This supremely versatile strawberry sauce is such an easy way to transform and preserve juicy summer strawberries! Make it as a thin sauce, or a thicker strawberry topping, or an even thicker filling!
I share all my tips and one secret ingredient(!) to bring out all the flavor and color of ripe strawberries, and I show how to thicken it with freezer-friendly thickeners so you can store it for many months to come! Even better, you can make this with fresh or frozen strawberries, any time of the year!
- Why this recipe works
- How is this strawberry sauce different from strawberry compote or coulis?
- Ingredients you’ll need
- Cornstarch vs tapioca starch
- Why use citric acid?
- How to pick the best fresh strawberries
- How to make strawberry sauce (strawberry topping)
- Storage tips
- My best recipe tips
- All the ways I use this strawberry sauce
- Recipe FAQs
I have a weird thing with fruits. While I LOVE fruits of any kind, I can’t enjoy them if they are even slightly overripe and soft. I’m particularly sensitive to texture, so unless they are perfectly ripe, it’s a no go for me.
So, when I can get my hands on fruits in larger quantities during peak season (especially summer fruits), some of these invariably soften or get mushy.
Strawberries are especially susceptible to this. These are one of my favorite summer fruits to eat, particularly Ontario strawberries that are just so sweet and fragrant and juicy!
So, I use a number of ways to make them last longer, all the way through winter season. What I can’t freeze, I will use to make strawberry jam, or strawberry relish, or strawberry shrub, or even roasted strawberries. But, another delicious trick up my sleeve is this strawberry sauce (strawberry topping)!
This has been my absolute favorite way to enjoy strawberries this summer, and I KNOW you’ll love it too!😊
Why this recipe works
- SO simple to make.
- Very adaptable recipe. You can make it as a sauce, or as a thicker filling, or as a thick topping with an in-between consistency instead. So many options!
- You can use this strawberry sauce in other dessert recipes too. It’s very versatile.
- I like having whole strawberries in the sauce, but you can blend it into a smoother sauce as well.
- Make this sauce with fresh or frozen strawberries, any time of the year!
- I use one secret ingredient that brings out all the fresh flavor and color of strawberries (without adding any extra flavor)!
- Freezer-friendly recipe, so you can store this long-term without affecting the consistency. Even after thawing, the consistency of this sauce remains the same!
How is this strawberry sauce different from strawberry compote or coulis?
This strawberry sauce recipe contains almost the same ingredients as a strawberry compote or coulis. But, it also contains a thickener to thicken the mixture, so that it can be used in many different ways.
Most online recipes use cornstarch as the thickener, which is more accessible, but cornstarch does not hold up to being frozen and thawed. So, I offer other options that you can use instead. These thickener options are just as effective when frozen and thawed, so they are great for batch-cooking!
By changing the amount of thickener you add, you can easily change the consistency to be like a runny strawberry sauce, or a thick strawberry topping, or an even thicker filling! The strawberries can be blended for a smoother strawberry sauce too.
- Strawberry coulis is made by quickly cooking strawberries with sugar, liquid, and acid. The cooking softens the fruits and dissolves the sugar. Then you blend the mixture and pass it through a sieve to make a silky smooth strawberry coulis.
- A strawberry compote is very similar to this recipe, but it doesn’t contain any thickener. The strawberries are cooked with just a little liquid, sugar, and an acid, and then served directly with the strawberries in the flavored liquid.
- Finally, we have strawberry gel fluid, which is in the same family of fruit sauces and toppings. Gel fluids are fruit coulis with added gelatin. Once set, you blend strawberry puree mixture until smooth to make a thick gel that is fluid, but is still thick and holds its shape somewhat. For example, you can see how I serve this mango panna cotta with a mango gel fluid.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Strawberries – Perfectly ripe or slightly overripe strawberries work best here! You can even use frozen strawberries because they are usually picked at peak ripeness. In-season strawberries have the best flavor.
- Sugar – White sugar is best for this recipe. White sugar has a neutral flavor, so it can sweeten without adding extra flavor.
- Tapioca starch – I use tapioca starch as a thickener, because tapioca starch thickened mixtures can be frozen and thawed without affecting the consistency or fluidity of the sauce.
- Citric acid – My secret ingredient! Many recipes use lemon juice or lime juice to add acidity and bring out the fruitiness of the strawberries.
- Water – Optional. This is to adjust the consistency, if needed. I don’t add water when I want a thick strawberry topping, but I will add it if I prefer a saucy, runny mix. Depends on what I’m using this for.
Cornstarch vs tapioca starch
When you thicken a liquid with cornstarch and then freeze it, the thickening matrix will break down when the frozen mixture is thawed. So, the sauce will go into the freezer with your desired thick consistency, but once thawed, the sauce will be runny again.
This is why I prefer to use either tapioca starch OR instant clearjel. Both of these thickeners are freezer-friendly, so there won’t be an issue with freezing and thawing.
Cornstarch can also make the sauce more “cloudy”, but tapioca starch will make the strawberry sauce more clear and glossy. Tapioca starch also gives the sauce a more “stretchy” thickened consistency, which some may not like, but I really love it!
Instant clearjel will make the mixture more cloudy (just like cornstarch), but the texture won’t be stretchy.
So, I recommend either of these two thickeners. I’ll show you below how to properly use each of these ingredients to get a smooth sauce without a gloopy, lumpy texture.
Why use citric acid?
Acidity brings out the flavor of fruits, and adds brightness! Usually, lemon juice or lime juice is used to achieve this.
Citric acid adds acidity to the strawberry mixture without adding any extra flavor! I used to add lemon or lime to make this sauce, which you can still absolutely use instead of citric acid.
However, keep in mind that both of these citrus choices will add additional flavor on top of the acidity. This isn’t a bad thing per se, but it’s not what I want with this strawberry topping.
I want a really strong, fresh, unadulterated strawberry flavor!
Citric acid not only brightens the strawberry flavor, but it also deepens and enhances the color of strawberries by preventing discoloration!
How to pick the best fresh strawberries
There are three main things that I look for when buying strawberries.
- Appearance
- Fragrance / smell
- Where they are grown
Strawberry appearance
Ideally, a deep red color throughout. Strawberries that are red are ripe, and the deeper the red color, the sweeter the strawberries!
If they are still white at the tops, they aren’t fully ripe, and won’t be at their most flavorful.
Strawberry fragrance
Do a quick smell test when buying strawberries. The stronger the sweet smell, the sweeter and more flavorful the fruits will be. If the smell is weak or you can’t really smell anything, then the strawberries aren’t ripe or flavorful.
Where they are grown
I live in Ontario, Canada. In-season strawberries grown here are absolutely AMAZING! So, I make sure to buy as many strawberries as I can during the season, so I can store them for the off-season too!
I always buy local produce as much as I can, but also understand being on a budget. My work with recipe-creating also means that I need to purchase ingredients that might not always be available locally, or even in Canada. But for the last few years, our family has made every effort possible to buy Canadian products. Even more so now, with the many unfortunate rollbacks on health and food regulation policies and standards in the US currently.
How to make strawberry sauce (strawberry topping)
Step 1 – Prepare the strawberries
Wash and let the strawberries dry on clean cloth napkins, and then loosely cover and store them in a bowl in the fridge, until needed. If I’m using them immediately, then I’ll trim off the tops of the strawberries (image 1).
You can also store the strawberries in glass jars (without trimming the tops) with airtight lids in the fridge. They last a surprisingly long time in the fridge this way.
The smaller strawberries can be kept whole and larger strawberries can be sliced in half, if you like. You can also use frozen strawberries straight from frozen, or let them thaw first.
The smaller the strawberry pieces, the quicker they will soften.
Step 2 – Prepare the thickener
Whisk tapioca starch and sugar together to combine well (image 2). This will help the tapioca starch dissolve more smoothly as well. This is the same with cornstarch or instant clearjel as well.
Then add the water while whisking to dissolve the starch well, without clumps (image 3). If you’re using instant clearjel, whisk vigorously, as it’s more prone to creating clumps. Stir in the citric acid (or lemon juice).
Step 3 – Add the first measure of strawberries
I like to cook my strawberries in two stages. I add about 1/4 – 1/3 of the strawberries into the mix (image 4) and heat over medium heat while stirring constantly.
The strawberries will start to soften, and release liquid (image 5). The starch will start to thicken the liquid as well.
Once the strawberries have just softened, I like to lightly crush or blend the strawberries (image 6). This way, I get a mix of smooth strawberry sauce, and saucy whole strawberries too!
Step 4 – Add the remaining strawberries
I then add the remaining strawberries to the partially crushed / blended mixture (image 7). Mix it well and return to the stove to cook further.
Step 5 – Cook to the correct consistency
Make sure to frequently stir while cooking on medium heat to prevent the strawberry mixture catching on the bottom of the pot and burning.
Cook the mixture until the mixture thickens and the strawberries have softened, but are not breaking down too much (image 8).
Ingredient tip
I like to make sure that some of the strawberries retain their shape even though they’re softened.
Keeping the strawberries whole helps with this!
However, if you do prefer a smooth strawberry sauce / topping, then you can slice the strawberries before adding them to the base, so they break down faster. OR you can also blend the mixture once all the strawberries have softened.
Step 6 – Adjust the flavor and consistency (if needed)
Taste the strawberry sauce and adjust the flavor if you need to. If the strawberries are ripe and sweet, you likely won’t need to adjust anything!
However, if the strawberries were not fully ripe, you can add more sugar at this stage if you prefer. The heat will easily dissolve the sugar.
If the mixture is too thick, add extra strawberries or water to thin it out a little.
Step 7 – Cool down and store
When the strawberry sauce is ready, pour the mixture into clean glass jars (image 9). Close the jars with airtight lids and let it cool down to room temperature.
Then place the jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Once chilled, it can be served or used in desserts (image 10).
Storage tips
If you want to enjoy this immediately, then you can store this strawberry sauce in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
However, if you make a huge batch (like I usually do), then I store the excess in the freezer.
To prevent glass jars from expanding and breaking in the freezer, fill the jars up to about one inch from the top. Then cover the jar with a piece of foil or plastic wrap to allow the sauce to cool down to room temperature (or slightly warmer is fine too).
Then place the jar in the freezer overnight to freeze. Once frozen, there is no risk of the filling expanding and breaking the jar. So, you can replace the foil or plastic wrap with the airtight lid, and return it to the freezer. It’ll easily last up to 6 months, or even one year in the freezer.
Ingredient tip (thickeners)
Tapioca starch must be dissolved in a little water before adding it to the mixture. It has a tendency to clump up and become lumpy when heated, so stirring the mixture while cooking will ensure a more evenly cooked, lump-free sauce. Tapioca starch doesn’t require boiling temperatures to thicken properly, so it will thicken much faster.
Cornstarch should also be dissolved in a little cold water to ensure that it’ll disperse evenly in the liquid. It’s important to allow the mixture to boil properly to activate the thickening ability of cornstarch.
Instant clearjel doesn’t dissolve readily in liquids, so it must be mixed with the sugar first and agitated / whisked thoroughly with cold liquids until there are no lumps. This will immediately start to thicken the liquid as well (even without heat).
Thickeners such as pectin, gelatin, xanthan gum do not work as well in this recipe. Pectin and gelatin will cause the sauce to set, rather than being spoonable or pourable.
My best recipe tips
- Use the best strawberries you can find. Even frozen strawberries (usually frozen at peak ripeness) are better than underripe strawberries for this recipe.
- You can also use overripe strawberries, as long as they are not bruised or discolored.
- Use citric acid. Citric acid brings out the flavor of the berries AND makes the strawberry color more vibrant in the sauce. It also acts as a preservative as a bonus!
- Keep the strawberries whole so they don’t break down too much when cooked, especially if you want the strawberry topping to have whole fruits in it.
- Slice the strawberries if you want the fruits to soften and break down in the sauce, for a smoother result with some fruit chunks.
- Blend the mixture once the strawberries have softened to get the smoothest strawberry sauce.
- If you plan on freezing this sauce, then make sure to use tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. Cornstarch will break down when thawed out, and will make the sauce runny.
- Adjust the thickener amount as needed. Add the lesser amount of thickener for a pourable, thin strawberry sauce. Use the largest amount for a thicker, spoonable filling consistency. Or you can split the difference for a strawberry sauce that is between thin and spoonable consistency. This is my favorite way to make this!
All the ways I use this strawberry sauce
- As a topping for ice creams, yogurts, and parfaits.
- The thicker strawberry topping is perfect for desserts like this classic New York cheesecake!
- Use it to fill tart shells and bake them to make a strawberry tarts.
- Use the thick filling as a filling for sponge cakes and angel food cake.
- As an addition for breakfast oatmeal.
- Strawberry shortcake will taste so much fruitier with this strawberry topping!
- Use it in trifles with custard and sponge cake.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make a smooth strawberry sauce?
Yes, absolutely!
Just blend the strawberries once they soften in the pot. Continue to cook to get the right consistency, and you should have a smooth strawberry sauce.
Can I make this sauce ahead of time?
Absolutely! I make batches of this sauce in summer and store in the freezer, so I can enjoy the taste of summer strawberries throughout winter.
Using tapioca starch or instant clearjel will let you freeze this without impacting its texture or fluidity at all (unlike with cornstarch, which is not freezer-friendly).
How can I adjust the consistency if my sauce is too thin or too thick?
If the sauce is too thick, you can add some water to the warm strawberry sauce to make it thinner. Alternatively, you can also add some extra fresh strawberries / thawed frozen strawberries to thin out the sauce (adding extra liquid through the fruits), but you will need to make sure to cook the mixture with the added fruits so they also soften.
To make the sauce thicker, you can cook the sauce longer while frequently stirring so that more water evaporates to make the sauce thicker. This will continue to break down the strawberries though.
Alternatively, I like to dissolve a little tapioca starch in water and add this to the mixture while it’s on the stove to thicken it to the consistency I like.
Can I use sugar alternatives in this recipe?
This recipe is to make a strawberry sauce that really enhances the flavor of summer strawberries. So, I prefer not to add other flavors that can interfere with the fruity flavor of strawberries. The amount of sugar added to the sauce will also depend on how sweet the strawberries are at the start.
Just a little sugar can bring out the flavor of the strawberries too.
But you can change the sweetener to honey or maple syrup if you don’t mind the additional flavor of honey or maple syrup coming through.
I haven’t used sugar alternatives here in the past, and can’t recommend using them in this recipe, unfortunately.
Recipe
Strawberry Sauce (Strawberry Topping)
US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Weight measurements are recommended for accurate results whenever available.
Common Measurement ConversionsIngredients:
- 455 – 500 g ripe strawberries washed and stemmed, about 1 lb. (you can use fresh or frozen strawberries)
- 50 g white sugar ¼ cup
- 10 g tapioca starch 1 packed tbsp for a semi-thick consistency (see recipe notes below for other options)
- 15 – 30 mL water 1 – 2 tbsp
- ¼ – ½ tsp citric acid OR 1 – 2 tbsp lemon juice
Instructions:
- You can easily multiply this recipe. I usually make up to 2 kg / about 4 lb. batches with larger pots.
Prepare the strawberries
- Wash and pat dry the strawberries. If you'd like to, you can slice larger strawberries in half. I prefer to keep the strawberries mostly whole.
- Remove the caps of the strawberries, taking care to remove only what you have to. Also slice off any bruised or discolored parts. Set the strawberries aside.
- You should have at least 455 g / 1 lb of strawberries.
Make the strawberry topping
- In a medium-sized pot, place the tapioca starch, citric acid, and sugar. Whisk to combine. Add enough water to dissolve the tapioca starch in the water with no lumps.50 g white sugar, 10 g tapioca starch, 15 – 30 mL water, ¼ – ½ tsp citric acid
- Add about ¼ of the strawberries into the pot.113.75 g ripe strawberries
- Heat the mixture over medium / medium low heat while stirring the strawberries with the tapioca starch mixture. As the strawberries soften, gently crush them with a fork to release the juices.
- The tapioca starch will also start to thicken the mixture as it heats up at this stage.
- After a few minutes of cooking, and the strawberries have softened considerably, remove from the heat and crush the strawberries, OR blend them with a stick blender to make a “chunky" sauce.
- Add the remaining strawberries and mix them with the thickened base and return the pot to the stove.341.25 g ripe strawberries
- Continue to cook the strawberries over medium heat, while stirring fairly frequently and bring it to a simmer. This is to prevent the mixture from catching at the bottom of the pot and creating lumps or burning.
- The strawberries will release juices, but continue to thicken as they cook. Make sure to control the heat setting on your stove to maintain a simmer.
- When the strawberries have softened, and the mixture has thickened to your liking, the sauce is done cooking. The cook time will vary depending on the batch size and the pot you use. (For a single batch, it may only take about 15 – 20 minutes.)
- Taste the sauce to check if you need to adjust the flavor. If you used strawberries that were not as ripe and sweet, you can add extra sugar at this stage. You can also add extra citric acid or lemon juice if you like.
- Stir the sugar in (if you need to add sugar), and make sure the sugar properly dissolves.
- If you prefer a strawberry sauce with smaller chunks of berries, then use a stick blender to pulse and partially blend the sauce. But if you prefer a smoother sauce, you can also use the stick blender to fully blend the strawberries.
- While the strawberry sauce topping is still hot, ladle the mixture into clean, heat-proof glass jars.
- Cover the jars with airtight lids, and let them cool to room temperature (or slightly warmer). Then store the jar / jars in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. The citric acid helps with the shelf-life of this sauce as well.
- The sauce tastes best when served chilled.
Freezing for later
- If you want to freeze this for later, cover the jars with foil or plastic wrap. Make sure to leave a gap of about ½ – 1 inch at the top of the jars. Allow the mixture to cool down to room temperature and freeze the sauce in the jars WITHOUT the lids. This prevents the jars from cracking when the filling expands as it freezes.
- Once the strawberry sauce is frozen in the jars, screw on the lids and return the jars to the freezer.
Recipe Notes
Tapioca starch
To get a very light, thin consistency, you only need to use about ½ tbsp tapioca starch (about 1 ½ tsp / 5 – 6 g). I like to use about 10 – 12 g of tapioca starch for a thick but fluid consistency. You can use up to 15 g (1 ½ tbsp) for a thicker, spoonable consistency.Cornstarch
10 g / 1 tbsp tapioca starch = 5 – 7 g / ½ – ¾ tbsp cornstarch. Cornstarch must also be dissolved in the water like tapioca starch, so that it disperses better. The mixture must also come to a boil for the thickening to activate properly. However, cornstarch doesn’t freeze well, so I do not recommend freezing strawberry sauce if it was thickened with cornstarch.Instant clearjel
If you have access to instant clearjel, you can use it instead of tapioca starch. AND it’s freezer-friendly as well. Here, I use an equal amount of instant clearjel as tapioca starch. 10 g tapioca starch = 10 g instant clearjel. Instant clearjel must be whisked with the sugar first. This helps the instant clearjel mix with the liquids. You may need to add a little extra water to the instant clearjel mixture. Make sure to whisk vigorously so that there are no lumps in the mixture. You can also blend the mixture once the first portion of strawberries soften, if you need to disperse the instant clearjel better.Nutrition Information:
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
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