It’s also a great dessert all by itself or topped with some whipped cream. I normally prefer to enjoy fruit in its raw state, with a few notable exceptions such as grilled peaches and fried bananas. It may be a cliche, but it’s truly nature’s candy, amazingly good all on its own. But sometimes cooking greatly enhances the flavor of fruits and transforms their texture - in a good way. This is certainly the case with this delicious compote, which is also very easy to make.
Ingredients
The list of ingredients needed to make this tasty dessert is wonderfully short! You’ll only need four ingredients. The exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Fresh strawberries: Try to pick red, ripe strawberries. 🍓You know those big, pale strawberries with the white center? Those are not very flavorful, so try to avoid them if you can. Sweetener: As mentioned above, I use stevia, but any sweetener will work in this recipe. Fresh lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is best. I don’t recommend using bottled lemon juice. Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff.
Instructions
Making this strawberry compote is so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the (very few) basic steps: First, you add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan. Next, heat the mixture over medium heat until it starts to simmer. Resist the temptation to increase the heat - keep it to medium. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the strawberries are very soft, about 10 minutes. Cool the compote to room temperature before serving to allow it to thicken.
Expert tip
You’ll want to use good strawberries in this recipe. The best ones are small, red, and firm. The pale ones are no good, and I’m also not a fan of the really large strawberries that are completely white in the center. They’re often not very sweet and not very flavorful.
Frequently asked questions
Variations
Sometimes I use freshly squeezed orange juice instead of lemon juice. You can also replace the water with additional orange juice, keeping in mind that the nutritional info will change.
Serving suggestions
My favorite way to eat strawberry compote is to spoon it while still warm over cold, creamy Greek yogurt. The contrast in flavors and textures is amazing. It makes for a really nice snack! It’s also very good on top of this simple ricotta dessert and as a filling in this keto strawberry shortcake. You can also use it as a topping for ice cream or homemade frozen yogurt, pancakes, waffles, or - after cooling it - as a topping for cheesecake. It will probably be wonderful as a topping for ricotta cheesecake. Obviously, you can serve this compote just as grandpa used to serve it, in pretty dessert bowls with spoons, and simply enjoy it on its own.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to four days. This is actually one of those recipes where the leftovers taste just as good as the freshly made dish, so as mentioned above, you can definitely make it ahead of time. I don’t recommend freezing this compote.
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Recipe card
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