This homemade strawberry sauce is the perfect way to use up extra summer strawberries and comes together in only 15 minutes with 3 ingredients! Try this sauce over pancakes, waffles, cheesecake, ice cream, and so much more.

There’s truly nothing better than homemade strawberry sauce once summer rolls around and we’ve got the only recipe you’ll ever need!
This is one of those recipes that’s almost not even a recipe because it’s really just that easy. We’re talking 3 basic ingredients, 15 minutes to make, AND it easily doubles or triples so you can have as much strawberry sauce as your heart desires.
When in doubt, just always choose a lot.

We love this sauce because it’s incredibly versatile and can be used in so many different summer dishes, desserts, and breakfasts.
If you’re heading to the farmer’s market at all this summer, I HIGHLY recommend grabbing a few extra quarts of strawberries so you can have this sauce in your life!
This Strawberry Sauce features…
- Juicy, sweet fresh strawberries
- The perfect thick and syrupy texture
- Comes together in one pot in only 15 minutes

Making The Strawberry Sauce
(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)
Ingredients You Will Need
- Strawberries
- Granulated sugar
- Lemon juice
- (no really, that’s it!)
Strawberry Sauce FAQ:
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
Yes, you can! Be aware, you may need to simmer the sauce a little longer to evaporate the extra water out of the frozen strawberries.
Can Sauce Be Frozen?
This strawberry sauce freezes well up to 2 months. Allow to thaw in refrigerator and reheat on the stovetop for serving.
Can Sauce Be Canned?
I have not tested this recipe for canning myself. If you would like to try canning this recipe, I would strongly recommend reading this canning guide first and learn how to can safely.

Tips for Perfect Strawberry Sauce
- Cut strawberries into quarters – we found that quartering the strawberries was perfect for getting those big juicy strawberry chunks you love in a sauce.
- Use lemon juice – this adds just a bit of acidity to the strawberries that brightens all the flavors.
- Simmer sauce – allowing the sauce to simmer over medium-low builds flavor and helps reduce the strawberries into a thick, syrupy sauce.
Recipe Variations
Try these suggestions for a different twist on this strawberry sauce.
- Try a different fruit – blueberries, peaches, nectarines, plums, raspberries, or blackberries will all work great in place of the strawberries. Be aware, you may need to adjust the cook time slightly depending on the fruit you use.
- Use a combination of fruits – try blueberry-strawberry, peach-strawberry, raspberry-strawberry, or blackberry-strawberry.
- Swap out sweeteners – maple syrup, honey, or agave may be used in place of the granulated sugar. Use 1/4 cup of these liquid sweeteners in place of the 1/3 cup of granulated sugar.
Ways To Use Strawberry Sauce
The sky’s the limit for what you can use this strawberry sauce in! Check out some of our favorite ways below.
- Waffle, pancake, or crepe topping
- Ice cream, angel food cake, or cheesecake topping
- Strawberry shortcake
- Yogurt parfaits
- Cocktails

This sauce just couldn’t be more perfect if it tried, y’all. It’s sweet, tangy, and just bursting with all the best strawberry season has to offer.
Meet your new strawberry addiction!
Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

More ways to use fresh summer strawberries!
Homemade Strawberry Sauce
This recipe may included paid links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.
Ingredients
- 1 quart fresh or frozen strawberries, hulled and quartered (about 4 cups)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring strawberry sauce to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 5-10 minutes.
- Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool slightly before transferring to a jar and storing in refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was updated with new recipe tips and photos on 6/8/23.
Kaylin @ Enticing Healthy Eating says
Simple, healthy, delicious. My favorite. 🙂
Sarah says
Sometimes simple is really the best isn’t it?! 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
This is so simple! I’m definitely going to make this to put on ALL of my favorite breakfast foods 🙂
Sarah says
This sauce is so versatile it goes amazingly with just about anything! 🙂
Joanne says
I feel like there is a batch of vanilla ice cream in my freezer just waiting for me to spoon this all over it.
Sarah says
Haha! YES. Do it, girl! This sauce is the BEST with vanilla ice cream. 😀
Mary Frances @ The Sweet {Tooth} Life says
What a fun Wednesday tradition! The waffles are really calling my name … but so is the spoon. Strawberries are my favorite summer fruit and this is a great way to make them last! Er, well, they probably would be gone faster since you just get yourself a bowl and spoon … 🙂 Pinning! Happy weekend Sarah!
Sarah says
Wednesdays were pretty much just the highlight of my entire week for that reason. 😀 Haha! And I love your tip about the bowl and spoon. I could definitely shovel more into my mouth using that method! LOL. Thanks for the pin, Mary Frances! You have a great weekend too!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen says
This looks amazing Sarah! I absolutely adore strawberries, so I am all over this recipe! Pinned!
Sarah says
Thanks for the pin, Kristi!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
wow this is so simple yet so delicious! love how relatively guilt free this is too in comparison to other strawberry jam spreads.. love it!
Sarah says
Thanks so much, Thaila! I never really understood why other fruit jams and sauces call for so much sugar and yucky stuff—you really don’t need it since the fruit itself is naturally sweet! 🙂
Kelly says
Love the sound of your Wednesdays since I am a big fan of waffles. And topped with this awesome strawberry sauce and whipped cream? I’d say that sounds like the best breakfast to me:)
Sarah says
It’s still one of my fav breakfasts of all time, Kelly! 😉
Sarah @ Running On Brie says
I can think of 5,000 uses for this sauce! Looks really delightful! And gotta love anything with three ingredients…I’m such a fan.
Sarah says
Haha! 5,000 uses sounds totally accurate! 😉 Thanks Sarah.
Consuelo - Honey & Figs says
Ahhh lucky you!Strawberries aren’t on season in summer here 🙁 I’d love love love to make this sauce though. That juice looks so sweet and delicious! I’m sure I’d pour a ton of it on my pancakes hehehe 😉
Sarah says
Oooh Consuelo I SO want to send you some of my strawberries, girlfriend! 😉
Chris @ Shared Appetite says
I’m totally down with 3 ingredient recipes too 🙂 This looks beautiful! So many endless possibilities with this sauce!
Sarah says
Thanks, Chris! 3-ingredient recipes rock. The end. 😀
dina says
i can think of many uses for this. yum!
Isadora says
Haha, I am a lazy chef too! Three ingredients sounds like a dream come true! This strawberry sauce looks beautiful and I can think of about 7,000 things that I want to put it on!
Sarah says
YES. This sauce basically is my dreams in sauce form. 😀
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen says
This strawberry sauce looks delicious! Love the idea of having Waffle Wednesday 🙂
Sarah says
Waffle Wednesday is what we call it to this day if you can believe that! 😉
Stormy winds says
Sara can these be sealed to save for winter?
Sarah says
Yes! You can use any canning tutorial you’ve got to store this sauce.
Karen @ Lushious Eats says
OMG! Is it bad that I would just eat this out of the jar – no food neeed! lol!
Sarah says
Oh, I TOTALLY eat this sauce from the jar with a spoon, Karen. Just too too good! 😀
Terri says
This sounds soooo good. Is this a recipe that you can?? I would be interested in knowing how long you waterbath it, if it’s “can-able.” I’ve never used xylitol, can you can with that?
Sarah says
You could definitely can this sauce, Terri. — I myself do not know how to can it, but I would recommend checking how this informative article from Baked By Rachel for step-by-step instructions. http://www.bakedbyrachel.com/strawberry-sauce-recipe-with-canning-instructions/ Also, you could use xylitol if you were going to can this sauce, but white sugar would be a fine substitute too. Hope this helps! 🙂
Chris Greek says
Is it possible to can or freeze this recipe? We don’t often get strawberries here (we live in the Arctic), so I would love to do up a huge batch to be used over the year.
Sarah says
Hi Chris! I’ve never frozen or canned this sauce before, but I would imagine that you could do both. Hope this helps!