If strawberries have turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use them with confidence and how to choose them, cook them, store them, what to substitute, and 771 recipes to try them in.
Strawberries are the popular red berry of early summer, sweet with a tart edge, and the seeds sit on the outside instead of buried inside. They are technically not a true berry at all, but nobody at the table cares.
A good one is fully red right to the shoulders and fragrant before you even bite in. Pale white or green tips mean it was picked early and will stay sour, because strawberries do not ripen further once off the plant.
They show up year round in stores now. The peak runs spring into summer, roughly April through July, when local fruit is cheapest and tastes like more than water.
Hull them, do not behead them. Run the tip of a paring knife or a strawberry huller in a cone around the green cap and twist out the white core, which saves the fruit a flat cut wastes.
Slice from tip to stem for tidy fans on a tart, or quarter them for salads and shortcake where they need to give up juice.
Maceration is the trick that turns plain berries into dessert. Toss sliced strawberries with a tablespoon or two of sugar per cup and let them sit 20 to 30 minutes. The sugar pulls out a glossy red syrup, and the fruit softens without any cooking.
That syrup is the whole point of Mama's Best Strawberry Shortcake and a bowl of Strawberries & Cream. A squeeze of lemon or a splash of balsamic sharpens it.
For jam they cook down with sugar and pectin. Strawberries are low in natural pectin and need help to set, which is why Strawberry & Apple Jam leans on the apple to firm it up.
Strawberries love dairy and acid. Cream, mascarpone, yogurt, and soft cheesecake all play off the tartness, which is why they crown a Classic NY Cheesecake. Lemon, balsamic, basil, and a crack of black pepper all wake them up. Chocolate is the obvious match, but a little goes a long way.
They also work with other fruit, from kiwi in a Strawberry-Kiwi Pie to a handful tossed into a Baby Spinach & Strawberry Salad with Maple Dressing.
The biggest mistake is washing too early. Wet strawberries mold fast and turn the whole carton to mush, so wash them only when you are ready to use them.
Never soak them. A quick rinse under cool water with the caps still on, then a pat dry, keeps them from drinking up water and going soft.
The second mistake is sugaring too soon. Macerate within an hour of serving. Left overnight, the berries slump and weep into a sad puddle.
For a fresh berry on a tart or in a salad, raspberries or halved blackberries are the closest stand in, with the same color and tart edge. Sliced kiwi or pitted cherries also work in a fruit medley.
In anything cooked, frozen strawberries do the job and often taste more like strawberry than out of season fresh ones. Use them straight from frozen for sauces, or thaw and drain for baking. Other red berries swap in one for one by volume.
If you only need the flavor, a spoonful of good strawberry preserves stirred into yogurt or cream covers it. It brings its own sugar, so cut back elsewhere.
Choose berries that are evenly red and firm, with fresh green caps and no white shoulders. Tip the carton and look at the bottom: fuzz, dampness, or a stained container means the lot underneath is already going.
At home, pull out any bruised or moldy ones right away. One bad berry spreads fast.
Keep the rest unwashed in a single layer, loosely covered in the fridge, and eat them within two or three days. They do not get sweeter in the cold, so leave them on the counter an hour before serving to bring out the aroma.
To freeze, wash and hull, then spread the berries in one layer on a tray and freeze until solid before bagging. Freezing them loose first keeps them from clumping into one brick, so you can pour out a handful at a time all winter.
Specific kinds of strawberries and the recipes that use them.
Sweetened frozen strawberries are whole or sliced berries packed in sugar or a light sugar syrup and frozen. The sugar protects the fruit during freezing, so the berries thaw soft and sit in a pool of bright red, ready to use syrup.
This is the classic supermarket tub, sold sliced in syrup or whole in dry sugar, and it has been a freezer staple for generations of cooks.
Where to find strawberries: Strawberries are usually found in the produce section or aisle of the grocery store or supermarket.
Food group: Strawberries are a member of the Fruits and Fruit Juices US Department of Agriculture nutritional food group.
| Amount | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup, halves | 152 grams |
| 1 cup, pureed | 232 grams |
| 1 cup, sliced | 166 grams |
| 1 cup, whole | 144 grams |
| 1 extra large (1-5/8" dia) | 27 grams |
| 1 large (1-3/8" dia) | 18 grams |
| 1 medium (1-1/4" dia) | 12 grams |
| 1 pint as purchased, yields | 357 grams |
| 1 small (1" dia) | 7 grams |
| 1 NLEA serving | 147 grams |
There are 771 recipes that contain this ingredient.
Microwave strawberry sauce with just three ingredients: fresh strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. Thick, glossy, and done in undre 15 minutes without a stove.
Here’s another healthy breakfast recipe that we’ve created for Fertility Road magazine. For those that are short on time in the morning, this quick and simple smoothie recipe is the perfect fertility boosting breakfast option.
Homemade strawberry preserves with just three ingredients: ripe berries, sugar, and a splash of cider vinegar. Hard-boiled the old-fashioned way with whole berries that hold their shape.
These delicious strawberry and chocolate wafer popsicles will be sure to cool you down on a hot summer day.
Strawberry biscuits, drop biscuits studded with fresh chopped strawberries and optional pecans. Hot from the oven with butter and cold milk, the unofficial breakfast of June.
Whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with strawberries, egg whites, and cottage cheese, topped with mashed banana cinnamon cream. A healthier high-protein breakfast that doesn't sacrifice flavor.
Fresh strawberries dipped in melted chocolate bark for a classic romantic treat. Includes a bonus technique for making a drizzled chocolate basket to serve them in. Two ingredients, ten minutes of prep, endlessly impressive.
Quick Belgian waffles made with baking powder and egg substitute, ready to top with frozen dessert and strawberries for a lighter breakfast or dessert option. These simple waffles cook up fluffy and tender in minutes, no yeast or waiting required.
Fresh strawberry sorbet with simple syrup and orange juice. A dairy-free, vegan summer dessert with just 4 ingredients and bright fruit flavor in every bite.
Freezer strawberry jam made without cooking, using fresh berries, sugar, lemon juice and Certo liquid pectin. Bright fresh-fruit flavor that tastes like summer in a jar.
Fluffy buttermilk pancakes topped with a quick stovetop strawberry sauce thickened with orange juice and brown sugar. Brunch-worthy in 25 minutes from start to plate.
Strawberry crepes flambe fresh berries in a citrus-butter-brandy syrup, then fold them into delicate crepes glazed with the reduced sauce. Showy New Orleans-style dessert ready in 30 minutes.
This frozen margarita is a berrilicious treat. Sweet, cool, refreshing and goes down smooth. Great for unwinding on a hot day or any festive occasion.
Homemade strawberry ice cream blends sweetened condensed milk, half-and-half, and strawberry soda with thawed berries for a creamy summer churn. A vintage two-step churned recipe.
Berry muffins with whole wheat, bran, and fresh strawberries or blueberries. A high-fiber, low-fat breakfast bake sweetened with strawberry yogurt and crowned with crunchy pecans.
Fresh and local strawberries are in season now, try these popsicles that are made with fresh strawberries, oreo cookies and creamy vanilla yogurt. They are light and delicious, great frozen treats at a hot summer day.
Custard-base cinnamon ice cream infused with whole cinnamon sticks and a real vanilla bean. Egg yolk-thickened French style with heavy cream finish. Makes 12 servings.
Fresh strawberry sherbet made in a food processor from frozen berries, sugar, strawberry fruit spread, and a splash of non-fat yogurt. No ice cream machine, no eggs, no dairy heavy lift.
Fluffy from-scratch buttermilk pancakes with fresh strawberry slices folded right into the batter. The tangy buttermilk and sweet berries hit all the right notes for a weekend breakfast worth waking up for.
Fresh strawberry mousse with pureed strawberries, whipped cream, framboise, and a ribbon-stage egg base. A light, elegant French-style molded dessert.
Fresh strawberry mousse with pureed strawberries, whipped cream, framboise, and a ribbon-stage egg base. A light, elegant French-style molded dessert.
Fruit salad with cream, fresh strawberries, banana, and pineapple tossed with lemon juice and topped with cream, strawberry jelly powder, and a drizzle of syrup. A quick, sweet, chilled fruit dessert.
It's hard to resist these fresh strawberry shortcakes. Easy to make, and always popular. Next time when you get some fresh strawberries, don't forget to make these yummy strawberry shortcakes.
Classic double-crust pie filled with fresh strawberries and tart rhubarb sweetened with sugar and thickened with quick-cooking tapioca. A perfect spring dessert.
No-cook strawberry freezer jam made with fresh crushed berries, pectin, and corn syrup. Tastes like summer straight from the jar with no canning equipment needed.
not a 5-spice powder.. a different flavor in almost each bite..
not a 5-spice powder.. a different flavor in almost each bite..
Buttery strawberry bread with rich flavor and tender texture. Classic sweet loaf showcasing fresh berries in every slice for special occasions or weekend baking.
Strawberry rhubarb pie layers fresh strawberries and rhubarb with a sugar-flour blend under a sparkling sugar-glazed double crust. The classic spring fruit duo at its sweet-tart best.
Strawberry shortcakes have been one of my favorites for over years. Every year when the strawberry season hit, we always go to farmers' market and get lots of fresh and sweet strawberries, then strawberry shortcakes are always one of the recipes we make. The shortcakes are super easy to make, they are buttery and flaky, which is delicious with sweet whipped cream and fresh-juicy strawberries. Haven't heard there is someone who doesn't like it. An absolute keeper!
A light sponge cake rolled around sugared fresh strawberries and billowy whipped cream. Looks like it came from a French patisserie, but you made it in your own kitchen.
A light sponge cake rolled around sugared fresh strawberries and billowy whipped cream. Looks like it came from a French patisserie, but you made it in your own kitchen.
No-cook strawberry freezer jam captures peak summer strawberry flavor with liquid pectin, sugar, and lemon juice. Ready in 20 minutes with no boiling and no canning equipment.
Moist strawberry muffins made with fresh berries, yogurt, and a hint of lemon. These tender breakfast treats work with fresh or frozen strawberries.
If you love strawberries and love cake you should try this cake. A nice yellow cake with strawberry filling, and cream cheese frosting. ENJOY!
Strawberry rhubarb jam made the old-fashioned way with no commercial pectin. Whole orange (peel and all) supplies the natural pectin, balancing tart rhubarb with sweet berries.
Instead of using cake mix to make a cake, we use whole wheat pastry flour to make a tart, and we fill up the tart with sliced apples, sprinkling with some sugar, after making this delicious and healthy apple tart, we decorate with fresh blueberries and strawberries. Definitely will impress everyone, and enjoy this delicious flag apple tart without guilt.
This cheesecake like strawberry tart is so fruity, creamy and refreshing, and it is so easy to make. Even you know nothing about baking, you can still make this delicious tart and everyone will tell you how good it tastes.
No-cook strawberry kiwi freezer jam with fresh fruit and pectin. Bright, fresh-tasting jam that sets at room temperature and stores for months in the freezer.
An easy to make jam that's so tasty, you'll end up using it on almost everything!
A delicious creamy ice cream with ripe strawberries and graham cracker pieces. A delightful summertime treat!
A wonderful topping for pancakes, waffles, French toast, bagels and English muffins.
Chocolate waffles with sour cream batter and chocolate syrup, topped with fresh sliced strawberries and whipped cream. Indulgent weekend brunch that tastes like dessert for breakfast.
Crisp, light Belgian waffles made with malted milk powder and whipped egg whites folded into the batter, then crowned with ice cream and a warm rum-spiked banana, strawberry, and pecan sauce.
Strawberry oatmeal muffins built with instant oats, cake flour, fresh diced strawberries, and egg whites for a low-fat, breakfast-friendly muffin sweetened with brown sugar and warmed with cinnamon.
Strawberry yogurt popsicles made with frozen strawberries, plain yogurt, and a touch of gelatin for creamy, slow-melting texture. No added sugar, no ice cream maker. Just blend, freeze in paper cups, and pull them out on the hottest day.
Microwave strawberry jam in 8 minutes with crushed berries, sugar, lemon juice, and a touch of butter. Small-batch refrigerator jam, no canning needed.
