Easy Strawberry Compote

Made using fresh strawberries in under 20 minutes, this 3-ingredient Strawberry Compote is a thick and sweet sauce. It’s perfect for cake filling, drizzling on cheesecake, or spooning over pancakes or waffles.

What is Strawberry Compote

Strawberry compote is a mixture of roughly chopped strawberries that have been cooked in juices with sugar and added flavorings of lemon zest. It can be served warm or chilled and is delicious spread over desserts such as cheesecake or used as a cake filling.

What’s the difference between compote and jam?

Both compote and jam are similar and can be used interchangeably. There are two notable differences though and those are storage life and spreadability.

Because compote has chunks of fruit in the sauce it’s harder to spread than jam, which has a smoother consistency. It also contains less sugar than jam, which gives jam a longer shelf-life in the fridge. Typically a compote will last for 2 weeks if it’s made using fresh fruit.

Ingredients Needed

This is a strawberry compote without cornstarch so there are only 4 ingredients total, two of which come from 1 lemon. It’s a super simple recipe that comes together in under 20 minutes.

• Fresh Strawberries – Fresh strawberries are preferred for this recipe, but you can also use frozen ones. You’ll need to cook the sauce slightly longer for the frozen strawberries to soften.
• Sugar – The best sugar to use is granulated sugar, which dissolved easily and has a smooth taste, however, you can also use maple syrup, honey, or your preferred sweetener. If using ones such as Stevia you’ll need to decrease the amount.
• Lemon Juice – Adding lemon juice will help preserve the color and flavor of the fruit compote. I recommend using fresh squeezed.
• Lemon Zest – This is optional, but the lemon zest brings a tangy flavor that balances the sweetness of the sugar and strawberries. It’s also easy to zest a lemon without a zester.

How to Make Strawberry Compote

1. Prep the strawberries. Wash your strawberries and hull them removing the white topmost part then slice them in half. If your strawberries are on the large side then quarter them.
2. Cook. Place the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest into a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a soft boil, stirring occasionally.

3. Simmer. Reduce the heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer as it cooks down into a compote, for about 10 to 12 minutes. The sauce will begin to thicken as well. The compote can be served cooled or hot.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• You choose the consistency of the sauce. This version makes a thick strawberry compote because it only uses 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, but if you’d like a thinner option then add more lemon juice, but only 1 tablespoon at a time otherwise it could be too runny.
• To thin the sauce after storing it – if using the compote after it has been stored in the fridge you’ll find it has a thicker consistency. To thin it out heat the compote slightly in a small saucepan over the stove.
• Want an even thicker sauce? You can add a cornstarch slurry by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water. Add it to the sauce as it cooks making sure it reaches over 200º F in temperature to ensure thickening.
• Try a different berry. You can use blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries, or even combine them for a berry compote. This recipe will work using them all.
• Mix in some balsamic vinegar. This makes a great topping for red meat as well as pork. Mix in some balsamic vinegar for a savory twist that’s great when you spoon it over meat.

Serving Suggestions

• Use it as a spread for charcuterie boards. Strawberry compote makes a nice compliment to cheeses and meats and will even work really well on a Dessert Board.
• Mix it in with yogurt or make a parfait. Arrange a parfait using Granola and some compote for a delicious and healthy breakfast or snack.
• Drizzle it over sweet breakfast foods. Pancakes, waffles, or French toast are elevated when you drizzle some fresh fruit compote on top, especially a strawberry version.
• Serve it with scones. Whether you’re hosting afternoon tea or placing them on a breakfast spread scones, such as English Scones are infinitely better with this sweet spread.
• Great for desserts. Whether you’re using it for cheesecake or spreading it as a filling for cakes, compote is perfect for all kinds of desserts, especially ice cream. I suggest topping off some homemade Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with some.
• Lemon juice vs lemon zest. It’s not necessary to use both of these ingredients in the recipe but highly recommended because of the robust flavor they bring.

Storage Information

To store the strawberry compote transfer it to a pint-sized jar fitted with a lid or an air-tight container. If using a plastic container allow the mixture to cool completely before transferring it. The compote will last for 2 weeks if kept in the fridge.

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