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Home » All posts » Condiments

Healthy Strawberry Sauce {no added sugar}

Published: Jun 11, 2024 by Laura Yautz · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

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This Healthy Strawberry Sauce is really easy, uses only two ingredients, and has incredible strawberry flavor! It's perfect for drizzling on pancakes, ice cream, cheesecake, yogurt, oatmeal, toast, or even dipping other fruit in!

This post may contain affiliate links. See our Disclaimer for more information

Strawberry sauce in a small glass creamer, with fresh strawberries scattered around.

Not everything has to be all sugar laden and artificially flavored all the time! Healthy Strawberry Sauce proves it. No added sugar at all, and flavored only with actual strawberries, so it tastes like... STRAWBERRIES!

Use this sauce anywhere you'd use your favorite commercial strawberry sauce. Pour it over ice cream or yogurt, mix it into oatmeal, or combine it with seltzer water for a healthy homemade strawberry soda!

Jump to:
  • Heart Health Benefits of healthy strawberry sauce
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • Substitutions
  • Variations
  • Equipment
  • Storage
  • Pro tip
  • FAQ
  • Related
  • Pairing
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Food safety

Heart Health Benefits of healthy strawberry sauce

Berries are some of the most nutritious foods out there, and strawberries are no exception. They are an excellent source of a variety of bioactive compounds, like phenolic acid, anthocyanins, flavanols, tannins, and ascorbic acid. These are the compounds that are thought to be responsible for the berries' health benefits, such as lowered inflammation and protection against cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and some cancers (1, 2).

Strawberries are rich in fiber and vitamin C, and are low in calories and naturally cholesterol and fat free, making them an excellent addition to any heart healthy diet.

Dates are, hands down, my favorite way to add natural sweetness to foods. While they are high in sugar, it is naturally occurring sugar, which isn't the kind we're overly concerned with. That's because it also comes packaged with fiber and nutrients like potassium, magnesium, copper, and iron. They also are high in antioxidants, and have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and immune stimulating properties (3).

As a dried fruit, dates are more calorie dense than fresh fruit, so should still be eaten in moderation, however they are a perfect whole food way to sweeten recipes.

Ingredients

Only two ingredients will get you the most delicious strawberry sauce!

Ingredients for strawberry sauce.
  • Strawberries
  • Dates

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

With just 2 ingredients, you know this won't be complicated!

Strawberry slices in a bowl.
  1. Step 1: Hull and slice the strawberries.
Mashed strawberries in a bowl.
  1. Step 2: Roughly mash the strawberries.
Mashed strawberries and dates in a blender.
  1. Step 3: Add the mashed berries and dates to a high speed blender.
Blended strawberry sauce in a blender.
  1. Step 4: Blend on high until smooth.
Blended strawberry sauce in a pan, simmering.
  1. Step 5: Pour into a small saucepan.
Reduced strawberry sauce in a pan with a whisk.
  1. Step 6: Simmer, whisking constantly for about 5 minutes.

Hint: to "hull" means to remove the leafy top and a bit of the interior of the berry that was was attached to the leaves.

Substitutions

Only two things to possibly substitute here!

  • Strawberries - you could use any berry to make this, and you'd get similar results
  • Dates - if you don't worry about added sugar, you can use any sweetener you like - start with about 2 tablespoons and add more if you need - or omit it altogether!

Variations

Healthy strawberry sauce has a few variations you might like.

  • Spicy - add a pinch of cayenne pepper for a little sweet-spicy kick
  • Balsamic - for a strawberry balsamic sauce, add 1-2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar into the blender
  • Mixed berry - use one pound of mixed berries instead of just strawberries

Equipment

The most important thing you need for this recipe is a high speed blender, like a Vitamix. That's because the dates are hard to blend into the sauce. If you don't have a high speed blender, and want to use a regular blender, or food processor, you should soak the dates first. I'd recommend mashing the strawberries, and then soaking the dates in the strawberries for at least 30 minutes to soften them up. Additionally, you might want to strain the sauce after blending if there are pieces of the dates that won't puree.

Besides the blender, you'll need more basic things like a cutting board and knife, small saucepan and a spoon for stirring.

Storage

Cool the strawberry sauce completely, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

It can also be frozen for up to 6 months. How good would fresh strawberry sauce taste in the dead of winter?!

Pro tip

Use the ripest strawberries you can find. They'll be the sweetest.

FAQ

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes, frozen strawberries are just fine to use for this healthy strawberry sauce. Thaw them completely first, and then you can put them directly in the blender (no need to slice or mash them since they'll already be very soft and juicy).

Do I have to cook it?

Not technically - it's safe and delicious to consume right out of the blender. We simmer it to help concentrate the flavors, caramelize the sugars, and thicken it up. If you want to skip that part, you can.

Related

Looking for other healthy condiment recipes? Try these:

  • Jar of avocado salad dressing, with avocado, limes, and parsley in the background.
    Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing
  • Buffalo sauce in a small jar, with celery sticks in the background.
    Low Sodium Buffalo Sauce
  • Close up of a jar of BBQ sauce.
    Low Sodium BBQ Sauce
  • Small jar of pumpkin spice syrup.
    Healthy Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Pairing

These are my favorite dishes to use Healthy Strawberry Sauce in or on:

  • Stack of pancakes with strawberries on top, drizzled with strawberry sauce. A slice is removed from the stack to reveal the inside.
    Strawberry Banana Pancakes
  • Overhead picture of a bowl of oats, with chopped pecans and papaya.
    Cinnamon Overnight Oats
  • Close up of a strawberry muffin on a wire rack.
    Strawberry Cardamom Muffins with Yogurt
  • Overhead image of three thumbprint cookies on a platter with strawberry jam in them
    Healthy Thumbprint Cookies
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📖 Recipe

Strawberry sauce in a small glass creamer, with fresh strawberries scattered around.

Healthy Strawberry Sauce

Laura Yautz
This Healthy Strawberry Sauce is really easy, uses only two ingredients, and has incredible strawberry flavor! It's perfect for drizzling on pancakes, ice cream, cheesecake, yogurt, oatmeal, toast, or even dipping other fruit in!
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Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 10 minutes mins
Course Condiment
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 66 kcal

Equipment

  • High speed blender

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb Fresh Strawberries
  • ¼ cup Dates dried, pitted

Instructions
 

  • Hull the strawberries, and slice them into a large bowl.
  • Roughly mash the strawberries, until they become juicy.
  • Dump the strawberries into a high speed blender, along with the dates.
  • Blend on high until the mixture is smooth.
  • Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent burning.
  • Reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer and whisk for about 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about ⅓ to ½, and thickened a little.
  • Cool completely, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Nutrition

Serving: 3tablespoonCalories: 66kcal (3%)Carbohydrates: 17g (6%)Protein: 1g (2%)Fat: 0.4g (1%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 1.3mgPotassium: 243mg (7%)Fiber: 3.1g (13%)Sugar: 12.3g (14%)Vitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 67mg (81%)Vitamin K: 2.8µg (3%)Calcium: 22mg (2%)Iron: 0.6mg (3%)Magnesium: 0.5mg

*Nutrition information is an estimate, and will change based on the brand and individual ingredients and amounts you use. This is provided for your convenience only.

Keyword ice cream sauce, pancake topping, strawberry shrub
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Food safety

Safety is our top priority in the kitchen! Always keep these tips in mind.

  • Wash hands before touching food, and after touching raw meat, your hair, face, pets, etc.
  • Make sure all needed utensils and equipment are clean
  • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
  • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
  • Never leave cooking food unattended
  • Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
  • Always open the lid of cooking pots away from your face to avoid scalding burns

See more guidelines at USDA.gov.

More Condiments

  • Close up of small glass bowl of ketchup.
    Low Sodium Ketchup (sugar free too!)
  • Glass bottle of salad dressing
    Low Sodium Italian Dressing & Marinade
  • Toasted English Muffin with strawberry jam on it.
    Sugar Free Strawberry Jam
  • Bowl of marinara sauce
    Low Sodium Spaghetti Sauce (Low Sodium Marinara Sauce)

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Laura Yautz in her kitchen

Hi, I'm Laura!

I’m a Registered Dietitian and I love food and cooking, It’s my passion to help you discover how delicious and easy heart healthy eating can be! I’m glad you’re here! Take a look around. You’re going to LOVE Being Nutritious!

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