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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » Sauces & Compotes

    Easy Strawberry Sauce

    Published by Gwen Leron on July 16, 2021

    5 from 4 ratings
    »
    12 Comments

    This page may contain affiliate links. Click to learn more. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
    Jump to Recipe
    Pinterest pin showing two images of homemade strawberry sauce, this image is to be used to pin this recipe to Pinterest.

    All you need to make this easy, homemade strawberry sauce is THREE simple ingredients, and it's very quick and easy to prepare.

    It's a simple berry sauce that contains no cornstarch, you can make it thick or thin, or with fresh or frozen strawberries, all the details are included below. Once it’s ready, you can use it as a topping for so many things, just try to resist eating it straight from a spoon!

    A glass jar of freshly made homemade strawberry sauce in a glass jar, there are fresh strawberries around the jar.

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    I have a few fruit sauce recipes on the website already, and it's really hard to pick which one is the best because I love all of them, but this may be the one!

    When you use fresh berries to make this recipe, the finished sauce is vibrant in colour and taste! It contains defined pieces of berries, the flavour is bright and fresh, AND you can customize it to be less sweet or more sweet, it's up to you.

    Like all of my other fruit sauces, this one is also naturally vegan and gluten-free.

    Oh, and in case you're wondering about my other sauce recipes, here they are:

    • Cherry Sauce
    • Blueberry Sauce
    • Raspberry Sauce
    • Peach Sauce
    • Lemon Curd
    • Maple Caramel Sauce

    Ingredients You'll Need

    All you need is three simple ingredients and yes, it's made without cornstarch! So you may be wondering how to thicken it without cornstarch, right? It thickens on its own, thanks to the natural pectin in the strawberries.

    All you need is strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice.

    Image shows the three ingredients needed to make strawberry sauce with fresh strawberries (strawberries, sugar, lemon juice).

    Ingredient Notes

    Strawberries - Fresh is best for this sauce, but there may be times when strawberries are out of season. In those cases, frozen berries can be used. I provide details on how to use frozen berries below.

    Sugar - I use organic cane sugar for this recipe. The amount you use will vary based on how sweet your strawberries are and how sweet of a sauce you want. I find that in season, fresh strawberries are the sweetest and you can get away with adding only a few tablespoons of sugar. (I prefer making it not too sweet since what I am topping with it is likely sweet, too. A sauce that has a slight bit of tartness to it provides a very nice contrast.)

    Frozen and out-of-season berries can be less sweet and more tart, so you'll need to add more sugar. I provide a range in the recipe. You can start with the smaller amount and build up the sweetness from there. I have not tried making this recipe with any other sweeteners.

    NOTE: I haven’t tried making this recipe sugar-free, but it might work with peak, in-season strawberries if you prefer a less sweet sauce. Frozen and off-season strawberries aren’t as sweet, so they usually need some added sugar.

    Lemon Juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice helps to brighten up the flavour of the sauce. Lemon extract cannot be used, and I have not tried it with bottled lemon juice.

    How to Prepare the Strawberries

    I prefer to chop my strawberries into large dice-ish pieces, like in the picture below. Depending on what you prefer, you can slice the berries, or chop them into a smaller dice, it's up to you. The berries will break down a little while they cook, so keep that in mind.

    Chopped fresh strawberries on a bamboo cutting board.

    How to Make It

    (Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions at the end of this post.)

    There are just a few steps involved and before you know it, you'll have a luscious, crave-worthy sauce you'll want to put on everything!

    Follow along with the steps and numbered images below. There is also a video in this post so you can see it being made.

    1. Add all the ingredients to a medium pot and mix them together.

    2. Heat the mixture, uncovered, over medium heat until it starts to bubble.

    3. Once the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15-25 minutes so it can reduce (timing is based on whether you want a thin or thick strawberry sauce, details are in the recipe).

    4. Cool the sauce in the pot and then enjoy. It can be served warm if you like!

    Note that it will still seem runny and thin after it has cooked, but it will thicken as it cools and thickens even more after it spends some time in the refrigerator.

    A collage of four images showing the sequence of steps needed to make vegan strawberry sauce.

    Using Frozen Berries

    It's possible to make this strawberry sauce with frozen strawberries, and there's no need to thaw them before starting. I use unsweetened sliced frozen strawberries to make this recipe outside of strawberry season.

    Since frozen berries need to cook for a longer amount of time, the berries break down more than with fresh strawberries so the berry chunks will be less defined.

    The colour isn't always as vibrant as when fresh berries are used, the taste isn't as bright and fresh in comparison, and you will likely need to use the higher amount of sugar in the range I provide since frozen berries are not as sweet, BUT, despite these things, the finished compote is still delicious and it's a great stand-in when fresh berries are not available.

    Note that the measurement and cooking times for frozen berries are different from fresh berries, all of the details are in the recipe notes below.

    Storage Info

    After the sauce has fully cooled, transfer it to a jar or container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days. When you’re ready to serve it, bring it back up to room temperature, warm it up slightly, or serve it cold.

    Freezing It

    You can freeze the sauce so you have a taste of summer tucked away in the freezer long after the strawberry season has ended.

    After the strawberry topping cools completely, transfer it to an airtight, freezer-friendly container and store it for up to 3 months.

    When you're ready to use it, thaw the frozen strawberry sauce in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve it, bring it back up to room temperature, warm it up slightly, or serve it cold.

    An overhead shot of homemade strawberry sauce in a glass jar.

    How to Use It

    You can serve it cold or warm and I'm sure you have some ideas about what you want to drizzle it on, but here are some delicious uses for strawberry sauce:

    • french toast, pancakes, waffles, crepes
    • cheesecake
    • yogurt
    • fruit
    • ice cream (like chocolate ice cream!), banana split, sundaes
    • panna cotta
    • strawberry shortcake, angel food cake, pound cake, trifles
    • biscuits
    • oatmeal (like flax oatmeal or blueberry oatmeal), baked oatmeal, overnight oats
    • chocolate mousse
    • chocolate pudding

    In addition to the above, you can also use it as a strawberry dipping sauce or as a cake or cupcake filling. If using it as a cake/cupcake filling, you'll need to simmer it for longer than the time stated in the recipe, see the recipe notes for info.

    A bowl of coconut ice cream topped with strawberry sauce.
    Use it as a homemade strawberry ice cream topping!

    Expert Tips for Success

    • Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
    • Measure everything correctly. I highly recommend using a scale to weigh your berries (this is one I have (Amazon Link).
    • Use fresh berries if possible. Fresh berries will give you the best-looking and tasting sauce.
    • If you want a smoother sauce, blend it after it has cooked. Use a blender or an immersion blender and blend to the consistency you like. You can also blend just half so it's less chunky, or you can take it a step further and make it a coulis by blending all of it and running it through a sieve to catch any remaining strawberry bits and seeds.
    • If the sauce is too thick after it has been refrigerated, warm it up on the stove or in the microwave and it will loosen up a little.
    • If you want a little vanilla flavour in your sauce, add ½ - 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the sauce while it's cooling and stir.
    • Read this post from beginning to end before making the recipe, it contains lots of helpful tips and info on how to make the berry sauce, every single time!
    • For the very best results, follow the recipe exactly as it’s written.
    A spoon full of strawberry dipping sauce being held over a jar of the sauce.

    If You Make This Recipe...

    ...please let me know by leaving a rating and comment below or by posting a picture on Instagram and tagging me so I can see! (I'm @delightfuladventures on Instagram)

    And If You Like This Recipe...

    ...you may also like these other berry recipes:

    • Blueberry Galette
    • Strawberry Galette
    • Strawberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
    • Blueberry Muffins
    • Strawberry Muffins
    • Cranberry Orange Muffins
    An overhead shot of homemade strawberry sauce in a glass jar.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved!
    5 from 4 ratings

    Easy Strawberry Sauce (Fresh or Frozen Berries)

    All you need to make this simple, homemade strawberry sauce is THREE simple ingredients, and it couldn’t be easier to make! This recipe contains NO cornstarch, you can make it thick or thin and with fresh or frozen strawberries, all the details are included in the post. Once it’s ready, use it as a topping for cheesecake, ice cream, waffles, shortcake, crepes oatmeal, and so much more!
    Prep Time:15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time:15 minutes minutes
    Total Time:30 minutes minutes
    Author: Gwen Leron
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Diet: Low Calorie
    Servings: 12

    Suggested Equipment:

    • Kitchen Scale
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients:

    • 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries (if using frozen strawberries, and/or cup measurements see notes below for more info)
    • 3-6 tablespoons (38g - 75g ) sugar (amount can be reduced or increased, as needed, see note below)
    • 2 teaspoons lemon juice

    Instructions:

    • Wash, hull, and chop the strawberries .
    • Add strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice to a medium pot. Mix the ingredients together.
    • Place uncovered pot over medium heat until it starts to boil, about 4 minutes.
    • Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes for a thinner sauce and 20 minutes for a thicker sauce. Stir the sauce occasionally.
    • After the time has passed, remove the pot from the stove and allow the sauce to cool completely in the pot. It will still be thin after it has cooked, but it will thicken as it cools down and when it's refrigerated.
    • Once cooled, place the strawberry sauce in a jar, cover, and refrigerate for up to 7 days.

    Video:

    Recipe Notes:

    • Please read the helpful info above and below before making this recipe to ensure success.
    • I highly recommend using a scale to weigh your berries (this is one I have (Amazon Link).  If you are using the weight measurements, weigh the berries BEFORE they have been hulled and chopped. If you don't have a scale, you will need roughly 2 and ¾ cups chopped berries (measure them AFTER they have been chopped!) See below for frozen berry measurements.
    • This recipe makes 1 and a ½ cups of strawberry sauce.
    • The sauce will look runny/thin once the cooking time has ended, it will thicken more as it cools and thickens even more after being refrigerated.
    • You can adjust the sugar as needed, based on how sweet you prefer the sauce to be and how sweet your strawberries are. Fresh, in-season berries need less sugar, out of season and frozen strawberries need more.
    • To Make with Frozen Strawberries: Use 400g (roughly 3 cups) of unsweetened sliced berries. Add all the ingredients to a medium pot and mix everything together. Place uncovered pot over medium heat until all the frozen berries have fully thawed and the mixture starts to boil, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes for a thinner sauce and 20 minutes for a thicker sauce. Stir occasionally. Continue at step 5 above.
    • Store sauce in an airtight jar or container, in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
    • To Freeze: After the sauce cools completely, transfer it to an airtight, freezer-friendly container and store for up to 3 months. When you're ready to use it, thaw it in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve it, bring it back up to room temperature, warm it up slightly, or serve it cold.
    • If you're making this to use as a cake or cupcake filling, simmer for 25 minutes and cool completely so it is thick enough for this use.
    • Nutrition info is based on 1 serving (2 tablespoons) and on the recipe made as written using fresh strawberries and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Nutrition info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.

    Nutrition Info:

    Serving: 2tablespoons | Calories: 24kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 0.4mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 0.2IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 0.2mg
    Did You Make This Recipe?If so, please share a picture with me on Instagram! Tag @delightfuladventures and hashtag #delightfuladventures. I can't wait to see!
    Sauces & CompotesGluten-FreeNo Nuts AddedOil-FreeLemonStrawberry

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 4 votes (2 ratings without comment)

      Did You Make This Recipe or Have a Question About It? Cancel reply

      If you’ve made this recipe and loved it, I’d be so grateful if you left a comment and star rating. Your ratings help others discover my recipes so they can enjoy them, too. If you haven’t tried the recipe yet but have a question, feel free to ask, and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. Thank you so much for your support!

      Sincerely,
      Gwen

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      Recipe Rating





    1. Barbara wolf says

      April 13, 2025 at 2:15 pm

      5 stars
      Made your recipe to go with a Passover Apple Cake, which can sometimes be a little dry. It was delicious! And got so many compliments. Thanks.

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        April 15, 2025 at 3:20 pm

        You're welcome, Barbara! This recipe is a favourite here, enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Winnie says

      June 21, 2024 at 10:28 pm

      5 stars
      I was happy to find this recipe, because it has becoming possible to find the pre-made strawberry syrup at the grocery stores. I used to buy it all the time, but I just can't find it anymore. I use the strawberry sauce on biscuits, sliced in half, with a layer of whipped cream and strawberries in the middle and then strawberries and whipped cream on top. It is our DELICIOUS version of strawberry shortcake, and my family has been making it for many years.

      I often make it using frozen strawberries, for its convenience, although I have made it both ways. My only complaint is the way that this recipe is written out. I think it would be easier for your readers who are using frozen strawberries, if you just wrote out the full recipe for frozen strawberries below, rather than having to jump back up higher on the recipe to find the next step. Anyway, thank you so much. I have gone and cut and pasted the full recipe using frozen strawberries in my notes app, and will be making it often. It comes out perfect!

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        June 24, 2024 at 12:53 pm

        I'm glad you like the recipe, Winnie! Your dessert sounds delicious and perfect for this sauce! Thank you for the feedback on the process for making it the frozen strawberries, I appreciate that and will review.

        Reply
    3. Shirley Chaulk says

      December 30, 2023 at 8:40 pm

      I am making this sauce as we speak, using frozen strawberries and it seems to be watery, so I am going to let it simmer for the full 20 minutes, can I expect it to still get thick

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        January 02, 2024 at 9:26 am

        Hi Shirley, the sauce will thicken further after it has been chilled, it may still seem runny after it has finished cooking but don’t want to cook it for too long though or else all the moisture will evaporate and you will end up with sauce that is thick like jam. In case you missed it above, here are the instructions for making the sauce with frozen berries:

        To Make with Frozen Strawberries: Use 400g (roughly 3 cups) of unsweetened sliced berries. Add all the ingredients to a medium pot and mix everything together. Place uncovered pot over medium heat until all the frozen berries have fully thawed and the mixture starts to boil, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes for a thinner sauce and 20 minutes for a thicker sauce. Stir occasionally. Continue at step 5 above.

        I hope this helps, let me know if you have any further questions, I hope you love the sauce!

        Reply
    4. Cindy says

      July 08, 2023 at 11:38 am

      I subbed the lemon with a 1/2 tsp of Balsamic vinegar. I used fresh strawberries. The Balsamic gives it a deeper taste.

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        July 12, 2023 at 11:29 am

        I'm happy you have the recipe a try, Cindy, and I'm glad you found a way to customize it to suit your taste! Enjoy!

        Reply
    5. Debra Drum says

      May 05, 2023 at 11:39 pm

      Can I make this recipe with agave syrup instead of sugar?

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        May 08, 2023 at 9:18 am

        Hi Debra, I have not tried making the recipe with any liquid sweeteners so I'm not sure what the outcome would be. Since you are adding more liquid to the sauce, I think the final consistency will be affected, the sauce will be thinner. If I were trying this, I would cook it for a little longer so it thickens more and then add the amount of agave you'd like. The sauce will continue to thicken when it's chilled. If you give it a try, please let me know how it goes!

        Reply
    6. Michele says

      July 26, 2021 at 7:29 am

      Can I can this? Hot water bath or put wax on top? Thank you 😊

      Reply
      • Gwen Leron says

        July 26, 2021 at 2:21 pm

        Hi Michele, this is a great question, but unfortunately, I don't have any experience with canning, so I'm unsure if it is suitable or not. I do know that it freezes very well and will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months. Sorry I can't be more help with this, but if I can help with anything else, please ask.

        Reply

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