Strawberry Sauce Recipe (Strawberry Topping)
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There is no rival for homemade strawberry sauce. It has just 3 ingredients and this is the easiest strawberry sauce recipe. Adding a few spoons of this glossy fresh strawberry topping will make any dessert feel fancier. This is a great recipe to have in your arsenal for entertaining or to make your family’s eyes light up as you spoon it over a bowl of vanilla ice cream.
This strawberry topping is completely wonderful over pancakes, waffles, pie, cheesecake, this trifle, you name it! This is our favorite and easiest way to make strawberry sauce. The lemon juice balances the sweetness and makes the strawberry flavor more pronounced. Truth be told, it’s dangerously addictive stuff – consider yourself warned ;).
We’re using this sauce in our next recipe post so I hope you are all kinds of excited!!
Make-Ahead Tip: You can make this strawberry topping 1 to 3 days in advance, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Easy Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:
1 lb Strawberries, rinsed, hulled and thickly sliced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 Lemon)
How to Make Easy Strawberry Sauce:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. The strawberries will release juice without any mashing required.
2. Reduce heat and simmer 20-23 minutes or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Keep in mind sauce will thicken up slightly as it cools and even more after refrigeration.
Pro Tip: Do not blend strawberries before cooking. I have tested coarsely blending strawberries in a food processor and even though they taste great, the color of the sauce was foggy and not glossy as shown in the photos above. We had best results with slicing strawberries by hand.
It really is as good as it looks – bursting with fresh strawberry flavor!
⬇Print-Friendly Strawberry Sauce Recipe:
Strawberry Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberry Sauce Ingredients:
- 1 lb Strawberries rinsed, hulled and thickly sliced
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice from 1/2 Lemon
Instructions
How to Make Strawberry Sauce:
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In a medium saucepan, combine sliced strawberries, 1/3 cup sugar and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Strawberries will release juice without any mashing required.
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Reduce heat and simmer 20-23 min or until sauce is thickened, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Keep in mind sauce will thicken up slightly as it cools and even more with refrigeration.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
I hope this becomes your new favorite strawberry topping. Let me know how you serve your strawberry sauce. Or maybe it’s just you with a spoon in your hand? Remember I called this dangerous for a reason!
natashaskitchen
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Cream Cheese Danish Recipe with Lemon Glaze (VIDEO) 
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
what is the shelf life in the refrigerator?
Hi Abhijit, I have stored it max 4 days and it was still great but I haven’t tested it beyond that. Freezing it should work just fine.
This looks delicious,
however i think you missed putting a thickening ingredient in your recipe ingredients list. Cornstarch or arrowroot starch. why? it is tasteless and nobody will know it is in there. please let me know by emailing me.
Hi Heather, that was intentional. You are welcome to add more or could simmer a few minutes longer to get it to thicken a little and also, be sure to let it cool completely before adding it to the cake.
This is by far the best strawberry sauce I’ve tested. I make cheesecake all the time but my topping was horrible. Thank you so much for this recipe
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the wonderful review!
This works perfectly with blueberries to!
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing that with me.
This is a simple recipe to follow. I modified it by using Splenda. I use a heaping 1/3 cup of it and it worked great. Seems to look like the picture and tastes wonderful. My husband won’t use sugar so I’m using this on a sugar free cheese cake I’m making for his birthday today.
Thank you so much for sharing that with us, Mary!
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Hi Sherrie, that should work with frozen strawberries, just cook the sauce to the desired consistency. Sometimes frozen can give off more juice so it may take slightly longer to cook.
Hi! I’ve made this sauce before and I had this idea to make an Oreo cheesecake with a strawberry sauce on top. I’m concerned that the sauce will be rather thin and drip off the cake, so do you have any recommendations on how I can thicken the sauce so it’s more of a jam-like consistency? Thanks!
Hi Jess, you could simmer a few minutes longer to get it to thicken a little and also, be sure to let it cool completely before adding it to the cake.
My husband and I live this stuff. Here in Calgary, the strawberries are always a little beat up and sad by the time they make it to the store. But it doesn’t matter when they are made into this lovely sauce! We put it on homemade pancakes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Hi there I just made this out of some strawberries that were slightly soft in the fridge bought 6 days ago…so made a (double batch) to be exact… and also placed whole berries in food processor and pulsed for 5 times then I used fresh lime juice instead of lemon juice as I didn’t have any lemons and it is delicious… kids are loving it on ice cream and going to make puff pastry triangles with the leftover
thank you from lovin strawberry season in Australia….
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you and the kids have enjoyed this recipe! That’s so great.
Hi Natasha, your recipes are incredibly delicious and well written, easy to follow. We have so many of your recipes in our regular rotation! Thank you! Question, do you think this might freeze well? Maybe you haven’t tested freezing. I know straberries freeze well, I’m just wondering if you think it world be worth trying or do you think it would definitely ruin it?
Hi Janna, I haven’t tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote citing it freezes well, “I freeze mine and it turns out great. I use for our nightly ice cream” I hope that helps.
Oh, thank you! I thought I had read through them all, guess I missed that one. Your readers are all so helpful giving good input.
I have made this recipe several times. It is as easy to make and tasty as it looks. I’ve used it for pancakes and waffles as well as for ice cream sundaes.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Christine!
I tried this recipe, and it is fabulous! No bother and no cornstarch needed. It’s perfect!!! I’ll definitely be using this recipe again. I needed a strawberry topping for some cheesecake I’m making. I stirred the three ingredients together, followed the recipe, and the result is astounding!!!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that. Thank you for sharing that with us!
I made this as a base for strawberry smoothies. OMG it’s so good. I did add extra lemon juice the second time I made it to give it more tartness.
That’s just awesome!! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review Lindsay.
Even my grandmother who proclaimed she hates strawberry sauce asks for this everytime we get cheese cake
That’s so awesome! Thank you for sharing that Lilly!
Made this today and your right..very dangerous..I love Strawberries and will be trying this on pancakes first..Now I want to make the Strawberry pretzel dessert..gotta get more berries
Thank you so much for sharing that with me! I hope you love the strawberry pretzel dessert!
How easy and delicious the strawberry sauce is. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
You’re welcome Lori! I’m happy you enjoyed that!
Natasha!
I am OBSESSED with this recipe! My mom always cute the strawberries and mashed them which, was good but.. then you just have tiny bits of berries and it was very watery. This morning, I tried your wonderful recipe! I was making this for pancakes and to use for my shortcakes later. I also made a half batch of blueberry sauce(made this from frozen blueberries, this exact recipe, cut in half -2 tbl + 2 tsp sugar- only cooked it for ten minutes though) and it was outstanding! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Christina!
Can the Strawberry recipe be stored in canning jars ?
Hi Judy, I haven’t tried canning these for shelf storage so I’m not sure. I think it could work though!
can I use this as a filling between layers of an angle food cake ? or would it be too heavy and sink into the cake ?
Hi Tim, I think this would taste great layered with angel food cake. It would probably be best eaten the same day it is made but I think that would be delicious.
I made it for a ice cream sundae potluck at work and it was a hit!! I made plenty and have leftovers, but unfortunately I’m going out of town for a week.. I don’t want it to go to waste.. I’m wondering if I could freeze the rest and how long do you think it would be good for in the freezer??
Hi Tammi! I haven’t tested that but here is what one of our readers wrote citing it freezes well, “I freeze mine and it turns out great. I use for our nightly ice cream”
Served the sauce alongside a vegan chocolate cake and then spooned some into homemade yogurt yesterday. It’s fantastic and so simple (plus it makes the house smell amazing while it’s cooking)!
Thank you so much for sharing that with us Chrystyna!
The sauce didn’t thicken for me, but it is probably because I used organic sugar, which isn’t as refined as regular sugar. The fix: after simmering for the allotted time, I mixed 1-2T cornstarch in some water & slowly added that to the strawberry mixture while stirring and boiled for a minute. The sauce thickened right up & turned translucent again. I was super-excited about this recipe because we are eating all organic now & used to make this type of sauce from a processed, powdery package … now I can make it using all organic ingredients. Thank you – it’s very delicious & even more scrumptious than the old boxed stuff we used to use!!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Amy. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi. Can I add some gelatine for using it as a topping for my cheesecake?
Hi Sharon, you would need to change the method a little bit if using gelatin but gelatin isn’t necessary here since strawberries release enough natural pectin on their own as they simmer. I would suggest simmering an extra couple of minutes if you want it to thicken up more and it would be delicious over a cheesecake
I tried it with pineberries…yum!
I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
I just made your delicious sauce. I made sure to keep the temperature down…stayed nice and natural colored and tastes delish…I experimented with a jar in my hot water steamer. They are a nice color but the strawberries got a bit “puffy”. I will be anxious to try them to see how they taste and set up. I have lots more berries in my bed, fortunately to experiment with some more. I was wondering if you ever make larger batches? Thanks.
Hi Mary! I’m happy you enjoyed that. You can definitely double the recipe asneeded!
Is a half quart of strawberries equal to a pound? That’s how strawberries are sold where I live. Thanks.
Hi Rebecca, a quart weighs anywhere between 1 ½ lbs (if larger strawberries) to 2.3 pounds (if smaller strawberries). So half quart of medium sized strawberries will be about 1 lb.
Thank you. Making this tomorrow for shortcake.
You’re so welcome!
Is it possible to skip the fresh lemon juice. I’m don have any lemons at hand
Hi Sara, the lemon juice adds a nice layer of flavor and also preserves the color and flavor of the strawberries. It probably won’t keep as well without it.
How long can I store this for please?
Hi Michelle, I have stored it max 4 days and it was still great but I haven’t tested it beyond that. Freezing it should work just fine.
Thanks so much!
Can u use frozen strawberries thawed out.
Hi Joy, that should work with frozen strawberries, just cook the sauce to the desired consistency. Sometimes frozen can give off more juice so it may take slightly longer to cook.
Being new to cooking sweets, I will say that I am so surprised that making a sauce like this was so plain and simple! As easy as it is, I am fascinated by this recipe. It tasted just like I imagined it would and was very pleased with how it complimented my cheesecake. Thank you, I have been looking on how to amor my own sauces, and this is what I will be using from now on.
I’m so happy to hear that Michael! Thank you for that awesome review!
Not sure what went wrong with some of the folks on here, but mine turned out perfect. Just like Natasha’s picture1
I’m so happy to hear that. Thank you for sharing that with us, Janie!
Would I be able to use this IN a cheesecake, like to make strawberry swirl?
Hi Riss, I haven’t tried that but I think it could work. You might reduce it down a little more to thicken it some more though before using it as a swirl and cool to room temperature before using.
Hi Natasha,
I tried this yesterday and at first the aroma was amazing and the strawberries looked absolutely delicious. But after about 5 mins or so, they started to lose color. By the 20 min mark, the sauce was still not thickened and the strawberries looked like they were just boiled, and almost wilted (although I’m not sure that’s the right term for how they looked). I followed the recipe exactly. Simmered them and everything. I took them off the stove around 22 mins and put them on my cheesecake after they cooled. And even after an hour and a half in the fridge the sauce still didn’t thicken and the strawberries didn’t not even remotely resemble what you have in the picture lol. It tasted pretty good nonetheless but still had like a “boiled strawberry” taste. Lol. So I ended up slicing some more fresh strawberries and throwing them into the sauce before serving my cheesecake. Any ideas what could have gone wrong? I do have an electric stove. But that shouldn’t matter all that much, right? Oh and I used fresh strawberries to make the whole thing, in case you’re wondering.
Hi Irina, with fruit sauces or preserves – when cooking, be sure to simmer over low heat. High heat cooking can cause the fruit to discolor so you want to be sure it is just as a simmer and not at a boil during the 20 minutes of simmering. Also, be sure to use the correct proportion of sugar and don’t omit the lemon juice. I hope that helps to troubleshoot.
Just finished making this it smells wonderful quick question I would like to add a splash of orange liqueur will this interfere with the thickness?
Hi Miles! I haven’t tested that but I think it could work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
I added a tablespoon of Grand Marnier while it was cooking it has a nice taste I’m sure it will be great tomorrow a great compliment to my cheesecake. Thank you for your response.
Hope you and your family have a great Easter 🐣
Sherie
That is a great idea and I will have to try it! Thanks for sharing and I hope you have a wonderful Easter!
This was such a hit and easy to make. Thank you for sharing this great recipe. It helps to choose a good batch of strawberrys.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that Quinn!
This recipe was super easy and quick! Delicious and easily converted to keto. Use Swerve granulated natural sweetener (0 carb/cal).
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review!
This sauce is great! However, can I blend it out to use as sauce over a bunch of strawberries for a cake topping? Will the blending thicken the sauce ?
Hi Tamelia, Since strawberries release enough natural pectin on their own as they simmer I would suggest simmering an extra couple of minutes if you want it to thicken up more and it would be delicious over toppings or a cake. 🙂 I can’t guarantee that it won’t slide off the berries if you experiment, but please let me know how you liked the recipe
Dear Natasha,
Recipe sounds wonderful and yummy. I think I’ll try it out. One q. Would the recipe still work if the granulated sugar was substituted for something non or less-refined? What substitution do you suggest?
Thank you and kind regards,
Delanii
HI Delanii, I have not tried it with that. If you experiment, please let me know how you like that!
I’m doing the sauce, right now! 🙂
Should I cover the pot while simmering?
Thanks!
Hi Ana! I hope you love it. We did not cover the pot to simmer.
Can you freeze this sauce after you male it?
Hi Carol, I have stored it max 4 days and it was still great but I haven’t tested it beyond that.Freezing it should work just fine.
I freeze mine and it turns out great. I use for our nightly ice cream😋
That’s great to know it freezes well. Thank you for sharing!
I made my sauce with stevia due to dietary restrictions and it’s a bit watery is there a way to thicken it without adding cornstarch, maybe unflavored gelatin???
Hi Marina! I imagine that would work but I have not tried that so I can not advise. Please let me know how you like that if you experiment.
I have used a tablespoon of pectin to help with thickening while using Splenda. Hope it helps.
can you substitute rasberries or blackberries for this recipe ??
Hi Linda, I think that would still work with raspberries. You may need a little less cooking time. This is our go-to raspberry sauce, but if you wanted a little more texture, I think raspberries are worth experimenting with! 🙂
Can you substitute honey for sugar in this?
Hi Jane, I have not tried it with that. If you experiment, please let me know how you like that!
Made this sauce to top individual cheesecake desssert cups and it was a hit! Made this sauce twice already and it’s been a great success.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi Natasha! Love your recipes! I’m trying to bake a diabetic friendly dessert for my dad. Do you think I could substitute a sweetener for the sugar? I read through the comments and didn’t see anyone mention it. Thanks!
Hi Wanda, I haven’t tested that, If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe
Made it, loved it!!!! Amazing aroma, taste and texture! Thank you!!!!
You’re so welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed that!
I’m going to use this sauce on my homemade pound cake that my kids are requesting for. I’ve always bought my sauce from Dairy Queen cause we love it but they are going to be surprised on Christmas Eve lol
That’s so great! Thank you for sharing that with us!
Nutrition Facts
Strawberry Sauce Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 50
% Daily Value*
Potassium 86mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 12g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 11g
Vitamin A 0.1%
Vitamin C 41.3%
Calcium 0.9%
Iron 1.3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This your Nutrition Data for this Sauce, but I do not see what constitutes a Serving?
Hi Lorraine, “Servings: 8 or 1 1/2 cups Strawberry Sauce” is posted near the ingredient list. I hope this helps 🙂
I mix it in to my instant oatmeal packet! Great way to prolong the shelf life of strawberries!
That’s a great idea!!
Hi Natasha
Love everything about your recipes
And your fun to watch too.
One question with the sauce its not quite as vibrant colour as yours.
Any suggestions?
It may be due to the berry sort. Was it previously frozen?
I made this sauce and never got so many compliments! How many days after making it can I keep it in the fridge?
Thank-you I love your videos.
Hi Mary! I have stored it max 4 days and it was still great but I haven’t tested it beyond that.Freezing it should work just fine.
How do you reheat it?
Hi Greg, you can enjoy it cold or warm it up in a saucepan on the stove.
This is the yummiest sauce!!!! First time I made it was yesterday to put over a strawberry cake. My brother and his family demolished both … I had no leftovers! But everyone raved about the sauce and said they could eat it on its own! I’ve never seen so many people lick their plates at once! 😄 So I’ve made it again today for dessert at my aunt’s. No doubt I’ll get the same reaction. Thank you, thank you, thank you. It’s plate licking good!
Hi Devetta! Thank you so much for this amazing review!! You are the best! 🙂
I tried so many different recipies and this one was by far the best, it’s goes perfectly with pancakes! It’s also so easy; thank you so much for this great recipie!
Wow! Thank you! I’m so happy to hear that!! Thank you for this great review, Liam!
We’re having a party soon and are planning on having a self-serve ice cream bar where everyone can choose their toppings. This is the first recipe that I tried for making the strawberry sauce, and it is beyond fabulous!! Thank you so much for posting this … you are going to make me look good!!
I’m happy I could help! Thank you for sharing your great review with us!
Hi, just wondering how long this would last in the fridge or could I freeze it? I have a bunch of strawberries to use up!
I have stored it max 4 days and it was still great but I haven’t tested it beyond that.Freezing it should work just fine.
Would you do a hot water bath to store the extra sauce
Hi Kathy, I haven’t tried canning these for shelf storage so I’m not sure. I think it could work though!
In a word….superb!
I might be almost useless in the kitchen if not for you. 😀
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes Helyn! Thanks for following and sharing your encouraging comments! 🙂
My honour and pleasure! However, one concern…. this recipe should automatically be tripled in my humble opinion.. 🙂 otherwise, just a teaser… it’s that good.
LOL! I’m glad you love it that much Helyn! 🙂
Is it necessary to halve the strawberries? I’m planning on putting this on a Victoria sponge cake, and I LOVE the way my strawberries look whole!!
Hi Taqwim, it should still work to use whole strawberries. 🙂
Hi Natasha, could I add some gelatine to it to work as a topping for a cheesecake?
Hi Ambika, you would need to change the method a little bit if using gelatin but gelatin isn’t necessary here since strawberries release enough natural pectin on their own as they simmer. I would suggest simmering an extra couple of minutes if you want it to thicken up more and it would be delicious over a cheesecake 🙂
Wow. What a reminder of many happy days in the home of my youth. When strawberries were in season, my mom always made strawberry shortcake. She bought whipped cream and those little sponge cake cups at the store, and used this sauce to make the dessert. I still do it for my family today. In my mind, this just cannot be beat. I would call it comfort food to the extreme.
Yes, I’m glad to hear the recipe brings back such fond memories! Thanks for sharing Thomas!
I’ve just discovered my new love for cooking and experimenting with new recipes. The first time I tried a “strawberry desert”, it was a strawberry crisp/cobbler that was cooked on the grill- in a cast iron skillet. The strawberrys turned a dark, dull maroonish color and they had an ‘off’ taste. I don’t know how to describe it, but I couldn’t eat them. Then I tried a second time with a simple strawberry syrup, similar to this recipe of yours. Same problem. Dull colored fruit with a not-so-sweet or scrumptious flavor. I want to give strawberries a go, one last time. I’ve tried to figure out what I’m doing wrong and read somewhere about fermenting maybe? Am I getting them too hot? Not hot enough? Please help!! I’ve finally nailed the whole art of cheesecake baking (lol), but I need the perfect strawberry sauce to top it off! Thank you for taking time out of your day to help us novices! 👩🏼🍳🥧🧨💥🤦🏼♀️
Hi Heather, I haven’t had that experience before – It may be due to using less sugar than what is called for and also cooking for too long at too high of heat. This often happens with fruit preserves if they are boiled too long at too high of heat. I hope that helps!
Hi Natasha,
Love your recipes, I am making an atomic cake someday and would like to use this strawberry recipe for one of the layers of the cake, how can I thicken this up a bit so it won’t run off?
Hi Louise, that sounds like a fun project! You could make this thicker, just cook it down few extra minutes, until it reaches desired thickness.
I want to use this recipe on scones with clotted cream, would this recipe be thick enough for that purpose.
Hi Margaret, yes, it could work, just cook it down few extra minutes, until it reaches desired thickness.
Can this be frozen after making?
Hi Sandy, I haven’t tried freezing it but I think it could work well.
Can I use raspberries instead? I really want to find a good raspberry sauce to pour over cream cheese Rangoons. Thanks!
Hi Anna, I think that would still work with raspberries. You may need a little less cooking time. This is our go-to raspberry sauce, but if you wanted a little more texture, I think raspberries are worth experimenting with! 🙂
Can this be made with frozen strawberries? I have a huge bag in my freezer….
Hi Leslie, that should work with frozen strawberries, just cook the sauce to the desired consistency. Sometimes frozen can give off more juice so it may take slightly longer to cook.
It looks amazing, do u know how long it can be stored ?
Hi Liya, I have stored it max 4 days and it was still great but I haven’t tested it beyond that.
Awww, I’m swooning over this! I still think the best recipes are the simplest ones that I can actually do with my limiting cooking and baking skills. Strawberries are my weight loss secret, when I have a huge desire to eat a whole chocolate cake, I substitute a strawberry based recipe and it usually satisfies!!!
I hope you love it Laura! Please let me know what you think!
Wow Natasha, you read my mind! I open up your page (my daily routine for great recipes) to see if you had a recipe for a strawberry topping for pancakes tomorrow, and that’s the first thing I see! Thank you so much for sharing your amazing recipes with us. May God bless you and your sweet family. Can’t wait to try this.
My pleasure Vicky! Now that’s what I call perfect timing, lol. Thanks for following and please let me know what you think of the recipe!
I make the same way wild blueberries or mixed berries or strawberries…just without lemon juice😍so delicious. We use these with buttermilk pancakes or crepes😋 and wipping cream…
Yum, that sounds delicious Olga! Thanks for sharing!
Mmmm. So good #