A sweet, fresh sauce can heighten flavors of both sweet and savory dishes, and this easy, homemade strawberry compote recipe will do just that. You can spruce up many dishes with its balanced sweet and tart flavors.
While it is mostly made from strawberries, the orange juice and orange zest give the compote a slight citrus zing. The addition of honey will help to add a sweet touch. If you have leftover strawberries when you're finished, check out how to make strawberry liqueur from fresh strawberries.
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What is Strawberry Compote?
Strawberry compote is a chunky fruit sauce made with strawberries that are slowly cooked with sugar syrup. It is a lot like my strawberry rhubarb compote but without the rhubarb.
What makes it different from another fruit sauce, coulis, is that compote is a chunky sauce while strawberry coulis is made with puréed fruit, giving it a smoother texture.
Ingredients
- strawberries - You can use fresh or frozen strawberries.
- orange juice - I use freshly squeezed orange juice from navel oranges.
- orange zest - You can use a microplane or the small hole side of a grater to get the zest. Navel oranges are great for zesting.
- sugar - You can substitute with honey.
- cornstarch - This is going to thicken it up a little.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
How to Make it
Step 1. Combine ingredients in saucepan. In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries with the orange juice, orange zest, sweetener and salt.
Step 2. Simmer. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Chef's Note: It will take longer to get to a boil if using frozen berries.
Step 3. Thicken. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the strawberry mixture and simmer for 1 more minute, until it thickens.
Step 4. Cool. Remove from heat and let cool.
Step 5. Serve! Serve as desired.
Strawberry Compote Uses
While compote can be jarred, it is often used immediately in a dish, especially if it is homemade and from fresh fruit. When it comes to its use, it can be put on both sweet and savory dishes, the same way you would a jam.
For sweet applications: you can top it on or mix it into strawberry shortcake ice cream and other ice cream flavors, cake, cheesecake in a jar, yogurt, pancakes, pancake bread, toast, English muffins, bagels, waffles, or fill a cupcake with it.
This compote would taste amazing over top of my chocolate chip orange zest muffins.
As for savory applications: it is recommended to serve it with duck dishes like duck confit, seared duck breast or fois gras (fattened duck liver).
Recipe FAQs
Store your compote in a glass jar or other airtight container in the refrigerator. It should last up to two weeks.
It's made of fruit and sugar cooked together.
It only takes 1 to 3 minutes to thicken with the addition of cornstarch.
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📋Recipe
Easy Homemade Strawberry Compote
Ingredients
- 1 pound strawberries - cleaned, green parts removed and quartered
- 3 tablespoons orange juice - freshly squeezed
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar - or honey
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries with the orange juice, orange zest, sweetener and salt.
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want to cook it until the berries just start to soften and break down.
- Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon cold water in a small bowl. Whisk it into the strawberry mixture and simmer for 1 more minute, until it thickens.
- Remove from heat and let cool.
- Serve!
Equipment
Notes
- You can use fresh or frozen strawberries. It will take longer to get to a boil if using frozen berries.
- You can leave small strawberries whole or slice them in half.
- Store your compote in glass jars in the refrigerator. It should last up to two weeks.
- For sweet applications: you can top it on or mix it into strawberry shortcake ice cream and other ice cream flavors, cake, cheesecake, pancakes, toast, English muffins, bagels, waffles, or fill a cupcake with it.
- As for savory applications: it is recommended to serve it with duck dishes like duck confit, seared duck breast or fois gras (fattened duck liver).
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
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