Strawberry Puree {Homemade Strawberry Sauce}
Fresh flavorful Strawberry Puree is a great recipe to showcase this wonderful summer fruit without needing to know any special kitchen skills (like canning). It’s incredible on baked goods, pancakes, yogurt, and so much more.
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Summer is such a great time for fresh produce, with the star of the show being strawberries! We grow lots of strawberries in our vertical strawberry towers every year, and making this delicious sauce is a reward for the hours of berry picking each week.
Homemade strawberry puree is one of those incredible ingredients you can make yourself and use in so many different ways. Let me show you to make (and freeze) a batch today!
What is Strawberry Puree Made Of?
Just strawberries (fresh or frozen), lemon juice/zest, and sugar (optional). It’s pure fresh goodness that is delicious on everything! If you’re using fresh strawberries and want to save some of that goodness for later, check out this post on How to Freeze Strawberries.
Grocery store berries are grown for shipment and looks and not really for taste. If you’re dealing with some sad berries that are lacking flavor, macerating them before blending will go a long way to create a tastier sauce.
To macerate strawberries: slice clean berries into quarters and sprinkle with 2 tbsp of sugar and stir gently. Allow them to sit uncovered on your counter for 2-3 hours or in the fridge for at least 5 hours. The sugar will draw out any natural juices in the berries and greatly improve the finished product.
How Do You Make Strawberry Sauce From Scratch?
It’s super easy! Blend your berries, lemon, and sugar (if using) in a food processor, blender, or using a stick/immersion blender. That’s it! The sauce will be delicious with a thin consistency. It’s great for using on whole wheat pancakes, incorporating into Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream, or drizzled over cold start Instant Pot yogurt.
You’ll also love adding it to drinks like a Virgin Mojito, Instant Pot Iced Tea, or a Moscow Mule Mocktail.
If you want a thicker strawberry sauce for cheesecake or baked goods, you’ll want to make a strawberry reduction. This is also bonkers easy to make. You’ll take the puree you made above and cook it down in a saucepan for 10-15 minutes until the sauce has thickened. It will have the delicious consistency of Strawberry Freezer Jam.
Do you want to remove all the seeds from your sauce? Place a fine-mesh strainer over a clean bowl and pour the blended berries into the strainer. You may need to “push” the sauce through with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to get every last drop. You can also use this filtered sauce as the base for homemade Strawberry Syrup.
How Long Does Strawberry Puree Last in the Fridge?
If you use lemon juice and sugar, your strawberry sauce is good for up to five days. No lemon juice or sugar? Make sure you enjoy it within three days.
To freeze, place in ice cube trays or small canning jars (4 and 8 oz are my favorites), and store for 3-6 months.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- If using frozen strawberries, allow them to fully defrost before blending. This will prevent the sauce from becoming watered down as it defrosts further.
- Scrape a bit of vanilla seed (or use Vanilla Extract) and mix it into the sauce for an even more delicious flavor.
- If you’re using a high-powered blender, make sure you “pulse” or blend on low to process the fruit. Something like a Vitamix or Blendtec will liquify rather than “sauce” the berries if you’re not too careful.
More Delicious Recipes Like This
- What to Can and Eat in Spring
- What to Can and Eat in Summer
- Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
- Blueberry Freezer Jam
- Strawberry Waffles
- Gluten-Free Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
- Frozen Strawberries in Syrup
- Strawberry Truffles
- Low-Sugar Strawberry Jam
- Freezing Rhubarb
- Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce
- Canning Applesauce
WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS
One serving of Strawberry Puree has 0 WW Freestyle SmartPoints (when sugar is omitted).
Strawberry Puree {Homemade Strawberry Sauce}
Ingredients
- 4 cups strawberries {hulled and quartered}
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp sugar {optional}
Equipment
Instructions
Strawberry Puree
- Wash berries, remove the green tops and cut into quarters (eights for huge strawberries).
- In a food processor or blender, "pulse" the berries until the consistency is smooth.
{Optional} Strawberry Reduction
- Take the puree and cook it down in a saucepan for 10-15 minutes over medium-low heat until the sauce has thickened. Stir often.
Notes
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