Homemade strawberry puree can be used to add fruity flavor to drinks, as an ingredient in cakes, or as a topping for ice cream. While berries are in season, make some up and enjoy it straight away, freeze it, or can it as a shelf stable pantry item following safe canning guidelines.
This strawberry puree recipe is easy to make from just strawberries – extra sweetening optional! Make some for the freezer to have on hand for baking or to add to smoothies, or proceed with processing the puree in a water bath canner for a shelf stable product.
Ingredients
Strawberries — Choose fresh berries at the peak of ripeness for the best strawberry flavor. Can you use frozen strawberries? Sure!
Sugar — Adding sweetener is optional and will depend on the sweetness of the berries. (I recommend tasting the puree before adding sweetener; it might not need any!) Granulated sugar is great, but if you prefer to use honey, that will work as well.
How to Puree Strawberries
There are a couple of ways to go about making strawberry puree. If you plan to use the fruit puree immediately or want to freeze it, you can make a raw puree in a blender or food processor. If you want to can the puree to have an easy strawberry sauce on hand year round, you’ll need to cook and heat the strawberries.
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In a Blender or Food Processor
Place the strawberries in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse for about one minute, then scrape down the sides of the container and process for another minute.
Sample and add sweetener if desired, then process for another 30 seconds or so to incorporate the sugar.
Cooked Puree
Combine berries and water in a large pot and cook until berries are soft. Mash the berries in the pot, then transfer to a chinois, food mill, or fine mesh sieve and press puree through to make a fine, seedless puree. This is the method you’ll need to use if you wish to can jars of puree for the pantry.
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How to Freeze Strawberry Puree
If you’re not using the strawberry puree immediately, it can be frozen, regardless of which method you use to make it. It will last in the freezer for up to three months without losing quality.
To freeze, portion the puree into freezer-safe containers, being sure to allow enough room for expansion. If you’re using canning jars, opt for straight-sided jars and leave a minimum 1-1/2″ of headspace. [More on freezing in glass jars here.]
If you tend to use it in smaller quantities, fill ice cube trays with strawberry puree and freeze until solid. Transfer frozen puree to an airtight container and pull out cubes as needed.
Canning Strawberry Puree
Once you’ve cooked the berries down and run it through a sieve or food mill, return the puree to the cooking pot and reheat. The puree needs to be hot-packed into jars.
If you prefer a thicker puree, continue cooking over medium heat, stirring often, to make a reduced strawberry puree.
Ladle hot puree into hot jars and wipe the rims to remove any sticky residue. (This assures a good seal.) Center lid on each jar and screw ring on finger tight.
Once the jars are filled, place jars in a water bath canner. What this means is you’ll put the filled jars (with lids attached) into boiling water and heat them for ten minutes.
Remove the jars to a towel-covered countertop and allow to cool fully. As they cool, you’ll hear the little “tink” sound of the jars sealing. (This sound is not necessary for safe sealing; it’s just a fun by-product of canning!)
Store any unsealed jars in the fridge and use those first. (This is unusual, but it does happen once in awhile.)
🍅 Safety First!
Canning is an excellent way to preserve food for the pantry, but there are some important safety considerations to keep in mind. The recipes on this site have been made following safe canning procedures by a certified Master Food Preserver.
- Know the difference between water bath canning and pressure canning. Low acid items must be pressure canned for safety.
- Altering ingredients may change the recipe’s pH, posing a safety issue.
- Use the proper jars and lids. Never reuse lids, with the exception of the Tattler or Harvest Right hard plastic lids that are intended for such a purpose.
- For more on canning equipment, please go here.
- Want to learn more? The National Center for Home Food Preservation is the go-to resource for safe canning information.
Remove the ring from each sealed jar, rinse to remove any jam residue, and store (without the ring) in the pantry (or other cool, dark place) so you can enjoy fresh strawberry flavor all year long.
Using this Strawberry Puree
- Pull out your favorite angel food cake recipe! This sweet sauce is a perfect way to add a little fruity flavor to desserts.
- Pour it over pancakes or waffles.
- Use it to make a variety of mixed drinks.
- Make yourself a copycat Starbucks strawberry frappucino.
- Serve it over ice cream for a gluten free dessert.
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Strawberry Puree
Ingredients
- 4 pounds fresh strawberries
- water
- ¼ cup sugar optional
Instructions
MAKE THE PUREE
- Wash and de-stem strawberries. Chop berries coarsely. Four pounds of strawberries will yield *about 10 cups of berries.4 pounds fresh strawberries
- Canned puree must be hot packed and prepared as directed: Combine berries and water in a large pot. Add one cup of water for every four cups of chopped berries. Cook over medium-low heat until berries are soft, stirring frequently. Mash berries in the pot, then run through a food mill, sieve, or chinois to remove seeds. (See below for notes on using a food processor to puree the strawberries.)water
- Return the puree to the cooking pot. Add sugar to taste.¼ cup sugar
- Bring fruit mixture to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat.
- At this point, you can use the strawberry sauce immediately or transfer to freezer safe containers. To water bath jars to make a shelf stable product, proceed with canning instructions.
PREP FOR CANNING
- Fill a canning pot with water, set the lid in place, and heat on high heat until boiling. It can take awhile for the water to come to a boil, so get it started before you begin making the jam.
- Gather the jars you'll use, making sure each is clean and free of nicks in the rim, which could impede sealing. Wash jars and place empty jars into the canning pot. This keeps the jars warm and helps avoid temperature shock when pouring hot jam into the glass jars.
- Wash canning lids and rings in hot water; set aside.
CANNING STRAWBERRY PUREE
- Ladle hot puree into 1/4-pint, 1/2-pint or pint-sized jars, leaving 1/4" head space. A canning funnel makes this easy.
- Wipe jar rims to remove any fruit mixture that may have spilled. A clean rim is essential to a good seal.
- Place lids centered on the jar rim. Screw bands on finger tight.
- Use a jar grabber to gently submerge jars into hot water in the canning pot. Water should cover the top of the jars by an inch. The water will cool somewhat in reaction to the addition of the jars. Return the water to a simmer and then set the timer.
- Process for 15 minutes 0-1,000 feet altitude; 20 minutes 1,001-6,000 feet; 25 minutes above 6000 feet.
- Turn off heat and allow jars to sit in the canner for 5 minutes, then remove jars from water using the jar lifter. Transfer to a solid, towel-covered surface. Allow to cool for 24 hours.
- Check seals. Lids should be solid and pulled down tight. (if they flex and pop, the jar didn’t seal; put unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use those first).
- Remove rings and wash outsides of jars. Store in a cool dark place.
Notes
- Place the strawberries in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree for about one minute, then scrape down the sides of the container and process for another minute. Sample and add sweetener if desired, then process for another 30 seconds or so to incorporate the sugar.
- SOURCE: Adapted from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Complete Guide to Home Canning, page 2-14.
- The K-State Research and Extension office advises that while it's best to use a sieve of food mill to make the puree, you can use a food processor or blender. Instead of running the machine in a constant blending mode, they recommend pulsing the fruit, which will introduce less air into the mixture.
