Compote is a delightful sauce made by simmering a blend of fruit and sugar on the stove. This preparation results in pieces of fruit, which can vary in size, suspended in a luscious simple syrup.
Strawberry compote is a fast-cooked fruit topping that can be spooned over plain cheesecake, ice cream, strawberry chia seed pudding, smoothies and yogurt, or even cocktails and lemonade. You can also swap out strawberries for other berries, peaches, or any other hearty fruit.
So good!!!
What is strawberry compote?
A strawberry compote is a cooked fruit sauce made from strawberries, sugar, and, depending on the recipe, a few additional ingredients, like lemon juice or optional vanilla extract.
It is sometimes called a strawberry sauce, but it is not cooked as long as smooth, filtered strawberry syrup.
What makes a compote different from a jam?
Jam cooks for a longer time to remove most of the water. It’s very sweet and concentrated; jam needs a spoon or knife to spread it and is not pourable when set and ready to eat. Compote is cooked for less than half an hour, and the result is syrupy with large, visible pieces of fruit; it is spooned or poured.
How long does strawberry compote last?
Strawberry compote can last up to two weeks in the refrigerator if it’s been kept cold. (Remember, we encourage everyone not to leave food out on the counter even for a few minutes. Even raising the temperature a few degrees a little at a time affects food freshness and longevity.)
Add the compote to an airtight container and store it in the back of the fridge.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Don't lose this recipe! Enter your email and we'll send it instantly.
How to thicken strawberry compote
If your compote is too thin for your liking, you can add cornstarch mixed with water to thicken it. Steps: Return the compote back to the saucepan. In a separate small bowl, mix a slurry of 1 teaspoon of cornstarch with 2 teaspoons of water until cornstarch is incorporated. Add to the saucepan with compote. Heat to a simmer, stirring often, about five minutes. Remove from heat. You should see it thicken as it cools.
Can you use frozen strawberries?
Frozen strawberries have more moisture so the result could be more watery. You can cook it longer to reduce and thicken the compote, but the longer it’s on the heat, the more likely the strawberries themselves will break apart and cook down. You may not end up with the lovely large pieces of strawberry as when using fresh, but the flavor will still be good.
Strawberry Compote Recipe
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Don’t lose this recipe! Enter your email and we’ll send it instantly.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh strawberries
- ⅓ c sugar
- 1 T of fresh lemon juice about half a juiced lemon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prep the strawberries – Wash the strawberries and dry them. Remove the stems. For large, visible strawberries in the compote, just cut them in half. For more saucy compote, cut each strawberry into 8 pieces.
- Juice the lemon, separating out the seeds and pith. If you love the bright lemon flavor, you can add 1/4 t at a time at the end, tasting as you go to avoid overdoing it.
- Add all the ingredients to a saucepan on medium heat.
- Allow the mixture to cook for about 15 minutes. Stir often.
- Remove from the heat and allow to cool. The compote will thicken a bit upon standing.
- Can be served warm or cold, but it will keep longer and taste better if you portion out and reheat only what you need at one time.
Nutrition
The bottom line
Easy to cook and serve, this strawberry compote recipe goes on everything and anything you want.
