Want to make the best, most delicious strawberry sauce ever? This strawberry coulis is it! Just 3 simple ingredients and 5 minutes is all you need for this classic French fruit sauce. This fresh strawberry sauce is decadent on cakes, whipped cream, ice cream, fudge, brownies and more. (V, GF, DF)
Coulis is a classic French sauce made of fruit or vegetables that are seasoned, pureed and often strained. Made with strawberries (or other fresh fruit), it makes a delicious thick fruit sauce with an unparalleled pure berry flavor.
This was inspired by the drink version of this recipe, Strawberry Peach Lemonade and the luscious filling in the Ultimate Strawberry Rhubarb Shortcake. It pairs really well spooned under a slice of Chocolate Hazelnut Tart or Almond Brownies. You can also try this awesome chocolate cake recipe with raspberry coulis. I think chocolate and fruit are a match made in heaven 🙂
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Why I Love This Recipe
Whenever I see coulis on a dessert menu, I know I will love that dessert. It gives almost any sweet indulgence that wow factor. And it is literally SO easy.
If you're going to the trouble of making a cake, throwing these ingredients into a blender takes just seconds and will make your dessert shine. (I make this recipe A LOT during strawberry season!)
It is economical and low calorie too. Just a little fruit goes a long way and you can use many fruits with this recipe. With just 23 calories per 2 tablespoon serving, this is a guilt free indulgence.
Leftover berries, mango or peaches all work beautifully. Try this recipe and I promise it will become one of your favorites too.
Ingredients
Check out these 3 simple ingredients. Sweet coulis recipes are simply a fruit puree. I told you it was easy!
- Strawberries - Fresh or frozen strawberries both work great so you can enjoy this any time of year. Thaw frozen berries before using.
- Lemon - I love fresh lemon because there are so few ingredients that the quality of them is important but bottled lemon is a great choice if you don't have fresh.
- Sugar - I've used plain white granulated sugar but you can sub raw sugar or brown sugar. Using darker sugar will make the color of the coulis darker but just as tasty.
See recipe card for quantities.
Top 20+ Ways To Use Fruit Coulis
Serve this delicious homemade strawberry sauce beside, underneath or spooned over top of almost any desserts or your favorite breakfast. With it's intense strawberry flavor, it pairs well with creamy vanilla and chocolate flavors.
- Pound Cake
- Chocolate Cake
- Angel Food Cake
- Whipped Cream
- Plain or Vanilla Yogurt
- Chocolate Mousse
- Vanilla Pudding
- Cheesecake
- Brownies
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Panna Cotta
- French Toast
- Pancakes or Waffles
- In Italian Cream Soda
- On Overnight Oats
- Rice Pudding
- Layered In Trifle
- Smoothie Bowl
- Sliced Bananas
- Swirl Through Yogurt And Freeze Into Popsicles
- Add A Tablespoon To Whipped Cream And Whip Well
Instructions
This simple strawberry coulis makes a lovely thick sauce in just a few easy steps. Once you make it, you probably won't even need the recipe again! Try swapping out strawberries and making other versions like cherry, peach, kiwi or mango coulis. Yum 🙂
Place strawberries, lemon and sugar in your food processor or a deep, narrow cup meant for your immersion blender (aka stick blender).
Turn on processor or blender and blitz until strawberries are well pureed.
Taste and add extra lemon juice or sugar to taste if needed. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Serve with breakfast or dessert and garnish with fresh berries, mint leaves, orange zest or any other tasty little bits you have handy.
Hint: Be sure to puree the fruit well to create the smooth, thick sauce. If you find your sauce is not as smooth as it should be, puree some more or pass it through a sieve for a perfect consistency.
Substitutions and Variations
Naturally dairy free, gluten free and vegan, there aren't many substitutions you'll likely need to make for dietary restrictions. There are a few swaps you can make for flavor or if you're missing an ingredient though.
- Sweetener - Feel free to use your preferred sweetener. Honey, raw or brown sugar, agave or maple syrup. Using a liquid sweetener (syrup) makes this sauce slightly thinner but still just as tasty. You can adjust the amount of sugar to taste.
- Citrus Juice - Lime juice makes a perfect substitute for lemon. Orange juice works too but has less acidity so I recommend using half orange, half lemon as well as a teaspoon of the orange zest if you want orange flavor.
- Liqueur - Add in 2 tablespoon of orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or Cointreau), raspberry liqueur (Chambord), limoncello or other fruit flavored liqueur for an adult twist that adds a delicious complexity to the flavor.
- Cooked - I love strawberry coulis raw but if you prefer to cook it you can. (Cooking it will make it last a few days longer in the fridge.) To cook it, place it in a small heavy bottomed saucepan and bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool and use right away or store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
You can also try this recipe with other fruit like I did with this raspberry coulis recipe.
Equipment
Use a food processor or high powered immersion blender to make this smooth sauce in a snap. Even a good blender will work for this but you may have to stop the blender and scrape the sides down a few times.
For most coulis recipes, you use a fine mesh strainer to strain the finished sauce through. The strawberry coulis blends up very finely and I don't think that is required but if you want it extra smooth you can.
To strain the strawberry puree, pass it through a sieve or strainer, pressing it through with the back of a wooden spoon. This will strain the sauce and remove the tiny seeds and any small pieces remaining.
Storage
Strawberry coulis stores and keeps really well. Keep it in a covered airtight container in the fridge. It's best used within 3 days of making it if you've kept it raw and within 6 days if you've cooked it.
If you want to make your coulis ahead or you have leftovers, you can freeze it. Simply pour it into a small container or ziptop bag and seal, removing as much air as possible.
Or for individual portions, freeze strawberry coulis in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, transfer cubes to an airtight bag or container in the freezer and it will stay good for 3 months and possibly even longer. Thaw and stir once ready to use.
Top tip
Use ripe, sweet fresh strawberries for the very best flavor and be sure to trim off any mushy, bruised or brown spots. If using frozen fruit, choose the best quality grade A fruit.
FAQ
Coulis can be made savory or sweet. It is a simple vegetable or fruit puree. For fruit coulis, it is simply fruit, sugar and some acid like lemon juice. Once the fruit is pureed, it is usually passed through a
No, coulis sauce is not a chunky sauce. It is a smooth and elegant French sauce that is pureed and strained. It is only naturally thickened with the fruit.
No. True coulis is raw and has a vibrant and fresh fruit flavor. This is truly the best sauce to highlight good fruit in a dessert.
That being said, many chefs will cook it briefly to give it a longer shelf life or to thicken it more with a cornstarch slurry.
Thanks for reading along, I hope you give this a try. Let me know how you like it and if you try any variations!
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Cheers friends! Sabrina
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends,
ox Sabrina
Recipe
Easy Homemade Strawberry Coulis Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 c Strawberries, rinsed and trimmed.
- 4 tablespoon Sugar granulated white, raw or brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
Instructions
- Place all berries in your food processor or a deep, narrow cup meant for your immersion blender. Add sugar and lemon then turn on processor or blender and blend until strawberries are well pureed.
- Taste and add extra lemon juice or sugar to taste if needed. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
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