Homemade Strawberry Pie Filling Recipe
This homemade strawberry pie filling is a quick and easy recipe made from fresh, ripe strawberries blended with lemon juice and sweetened with sugar. Thickened with either quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch, it produces a luscious, glossy sauce perfect for filling pies, topping desserts, or mixing into yogurt. The filling can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 1 quart (about 4 cups) of strawberry pie filling
- Category: Pie Filling
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Fruit and Flavoring
- 1 quart (16 ounces) ripe strawberries, washed, hulled and sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sweetener and Thickener
- ⅓ to ½ cup (70 to 100 grams) sugar, depending on strawberry sweetness
- 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
Additional Liquid
- ½ cup water (only if using tapioca, omit if using cornstarch)
Instructions
- Blend Strawberries: Add ½ cup (3 ounces) of the sliced strawberries, lemon juice, and ½ cup water (skip the water if using cornstarch) to a blender. Blend until completely smooth to create the strawberry juice base.
- Prepare Thickener Mixture: In a medium pot, combine sugar, quick-cooking tapioca (or cornstarch), and a pinch of salt. Stir to mix these dry ingredients well. Pour in the blended strawberry juice and stir to combine all ingredients smoothly.
- Cook the Filling: Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil. If using tapioca, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and the tapioca pearls soften. If using cornstarch, just cook until the mixture thickens and boils without simmering.
- Add Remaining Strawberries and Finish Cooking: Stir in the remaining sliced strawberries. Cook while stirring frequently until the filling returns to a simmer, then remove from heat immediately to preserve the fresh strawberry texture.
- Cool and Store: Transfer the filling to a wide container to cool quickly at room temperature. Once cooled, pour it into a jar and store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze for up to 3 months for longer preservation.
Notes
- Use quick-cooking tapioca for a more traditional texture with visible pearls, or cornstarch for a smoother, translucent filling.
- If using cornstarch as the thickener, omit the water in the blending step to avoid thinning out the filling.
- Adjust sugar quantity based on the natural sweetness of your strawberries for best flavor balance.
- Cool the filling quickly after cooking to maintain freshness and prevent overcooking the strawberries.
Find it online: https://justsosavory.com/homemade-strawberry-pie-filling-recipe/
