10 Smart and Easy Strawberry Recipes for Summer

We love to have a dash of strawberries in everything. These cutesy and sweet heart-shaped berries are a quick and easy summer snack to munch on every day. What is summer without these delicious strawberries?

This lockdown, I enjoyed making many strawberry recipes. These are 10 smart strawberry recipes for the summer. Summer is all about Self-care and fun in the sun.

Toddlers enjoy eating these fresh and delicious berries. Personally, my daughter would survive on them all day long. Just a box of strawberries would suffice as a satisfying snack any day.

Why you Must Eat Strawberries Every Day

This summer, choose your ideal fill of strawberries. A bowl of berries are good for your heart, mind, and soul. They are abundant in minerals and vitamins. 

Aren’t berries the best? Summer is the ideal time to pick these and guzzle them. We love to gulp them right away. Let us crunch on a few while we try some easy strawberry recipes this summer.

They have significant benefits to our health. Here are a few that I have read from a few sources:

•  Best sources of Vitamin C  
•  Rich in antioxidants.
• Contains adequate amounts of folate, potassium, and manganese
• Good for heart health and does not spike blood sugar
• Excellent food for Diabetic and heart patients
• Contains about 90% water and 26% fiber
• Low carb content

Strawberry Fun Facts:

A cup of strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange

Toby Amidor, Toby Amidor Nutrition

All good news must come to an end. Here’s what happens to today’s production of strawberries. This is the case of many products today.

Do you know about the “Dirty 15” Food List?

I was shell-shocked when I read about Dirty 15, but let me break the news for you early on. We are aware that every food has some contamination due to pesticides. The fact is that strawberries top the list as produce with most pesticide residue.

Yes, it is true, strawberry tops the “Dirty 15” list. It can cause a lot of direct harm if it is not washed and consumed.

It means that every box of store-bought strawberries you buy comes with pesticides, including organic produce. However, it is better to replace the Dirty 15 list with organic goods because they use lesser pesticides.

Remember, there is no food without pesticides. Every plant cultivated has approved pesticides in them that cause lots of damage. The answer is not to avoid these foods altogether. The key is in finding a way to consume them without much harm.

Here’s more about the list of foods that falls into the Clean 15 and Dirty 15 for your reference.

In case you already know about the dirty dozen, hugs to you, I hear you. My process of cleaning every grocery has changed entirely after reading about them. I do not run them randomly under tap water anymore, I have shifted to this effective cleaning method.

How to make Store-Bought Strawberries Pesticide Free

Once you buy a box of strawberries, the best thing to do is leave it right on the kitchen counter. It is a reminder to clean and store them on the day of purchase.

I have wasted a lot of berries in the past without knowing to store them in a better way. They are fragile by nature and spoil quickly, even when stored in the refrigerator. 

Only two essential ingredients are needed to clean strawberries. This way, you could enjoy making different recipes and hold on to fresh produce for a longer duration.

Cut the stems off the strawberries and place them in a bowl. Fill a bowl with tap water.

Add a teaspoon of vinegar and half a teaspoon of baking soda. It is natural for both to react and cause a small eruption in the bowl, mix it well.

In another method, you can also add a teaspoon of vinegar and two slices of lemon. Mix this solution well. The lemon is added to prevent the taste of vinegar sinking into the fruits and veggies.

Now, add the strawberries from the box to the bowl. Let it rest for about 15 minutes as it removes a few pesticides.

Note: Keep aside or throw away any spoiled berries, do not add them to the mix. 

I read that running under tap water washes away a few pesticides. Soaking them for some extra minutes removes a few more.

Pick the strawberries from the bowl and place them in a colander. You can rinse them again under mild water for a few seconds. Line them on a paper towel or kitchen towels and dry them.

Freezing your Strawberries to Last Longer

Once they are dried, store them in a glass container or PBA free storage boxes. You can place a paper towel or kitchen cloth inside the box and place the berries on them. This applies to all berries like blueberry, blackberry, and raspberries.

Do not close the box tight; just put the lid on top and let them breathe in the refrigerator. It could last for a week.

If you want them to last for weeks, line them neatly in your storage boxes and place them in the freezer. Frozen berries last longer. Once frozen, you can transfer them to the zip lock.

This way, strawberries don’t overlap. They are easy to pick and use. You can keep what you need and store the rest hassle-free for months.

Drying your Strawberries for a Long Shelf Life

Similarly, you can dry the strawberries and use them in your recipes. You can sun dry it by placing the berries on a lining sheet on a baking tray. You can turn them around once every morning until they are dried entirely.

Or, you can place them on a lining sheet in a baking tray, and oven-dry them for almost 2-4 hours, depending on your oven. Some take around 6 hours, but the result is perfectly dry strawberries.

You can store these freshly dried strawberries in any storage container and directly snack on them. You can add them to your cereals and almost every recipe.

Strawberry Recipes for Summer (with 2 -3 Ingredients only)

Now we know how to store them safely, let us get started with the strawberry recipes for summer. Most are easy to make since they contain only 2-3 ingredients. These are easy to make and recipes every kid enjoys. Here’s a list of my favorite recipes:

3-Ingredient Strawberry Popsicles

All kids relish this 3-ingredient popsicle. My daughter and I make this together. I let her blitz the blender when we make this at home. It is a quick recipe ideal for hot summer days.

What you need:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar (castor sugar, coconut sugar, demerara sugar)
• 1/2 cup water

Method: Add strawberries, sugar, and water to the blender. Make sure to blend them well. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds. You can add some cut berries if you like. Freeze them for 3-4 hours. 

Your perfect popsicles are here. Make sure to have them quickly. The summer heat can melt your strawberry popsicles sooner than you think. Hand these popsicles in a bowl to your toddlers. It makes things easier.

Homemade Strawberry Icecream

This 3-ingredient Strawberry Ice cream is the perfect guilt-free, sugar-free recipes to indulgence this summer. I found this recipe at Stacey’s and tried it instantly. The frozen strawberries give an icy edge to the icecream. 

What you need: 

• 1 cup of frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup dates (I love mine sweet)

Add the frozen strawberries and slightly blend them. This way, it is easier for the other ingredients. Then, add raw cashews or roasted cashews. I added raw cashews and dates to the blender and blitzed them. 

My blender took it easy since I made a small portion. If your blender finds it tight, then sprinkle few drops of water. That will not ruin the consistency. It will still hold well. You can either freeze it or devour it straight away. 

Fresh 2-Ingredient Strawberry Syrup

This is one of the best things I learned to make. I make batches of this almost every two weeks. The syrup can be used in nearly every recipe you try. 

What you need:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/2 cup water

You can blend the strawberries and water in a blender. Add this mixture to a pan on the stove and let it simmer for about 15 to 30 minutes. I personally like the syrup with the seeds. 

If you like to remove the seeds, you can sieve the mixture once it is complete.

You can add a spoon of this syrup to your sandwich. It can be used as a topping on your cake or add this to your cake mixture to make a strawberry cake. This syrup is pure bliss.

Homemade Strawberry Jam in 30 Minutes

This works well for my daughter. She never enjoyed bread until then. I prepared a small quantity, and we were done in 2 days. This simple 2-ingredient strawberry jam is one of our favorite recipes this summer.

What you need:

• 1 cup strawberries
• 3/4 cup sugar

You can either blend the strawberries and let them simmer on the stove. I personally like chunks of strawberries in my jam. So, I use the masher to smash the fresh berries. 

Once done, I add the berries and let the sugar dissolve in the pan. Let them simmer for about 15 to 30 minutes on the stove. Stir it every now to prevent the mixture from sticking to the pan. 

Note: Place a plate in the freezer for 10 minutes while the mixture is boiling.

Once the mixture thickens around 30 minutes, you can check the readiness with the following method. Remove the plate from the freezer, place a few drops of the jam on the plate. It crystallizes quickly, which is a perfect indication that the jam is ready.

Let it cool down, the consistency is totally your choice. I like mine moderately thick and not too sticky. Once cooled, transfer the contents to a glass container. It will last for months now. 

2-Ingredient Strawberry Smoothie

I bumped into this while I tried to make the popsicle. My daughter sipped it once and seemed to relish it. There are two versions of it. One is with strawberries and sugar, the other is with strawberries and banana.

What you need:

• 1 cup strawberries or frozen strawberries
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 banana
• Water

Method 1: Blitz the strawberries, sugar, and water in the blender. Isn’t this a smart way to make the smoothie? Your quick strawberry smoothie is ready.

Method 2: Blitz the strawberries and banana until smooth. Another smart choice of a strawberry recipe to cherish for summer.

Flavorful Strawberry Yogurt

This is a healthy version of fresh homemade yogurt without any preservatives. One of the best things about this recipe is, it is quick to make and lasts for about 3 days in the refrigerator.

We can make yogurts from many frozen fruits. Using frozen strawberries will yield better results for this yogurt.

What you need:

• 1 cup of frozen strawberries
• 1 cup yogurt

Blitz the frozen strawberries and yogurt in the blender, and here you go! A teaspoon of strawberry syrup to this recipe can do wonders. Forget the store-bought yogurts and make your very own yogurt recipes with strawberry. Enjoy this summer is ready in less than 3 minutes. 

Frozen 2-Ingredient Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles

It is just the same as above, the only difference in this recipe is freezing the contents in the ice cream mold.

You can add chunks of strawberries and blueberries to this popsicle. Also, you can add chopped or grated nuts for added flavor.

Yum Strawberry Cupcakes

When I attempted these for the first time, I did not have high hopes. However, I was surprised by the results. My daughter was excited and enjoyed these delicious cupcakes. I never expected this to be one of the most simple strawberry recipes for summer.

What we need

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup wheat flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• A pinch of Baking soda
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup strawberry syrup
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil / melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk

Note: Curd is a replacement for eggs. You can substitute 1/2 a cup of curd with 2 eggs.

Preheat the oven to 220° C. Sieve the dry ingredients and then add the wet ingredients. Whisk the mixture until it is even. The cake batter looks more like a pancake batter. It is easier to bake with this consistency.

Line the muffin tray with cupcake liners. Spoon the mixture into the cupcake liners halfway. Place the cupcake tray in the oven and bake for 20 -25 minutes. Once done, use a toothpick or a fork to check the readiness of the cupcakes. 

If it comes out clean, then the cake is complete. Let it cool on the rack and transfer to any container of your choice.

If it has some mixture stuck to the toothpick, let it bake for 5 minutes and then let it cool. Once cooled on the rack, you can taste it straight away. 

Bake your own Strawberry Cake at Home

The ingredients are the same as the cupcake. We can additionally add nuts and a pinch of cinnamon too. You can check the Strawberry cupcake recipe for the same.

Preheat the oven to 220° C. Pour the batter into the 7-inch pan and bake the cake for around 35-40 minutes.

Strawberry Buttercream Frosting

While the cake is baking, we can prepare the buttercream frosting. 

What we need

• 125g Butter
• 125g powdered sugar
• 1 tsp strawberry syrup

The butter must be kept at room temperature for about 4-hours. This way, it is easier to whisk it with powdered sugar. Whisk the mixture until it is creamy. 

A simple tip here would be to lift the bowl upside down, and the frosting stays put in the bowl. Put the mixture in the piping bag and use any piping tip of your choice.

Valentine’s Day Strawberry Yogurt Muffins

I was inspired by Dr. Hema from My Little Moppet and enjoyed her recipe. They were cutesy heart muffins that she made on St. Valentine’s day. I followed her recipe to the T and had a tasty set of cupcakes. Since I did not have a heart-shaped mold, so I used my muffin tray and still had a lovely bite of these muffins.

We all love to have a mixed fruit salad with a lot of berries included. I hear you, I cannot deny the fact I love it too. So, munch on enough strawberries this summer and try your favorite recipes from the list here.

Try and let me know which are your favorites! Enjoy these quick and easy strawberry recipes this summer. Do share your favorite recipes in the comments! Here’s a list of all strawberry recipes you could enjoy in pictures! Check them out!

Happy Summer!