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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 irresistible 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:
- 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.
- 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!
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?