Strawberry Coulis (Easy Strawberry Sauce Recipe)

This strawberry coulis is smooth, fresh, and full of sweet strawberry flavor. Made with just a few simple ingredients, it's perfect for drizzling over desserts, pancakes, and more.

We love making this strawberry coulis when strawberries are in season and at their sweetest. It's one of those simple recipes that adds a fresh, vibrant touch to everything from cheesecakes to pancakes.

This smooth strawberry sauce has a bright, naturally sweet flavor with just a hint of citrus from the lemon and orange juice. It's quick to make, easy to customize, and works beautifully as both a drizzle and a dessert topping.

You can make it with fresh or frozen strawberries, which means you can enjoy that fresh strawberry flavor all year round. We also love using it alongside other fruit sauces like our passion fruit sauce, or in recipes like our no churn rose ice cream, where it adds both flavor and a beautiful natural color.

Scroll down for step-by-step photos, helpful tips, and easy variations to make it your own!

Jump to:

• Why You Will Love This Recipe
• Ingredients
• How to Make Strawberry Coulis
• Flavor Variations, Substitutions and Add-Ins
• Strawberry Coulis vs Strawberry Compote - What's the Difference?
• What to Serve With Strawberry Coulis
• Storage Instructions
• FAQ's
• More Sweet Dessert Sauces to Try
• Homemade Strawberry Coulis (Easy Strawberry Sauce)

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Quick and easy - Ready in about 20 minutes with simple ingredients
• Bright strawberry flavor - Fresh, sweet with a hint of citrus
• Versatile - Perfect for desserts, breakfast, and drinks
• Make-ahead friendly - Stores well in the fridge or freezer

Ingredients

This strawberry coulis uses simple, fresh ingredients that come together to create a smooth, vibrant sauce with bright strawberry flavor.

• Fresh Strawberries: The star of the show, providing the intense strawberry flavor and vibrant color.
• Lemon Juice: Adds a zesty brightness and helps balance the sweetness, enhancing the strawberry flavor.
• Orange Juice: Introduces a subtle citrus note that complements the strawberries, adding depth to the sauce.
• Caster Sugar: Sweetens the sauce and helps create the perfect consistency for a smooth finish.

See the recipe card for quantities.

How to Make Strawberry Coulis

Prep the Strawberries

• Wash, hull, and quarter the fresh strawberries to prepare them for cooking.

Cook the Strawberries

• Combine the strawberries, lemon juice, orange juice, and caster sugar in a medium saucepan.
• Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon.
• Simmer uncovered for 10-15 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the strawberries are soft.

Blend the Coulis

• Remove the saucepan from heat and use an immersion blender to puree the strawberry mixture until smooth.
• Strain the coulis through a fine mesh sieve to remove any seeds, creating a silky sauce.

The coulis should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon creating a perfect consistency for a smooth yet slightly thick sauce.

Refrigerate and use within 3-4 days, or freeze in an airtight container.

Serve and Enjoy!

Serve strawberry coulis with panna cotta, cheesecake, ice cream, or pancakes for a delicious fruity topping.

Flavor Variations, Substitutions and Add-Ins

• Use frozen strawberries - Frozen strawberries work perfectly in this recipe.
• Make it refined sugar free - Use honey or maple syrup instead of sugar
• Add vanilla - A splash of vanilla extract adds warmth and depth
• Make it thicker - If you prefer a thicker sauce, mix 1 teaspoon cornstarch with 4 teaspoons cold water to make a slurry. Stir it into the hot coulis and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens.
• Make it chunky - Skip blending for a more rustic, compote-style texture

Strawberry Coulis vs Strawberry Compote - What's the Difference?

• Strawberry coulis - A smooth, strained sauce made by blending cooked strawberries. It's light, pourable, and perfect for drizzling. The word "coulis" comes from the French word couler, meaning "to flow," which perfectly describes this silky, fruit-based sauce. 
• Strawberry compote - A thicker, more rustic mixture where the strawberries are cooked but still hold their shape. It has a chunky texture with fruit pieces in a light syrup, perfect for spooning over pancakes, yogurt, or desserts.

What to Serve With Strawberry Coulis

This strawberry coulis pairs beautifully with a wide range of sweet dishes. Its bright, fruity flavor works especially well with creamy desserts and breakfast recipes.

Breakfast ideas - Drizzle it over pancakes like our Fluffy Greek Yogurt Pancakes, spoon it over yogurt parfaits, or swirl it into overnight oats and smoothies for a fresh, fruity boost.

Desserts - Serve it with creamy desserts like our Greek Yogurt Panna Cotta or Easy No Bake Cheesecake, drizzle over pavlova or ice cream, or use it in recipes like our no churn rose ice cream for added flavor and color.

Storage Instructions

• Fridge: Store in a clean airtight container or jar for 2-3 days.
• Freezer: Freeze in an ice cube tray, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost as many cubes as needed and keep in a covered container in the fridge.

FAQ's

More Sweet Dessert Sauces to Try

If you love making fruit sauces like this strawberry coulis, here are a few more of our favorites to try:

• Passion Fruit Sauce (Passion Fruit Coulis) - A bright, tangy tropical sauce that pairs beautifully with creamy desserts like our Mango Tiramisu
• Homemade Lemon Curd - Rich, creamy, and packed with citrus flavor.
• Strawberry Compote - A chunkier alternative that works beautifully with breakfast and desserts 

This strawberry coulis is one of those simple recipes that brings fresh, vibrant flavor to so many dishes. It's quick to make, easy to customize, and perfect to have on hand for everything from breakfast to desserts.Give it a try and let us know how you used it! Don't forget to Pin it for later or share it with a friend.

Print

The nutrition is an estimate only. It was calculated using Nutrifox, an online nutrition calculator.