Transform fresh or frozen berries into the yummiest Strawberry Sauce to top yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, and yogurt. It’s ready in under 15 minutes and can even be frozen for easy meal prep!
Strawberry Sauce
I love using fruit sauces as dips to add flavor to kids’ meals, as toppings for pancakes and oatmeal, and cake, and to add flavor to Strawberry Yogurt. This method for making a sauce from strawberries is easy, and the resulting sauce can be stored in the fridge or freezer as you like.
You can make a small batch or a larger one, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries, and you can leave it added-sugar-free or sweeten it to taste to please the unique preferences of your family.
Most of all, though, this is just so delicious. It’s one of my very favorite foods to meal prep to share with my kids—and is a favorite strawberry recipe.
(You may also like Strawberry Yogurt, Strawberry Smoothie, and Strawberry Popsicles.)
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Below is a list of what you need to have on hand to make this simple strawberry sauce recipe.
- Strawberries: You can use fresh berries with their stems removed or thawed frozen strawberries. I prefer to dice up fresh berries to help them cook a bit faster.
- Apple juice: A small amount of apple (or orange juice) helps the fruit mixture start cooking without the risk of scorching the pan. It also helps even out the flavor if the berries happen to be very tart.
- Honey (or maple syrup, optional): When the sauce is finished cooking, you can taste it and adjust the sweetness levels as you like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Below is a preview of how to make this strawberry sauce recipe. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full recipe, including the amounts and timing.
- If using fresh, wash and dry the berries. Remove the stems and slice to measure.
- Add to small pot or saucepan placed over low heat with the juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and pressing on the berries with the back of a silicone or wood spoon to release their juices. The mixture will start to thicken.
- Taste and add honey or maple syrup to sweeten if desired. (Optionally, you can blend smooth in the blender.)
- Serve the homemade strawberry sauce warm or cold.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you simmer the sauce over low heat, stirring occasionally, the natural sugars in the berries will help it thicken as the liquid evaporates. So keep cooking.
Strawberry puree is often a simple blended mixture of fresh berries, whereas strawberry sauce is cooked down and thickened more.
Yes, you can use fresh or frozen strawberries to make this easy strawberry sauce recipe.
How to Store
Store the strawberry sauce in the refrigerator in small airtight containers or jars for up to 5 days. Or you can freeze in an ice cube tray and pop out small portions to thaw to use as you like. (You might also like my Blueberry Sauce.)
Recipes to Try Strawberry Sauce With
Below are some of our favorite recipes to serve with Strawberry Sauce so you have some ideas for serving inspiration.
Best Tips for Success
- This is extra delicious during the spring when fresh local berries are in season, but you can make it any time of the year.
- Freeze small portions in an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw one or two cubes at a time in a small airtight container in the fridge overnight before you plan to serve.
- Double the recipe to make a larger batch.
- Serve this strawberry topping over Yogurt Waffles, Greek Yogurt Pancakes or Ricotta Pancakes. Stir into plain yogurt to make Strawberry Yogurt. Drizzle over Mango Sorbet or Banana Ice Cream. Add to a bowl of oatmeal.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this post, so please rate and comment below!
Fresh Strawberry Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced strawberries (fresh or thawed from frozen)
- ¼ cup apple juice (or orange juice)
- 1-2 tablespoons honey (or maple syrup, optional)
Instructions
- If using fresh, wash and dry the berries. Remove the stems and slice to measure about 2 cups.
- Add to small pot placed over low heat with the juice. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and pressing on the berries with the back of a silicone or wood spoon to release their juices, for about 12-15 minutes. The mixture will start to thicken.
- Taste and add honey or maple syrup to sweeten if desired. Let cool at least slightly and serve.
- (Optionally, you can blend smooth in the blender.)
- Serve warm or cold.
Notes
- Store it in the fridge in small airtight containers for up to 5 days.
- This is extra delicious during the spring when fresh local berries are in season, but you can make it any time of the year.
- Freeze small portions in an ice cube tray, then transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw one or two cubes at a time in a small airtight container in the fridge overnight before you plan to serve.
- Serve over Greek Yogurt Pancakes or Ricotta Pancakes. Stir into plain yogurt to make Strawberry Yogurt. Drizzle over Mango Sorbet or Banana Ice Cream. Add to a bowl of oatmeal.
Nutrition
This post was first published June 2023.
So good! Made to use for yogurt parfaits… Made the house smell amazing to!
Can you use lemon juice instead of orange or apple?
I think that might make it really tart, and increase the need to add a lot of sweetener to balance it. A splash might be fine for flavor though