We’re in the middle of the seasonal shift to fall in Sacramento, and I’m desperately savoring every last bit of summer produce. When the colder months hit, I know I’ll be craving sweet berries, juicy peaches, and perfectly ripe tomatoes. In my effort to preserve the flavors of summer, I’ve been roasting batches of strawberries and freezing them.
Roasting strawberries not only concentrates the sweet and tart flavors of the berries, but the syrup that develops during the roasting process is fantastic. The strawberries shrink in size as they roast, so I can store a larger quantity of strawberries in the freezer compared to fresh berries. (I always struggle with freezer space.)
I’ve been eating these roasted strawberries with yogurt, whipped cream, tapioca pudding, and even folded them into waffle batter! This recipe can be doubled or tripled. Note that you will need more than one baking sheet (or use a larger sheet) if you bake a bigger batch.
COOKING NOTES FOR ROASTED STRAWBERRIES
BERRY-TO-SUGAR RATIO
I typically roast at least 1 heaping pint (about 500g) of strawberries at a time. The cooking process takes about 2 hours, so I may as well roast a bigger batch of berries. Pro tip: if you buy strawberries from the farmers market, ask the seller if they sell overripe berries at a discount. They are perfect for roasting.
For 500g of strawberries, I have been roasting them with 1/4 cup (50g) of granulated sugar. Feel free to use other types of sugars or even maple syrup. The roasted strawberries will have a similar sweetness to jam. If you prefer something less sweet, reduce the amount of sugar by 1 tablespoon.
ROASTING STRAWBERRIES AT LOWER HEAT
I experimented with roasting strawberries at different temperatures, based on a few cookbooks in my collection (Nicola Lamb’s Sift and Erin McDowell’s The Book on Pie, affiliate links). After roasting batches of strawberries from 250ºF to 350ºF, I realized that I preferred roasting strawberries at a lower heat of 250ºF for a longer period––about 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours.
This low and slow roasting yielded softened strawberries that retained its vibrant ruby red hue. The delicious syrup that develops during roasting also didn’t stick to the pan, compared to times when I roasted the berries at a higher temperature.
Some recipes suggest roasting the strawberries for 3 to 5 hours. When you roast the berries for a longer period, they’ll become more chewy and gummy. If you prefer that texture, feel free to roast them for 2 to 3 hours. Note that you will need to keep an eye on the syrup, as it will dry out easily and get stuck to the pan.
DO YOU NEED TO LINE THE PAN?
If you’re using light aluminum sheet pans, no, you don’t need to line the pans. However, if you know that food gets stuck onto your pans or you want to be more cautious, feel free to line them with parchment paper.
FREEZING DIRECTIONS
These roasted strawberries freeze very well. Spoon the roasted strawberries into an ice cube tray and freeze in the freezer. Once frozen, remove the strawberry cubes and place in a freezer bag or container. They will keep for 3 months.
HOW TO USE ROASTED STRAWBERRIES
You can use the roasted strawberries in a variety of ways. The easiest is to add them to your yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, toast, or whipped cream.
I have also served the berries with tapioca pudding. I used this pudding recipe as a base: cook the tapioca pearls based on the directions in the recipe. For the liquid, I whisked together the milk, coconut milk, and about 3 tablespoons of honey. You don’t need to sweeten the liquid too much because the roasted strawberries will add more sweetness. Add the pearls to the milk mixture, spoon the pudding into bowls or cups, and serve with the roasted strawberries.
You can even incorporate the roasted strawberries into waffle batter. The photo above shows corn mochi waffles with roasted strawberries. I made the batter using a half batch of the corn mochi recipe here (omit the cheese and scallions). Then I gently folded in 1/2 cup of the roasted strawberries into the batter. You’ll want to cook the waffles at a slightly lower heat, as the strawberries can burn pretty easily.
Slow Roasted Strawberries
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Equipment
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aluminum quarter sheet pan (about 9×13 inches; you can use a half sheet pan, see note 2)
Ingredients
- 500 grams strawberries about 1 heaping pint of strawberries
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 250ºF (120ºC). Position an oven rack to the center.
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Rinse and hull the strawberries. You can leave any small strawberries whole (anything less than 1-inch in length). For medium-sized strawberries, slice them in half; slice larger strawberries into quarters.
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If you’re using an aluminum sheet pan, you don’t need to line it. If you are using a darker colored sheet pan or one that clings to food often, feel free to line with parchment paper. Add the sliced strawberries to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the sugar and salt over the strawberries. Use a flat spatula to toss the strawberries with the sugar, until all the sugar has moistened. (You can also toss everything inside a bowl; I just didn’t feel like adding more things to clean.)
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Slide the baking sheet into the oven and bake for 1 hour.
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Give the whole sheet a quick shake after an hour of baking. The syrup should be very watery at this point. Add the strawberries back to the oven and bake for another 45 minutes.
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Check the strawberries. They will look darker and softened at this stage. Use a flat spatula to gently toss the strawberries with the syrup. Next, check the consistency of the syrup. The syrup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon or the side of a spatula. When you run your fingers along the spoon or spatula, the syrup should separate and stay that way (see photo below). If the syrup is still quite watery, continue roasting the strawberries at 15-minute intervals until the syrup thickens.
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Let the roasted strawberries cool for 5 minutes before transferring the roasted strawberries and syrup to a container. The strawberries will keep in the fridge for 5 to 6 days. Serve the roasted strawberries with yogurt, oatmeal, biscuits, or your favorite desserts.
Notes
- Freezer Directions: Transfer any roasted strawberries into an ice cube tray and freeze. Once frozen, unmold the strawberry cubes and place in a freezer bag or container. Use the berries within 3 months for maximum flavor.
- Using a Larger Sheet Pan: If you are making 1 batch on a larger sheet pan, the cooking time may be slightly shorter because the strawberries will be more spread out. Check the strawberries after 90 minutes of total cooking time to see if they’re done. If the syrup is still very runny, continue baking at 15-minute intervals, until the syrup thickens.
- Flavor Variations: I have roasted a batch of strawberries with 1 1/2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon of sumac. I loved the depth and tanginess that these flavorings added. However, I needed an additional 30 minutes of baking (2 hours 15 minutes total) because of the added vinegar. I’ve also tried a batch where I added 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean powder. The vanilla version was fine, but I preferred the balsamic version.
- Double Batch: You can double (or even triple) this recipe. If you’re doubling the recipe, use 2 quarter sheets or 1 half sheet baking pan. If you’re tripling the recipe, roast the strawberries on 2 half sheet pans.
Nutrition
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