This recipe for vanilla roasted strawberries is quick, easy, and tasty. Fresh in-season strawberries are combined with a little sugar and vanilla bean, then roasted until the strawberries are soft and the strawberry juice is bubbly and syrupy. Use these roasted strawberries with pancakes, yogurt, or ice cream.
Strawberries are my favorite fruit this time of year, and I always try new recipes like strawberry sauce and strawberry curd. Years ago I roasted strawberries for the first time and fell in love with the flavor and the technique.
I use this roasted strawberry recipe for my strawberry hand pies which are exceptional and my strawberry fool, an easy strawberries and cream summer dessert.
Caramelization Equals Flavor
Roasting fruit caramelizes the natural sugar in the fruit, and evaporates the water producing a more concentrated flavor. So the strawberries have an even bigger strawberry flavor. Try this same method with my recipe for Roasted Peaches.
The strawberries are jammy, with an intense flavor and a delicious syrup.
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Cheryl's Baker Notes
- Vanilla + Strawberries: Vanilla and strawberries both contain the compound vanillin (obviously the vanilla beans contain more) so the vanilla accentuates the natural bright, fruity flavor of the strawberries making these roasted strawberries taste better with the vanilla bean.
- Use Sweet Flavorful Berries: Starting with sweet strawberries means you use less sugar when roasting them. After making these roasted strawberries many times, I learned that the final amount of sugar will vary based on the type of strawberry and the natural sweetness.
Roasted Strawberries Ingredients
This recipe has four simple ingredients, but the quality of the strawberries and vanilla bean are most important.
Use vanilla beans that are soft (squishable) and shiny. It's harder to get the seeds out of dry and dull-looking beans. If you don't have or can't find good vanilla beans, use 1 tablespoon of vanilla bean paste.
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Roasted Strawberries
This is one of my easiest strawberry recipes. For equipment, you'll need a half baking sheet, parchment paper, and a large mixing bowl for these delicious oven-roasted strawberries.
Step 1: Combine the strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla bean in a large bowl.
Step 2: Stir until the ingredients are well combined
Step 3: Spread the strawberries over a parchment lined baking sheet.
Step 4: Roast the strawberries until the juice is thick and bubbly and the strawberries are soft.
Step 5: When the berries are done, remove the pan from the oven and immediately scrape them into a large bowl.
Cool the strawberries to room temperature, then store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container until ready to use.
That's it - the strawberries are done. Once they're cooled they're ready to be enjoyed as a filling for hand pies, topping for ice cream, or cheesecake.
How to Use Roasted Strawberries
You can also use roasted strawberries as a topping for ice cream, yogurt, and pancakes.
Another great way to use them is to make a Roasted Strawberry Puree. Place the cooled strawberries in a mini food process and process them until the strawberries are smooth. You can also place the strawberries in a tall container and puree them with a stick blender.
If you make these yummy vanilla roasted strawberries please leave a rating and a comment below.
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Roasted Strawberries with Vanilla Bean
Ingredients
- 6 cups (750 grams) fresh strawberries sliced into rounds or cut into quarters
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean replace with 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla bean paste if you don't have fresh vanilla beans
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F for 15 minutes. Time will vary depending on your oven brand. Line a half-baking sheet (18x13-inches or similar size) with parchment paper.
- Place the sugar in a small bowl. Lay the vanilla bean flat. Look for the rougher, matte side – this is where the bean naturally splits open and where you want to cut. Hold the tip of the bean down with your finger. Using the sharp tip of a paring knife, carefully cut lengthwise down the center of the bean, following the matte side. Don't cut all the way through! Leave the end intact so the bean unfolds like a book.
- Use the blunt back of the paring knife to scrape the fragrant vanilla bean seeds from the bean gently. Add the vanilla bean seeds to the sugar. Use your fingers to rub the vanilla seeds into the sugar until they are distributed throughout the sugar.
- Combine the sliced strawberries, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of the vanilla sugar in a large bowl. With a large spoon gently mix all the ingredients together. Spread the mixture on a half-sheet pan and place in the oven.
- After the first 10 minutes, stir the berries and return the pan to the oven. Continue to roast the strawberries, stirring them every 10 minutes until the strawberry syrup starts to thicken and bubble at the edge of the pans. Total cooking time should be about 30 minutes.
- When done, remove them from the oven and immediately scrape the strawberries and juice into a large bowl using a large heatproof spatula. Be careful, the pan and the strawberry syrup are hot. You have to do this step immediately because as the syrup cools it will harden and stick to the pan.
- Allow the berries to cool until room temperature.
Storing the Strawberries
- Refrigerator: Once the strawberries are cooled to room temperature, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Barbara Rigney says
So good
Cheryl Norris says
Thank you Barbara. I'm so glad you enjoyed this roasted strawberry recipe.
Audrey says
Easy peasy! Roasting brings out the depth of flavor. I’ll be using the roasted strawberries as a substitute for the raspberries in your Raspberry Fool recipe. Wish me luck!