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Strawberry Sauce

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Homemade Strawberry Sauce is a delicious condiment that can be enjoyed in various ways. Use it to top your pancakes, ice cream, or yogurt or as a filling for cakes and pastries!

white bowl with strawberry glaze

With its sweet and tangy flavor and vibrant red color, this strawberry sauce is a great way to add a touch of homemade goodness to any dish. It’s also incredibly easy to make with only five ingredients!

Celebrate the juicy, sweet, and slightly tart flavor of strawberries in this Strawberry Cheesecake Tart, Strawberry Dump Cake, and Air Fryer Strawberry Stuffed Turnover!

Why You’ll Love Strawberry Sauce

  • Only 4-5 ingredients needed
  • Make it in under 15 minutes
  • Enjoy this sauce as a topping or ingredient
  • Deliciously sweet with a little bit of tart

Ingredients Needed

  • Strawberries
  • Granulated sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Water
  • Red food coloring
ingredients to make strawberry sauce

How to Make Strawberry Sauce

Step 1: Prepare the Strawberries

Wash the fresh strawberries and divide the 2 cups. Chop one cup of the strawberries and mash them in a bowl. Set aside.

Take the other cup of strawberries and dice them. Set aside.

slicing fresh strawberries

Step 2: Cook the Sauce

Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan, followed by the water and the mashed strawberries. Bring the mixture to a boil while constantly stirring for 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. You can also add in red food coloring at this stage if you would like to.

overhead shot of strawberry sauce in a jar

Step 3: Cool and Store/Serve

Remove the cooked strawberry sauce from the heat and add the diced strawberries to the sauce. Transfer the warm sauce to a bowl to cool for about 10-15 minutes.

The sauce can either be stored in an airtight jar with a lid or served immediately.

Tips & Tricks

  • Use fresh strawberries: Ripe, fresh strawberries that are plump, sweet, and fragrant will produce the best-tasting strawberry sauce, although frozen and thawed strawberries can be used in a pinch you will need to increase the cooking time slightly.
  • Mash or puree the strawberries: Mashing half of the strawberries helps to release their natural juices, which will intensify the strawberry flavor in this sauce. You could also puree the strawberries for a smoother consistency.
  • Add other flavors: Lemon juice or vanilla extract could also be added to the strawberry sauce to balance the sweetness and tartness.
  • Reduce the sauce for a thicker consistency: Add an extra minute or two to the cooking time if the sauce is not thick enough.
  • Allow the sauce to cool: Allowing the sauce to cool before serving or storing is important. Hot sauce may affect the other elements of a dish served and will also create unwanted condensation in a storage container, resulting in the growth of bacteria.
strawberry sauce in a jar with a spoon

Frequently Asked Questions

How Should I Store Strawberry Sauce?

Strawberry sauce should be cooled completely before being stored to prevent condensation and the growth of bacteria. Once cooled, transfer the sauce to an airtight jar or container with a lid and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

This sauce can also be frozen for up to 3 months in a Ziploc bag or airtight container.

How Should I Serve Strawberry Sauce?

This sauce can be served warm (not hot) or cold as a topping for ice cream, pancakes, waffles, scones, cheesecake, or pound cake. It could also be used as an ingredient in dump cakes and parfaits.

Why Isn’t My Strawberry Sauce Thickening?

If the strawberry sauce hasn’t thickened to the desired consistency by the end of the suggested cooking time in this recipe, allow it to continue to reduce for longer. Alternatively, add some gelatin or more cornstarch slurry (start with 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon of water) and work from there. 

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Printable Recipe Card

jar with homemade strawberry sauce

Strawberry Sauce Recipe

Homemade Strawberry Sauce is a delicious condiment that can be enjoyed in various ways. Use it to top your pancakes, ice cream, or yogurt or as a filling for cakes and pastries!
Print Pin
Course: Condiment, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: strawberry sauce
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 122kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups strawberries fresh, cleaned and diced
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • red food coloring optional

Instructions

  • Cleanse the fresh strawberries and divide them into 2 cups. Slice one cup of the strawberries and crush them in a bowl. Reserve.
    Proceed to cube the remaining cup of strawberries. Reserve.
  • Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a moderate saucepan, then pour in the water and the crushed strawberries. Continuously stir the mixture and bring it to a boil for approximately 3 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Additionally, you can include red food coloring at this point if desired.
  • Take the cooked strawberry sauce off the heat and incorporate the reserved diced strawberries into the mixture. Move the warm sauce to a bowl and allow it to cool for roughly 10-15 minutes.
    You may either serve the sauce immediately or store it in a sealed jar with a lid.

Notes

  • Opt for fresh strawberries: The fresher and sweeter the strawberries, the better the taste of the sauce. While frozen strawberries can be used, cooking time may need to be increased.
  • Mash or puree the strawberries: Mashing or pureeing some of the strawberries will release more juices, resulting in a more intense strawberry flavor and smoother texture.
  • Experiment with additional flavors: To balance the sweetness and tartness of the sauce, consider adding a dash of lemon juice or vanilla extract.
  • Simmer for a thicker consistency: If the sauce is too thin, simmer it for an extra minute or two to thicken it.
  • Let the sauce cool: Allowing the sauce to cool before serving or storing is crucial. A hot sauce can affect the taste of other dishes and create unwanted condensation in the storage container, leading to bacterial growth.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 0.3g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 5IU | Vitamin C: 26mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg