Strawberry Sauce Recipe
This quick Strawberry Sauce turns fresh berries into a sweet, glossy topping for desserts, waffles, and more.
1 pound strawberries, quartered or more and hulled
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries, quartered or more and hulled
- ¼ cup water
- ½ cup sugar
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a small to medium-sized pot.
- Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes. It should be thick like a syrup.
- Transfer the sauce to a bowl and refrigerate for 30 to 45 minutes, or until cool.
- Serve or store.
Notes
I need you to know that this recipe is extremely flexible. The strawberries can be swapped for almost any fresh or frozen berry, or combined with other fruits like raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or fresh peach slices. I like to make a quick strawberry-rhubarb sauce by substituting half the strawberries with chopped fresh or frozen rhubarb. The tartness of the rhubarb and the sweetness of the strawberries balance each other out perfectly.
Adjust the texture to your liking: For a rustic sauce with large strawberry chunks, leave the berries alone as they simmer. For a smoother, more pourable syrup, use the back of a wooden spoon to gently crush the strawberries against the side of the pot halfway through cooking.
Let it chill for at least 30 to 45 minutes before serving. The sauce might look runny as it comes off the stove, but I promise it will thicken as it cools in the fridge.
If it’s still thin after chilling, return it to the stove and gently simmer it over low heat for another 5 to 10 minutes to help the excess moisture evaporate.
If it’s too thick, simmer it over low heat and gently stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or extra lemon juice. As it warms up, it will loosen into a pourable topping.
No need for cornstarch: I skipped cornstarch and relied only on the reduction to make this berry sauce. As the water evaporates during the simmer, the sugar and natural fruit juices thicken into a rich syrup. However, if you’d prefer a thicker, pie-filling-like texture, you can whisk 1 teaspoon of cornstarch into 1 tablespoon of cold water, then stir it into the simmering berries during the last 5 minutes.
Make-Ahead: The sauce should be made at least 1 hour in advance. I keep it covered in the fridge until I’m ready to use it.
How to Store: I cover the leftovers and refrigerate them for up to 10 days.
How to Freeze: When I want to store it longer, I’ll freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. I’ll thaw it overnight in the fridge before I use it.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 2gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.04gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 5gSugar: 61gVitamin A: 27IUVitamin C: 133mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 1mg