruit with citrus
- Add the halved strawberries, orange zest, and orange juice to the cooled rhubarb and syrup.
- Gently toss to combine, being careful not to break up the fruit.
- Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes so the flavors meld and the strawberries release a little juice.
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Ready when: Fruit is glistening with syrup and juice; strawberries have softened slightly
Tip: Do not toss too vigorously or the delicate fruits will break apart and become mushy.
4
Chill and serve
- Transfer the fruit salad to the chilled serving bowls or plates.
- Top each serving with 3 tablespoons of labneh, dolloped or smeared slightly.
- Scatter the chopped pistachios over the labneh.
- If desired, drizzle with honey and garnish with torn mint leaves.
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Ready when: Salad is assembled on chilled plates with labneh and pistachios visible
Tip: Serve immediately after assembly so the labneh stays creamy and the fruit is at its peak freshness.

Good to know

Tips

The key to this dish is not overcooking the rhubarb; it should be tender but not disintegrated. Check it at 6 minutes if your pieces are small.
If your strawberries are very ripe and sweet, reduce the sugar in the rhubarb syrup to 4 tablespoons (50 g) to avoid an overly sweet dish.
Labneh is strained yogurt, thicker than regular yogurt. If you cannot find it, Greek yogurt works, but strain it for a couple of hours to thicken it further.
This salad is best served the same day it's assembled, as the fruit will continue to release liquid and soften. The flavors are brightest when fresh.

Make ahead

The rhubarb can be poached and cooled up to 1 day ahead; store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The fruit salad (without labneh and toppings) can be assembled up to 4 hours ahead and chilled. Assemble with labneh and pistachios just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate the fruit salad (without labneh) in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The labneh and pistachios should be added just before serving. Do not freeze.

Substitutions

labneh (strained yogurt) → Greek yogurt (full-fat or strained). Greek yogurt provides a similar creamy tang, though it will be slightly thinner. Use the same amount or strain overnight in cheesecloth if you prefer a thicker consistency.
green cardamom pods → ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom. Ground cardamom is more potent, so use less. Add it directly to the sugar and water mixture rather than as whole pods.
roasted unsalted pistachios → toasted blanched almonds, roughly chopped. Almonds provide a similar crunch and mild flavor; toast them lightly for maximum flavor.
mild honey → pomegranate molasses (optional drizzle instead of honey). Pomegranate molasses adds a tart, slightly spiced edge that complements the cardamom beautifully, keeping the dish more savory.