Strawberry Compote

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Made with just 3 ingredients, this easy strawberry compote is a sweet topping for your favorite breakfasts and desserts.

Strawberries are one of my favorite versatile fruits. We eat piles of them straight from the container (or bush, if we’re lucky), but I always make sure to have enough for using in the kitchen.

You don’t need a lot to dress up a strawberry, so I tend to make recipes where they shine, like strawberry spinach salad or strawberry bostock. And if I really need to make them last longer? I turn to sauces like strawberry compote.

This strawberry compote is just like my strawberry coulis recipe in terms of ingredients, but with compote we want to keep pieces of fruit intact in the sauce, rather than puréeing smooth. Whichever you prefer, they’re both wonderful for your weekend pancakes!

This is a great way to use up those less-than-pretty strawberries that might have ended up in the back of the fruit drawer. 

Ingredients for strawberry compote

Full list of ingredients with quantities is located in the recipe card.

All you need is:

• Strawberries – Make sure to taste the berries first, as they can vary a lot in flavor! You might want to adjust the sugar or lemon based on the taste. Berries that are slightly soft are OK, but be sure to discard any that are molding.
• Granulated sugar
• Lemon juice – Bottled or fresh lemon juice both work here.

You can add other flavors to the compote as well, like vanilla, balsamic vinegar, lavender, or even black pepper. I recommend making the compote first and then adding the extras to taste.

Frozen strawberries will work for this recipe if needed. Make sure to thaw them completely and drain well. Thawed berries are generally a bit soft, so the compote will need less time to cook.

How to make this recipe

Remove stems from strawberries and chop. You can make your compote more “rustic” with larger pieces that get mashed, or use a small dice for a uniform sauce. Note that larger pieces will take slightly longer to cook than smaller ones.

In a medium saucepan, combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Set over medium heat and bring to a low simmer.

Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until berries are very soft. About halfway through cooking, use a potato masher or the back of a spoon or spatula to roughly mash the berries, releasing more juices.

Continue cooking until the compote has thickened slightly. It will thicken a little more as it cools, so be careful to not overcook — it should still be very pourable.

Transfer the compote to a glass jar or airtight container and let cool to room temperature, then cover and store in the fridge, or serve.

Storage tips

Strawberry compote will keep in the refrigerator for about 5 days when stored in an airtight container. 

You can freeze compote as well. Use freezer-safe containers or silicone trays like Souper Cubes to freeze. If you like, pop them out of the container and store in a labeled freezer bag.

Compote can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

To serve leftover compote warm, heat gently in a small saucepan on the stove.

Make this easy strawberry compote the next time you have fresh strawberries on hand!