Sweet, flavorful strawberry compote is so easy to make. It’s the perfect topping for cheesecake, pancakes, or Greek yogurt.
I normally prefer to enjoy fruit in their raw state, with a few notable exceptions such as grilled peaches and fried bananas.
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!
Grandpa’s compote
My grandpa Jacob used to make an amazing strawberry compote, slow cooking strawberries and sugar over low heat. He used to serve it cold, after allowing it to thicken in the fridge for several hours. It was so so good!
Sadly, I don’t have grandpa’s recipe. So I came up with my own version. Like all my recipes, I attempt to keep things as low in sugar as possible, so I use stevia. You can use your favorite sweetener instead if you wish.
Since I lack the patience for making elaborate recipes, I also made sure this compote would be ready fast. It’s ready in less than 30 minutes!
The ingredients you’ll need
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.
Sweetener: As mentioned above, I use stevia, but any sweetener will work.
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.
How to make strawberry compote
It’s so easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the (very few) basic steps:
1. Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan.
2. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it starts to simmer.
3. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the strawberries are very soft, about 10 minutes.
4. Cool the compote to room temperature before serving to allow it to thicken.
How to serve strawberry compote
My favorite way is to spoon it slightly 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.
Can I use frozen strawberries?
I honestly don’t know. Possibly yes, but I’ve always made this recipe with fresh strawberries, so I don’t know how good it would be with frozen.
How long can I keep the leftovers?
You can keep them in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days.
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Strawberry Compote
INGREDIENTS
- 16 oz fresh strawberries, tops removed, halved
- 1 teaspoon stevia glycerite (equals 1/3 cup sugar)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place the ingredients in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes, until the strawberries are very soft.
- Cool the strawberry compote for 10 minutes, to allow it to thicken, then serve.
- You can serve it in dessert bowls, spoon it over Greek yogurt, or use it as a topping for ice cream, frozen yogurt, pancakes, waffles, or cheesecake.
- Keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to three days.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, Reader's Digest, and Better Homes and Gardens.