Description
This Strawberry Pie Filling recipe offers a vibrant, fresh, and luscious topping perfect for pies, tarts, or as a dessert sauce. Made from ripe strawberries, lemon juice, sugar, and a choice of quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch for thickening, this filling provides a naturally sweet and slightly tangy flavor. It is easy to prepare on the stovetop, with a smooth texture and bright strawberry taste that holds beautifully in refrigeration or freezer storage.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberries and Juice
- 1 quart (16 ounces) ripe strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Thickening and Sweetening
- ⅓ to ½ cup (70 – 100 grams) sugar (adjust based on strawberry sweetness)
- 1 tablespoon quick-cooking tapioca or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Blend the Base: Add ½ cup (3 ounces) of sliced strawberries into a blender along with the tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ cup water (omit the water if using cornstarch). Blend until the mixture becomes completely smooth, creating the strawberry juice base for the filling.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a pot, mix the sugar with the quick-cooking tapioca (or cornstarch) and a pinch of salt. Stir to combine evenly, preparing the thickening mixture.
- Add Juice and Cook: Pour the blended strawberry juice into the pot with the dry ingredients and stir well. Heat the mixture over medium heat until it comes to a boil. If using tapioca, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently until the filling thickens and the tapioca softens. For cornstarch, simply bring to a boil and stir until thickened without simmering further.
- Add Remaining Strawberries and Finish: Stir in the remaining sliced strawberries. Cook, stirring frequently, until the filling comes back to a simmer. Once simmering, turn off the heat immediately to preserve the fresh strawberry texture.
- Cool and Store: Transfer the hot filling to a wide container to cool quickly. After it has cooled, pour the filling into a jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Use as a pie filling or dessert topping as desired.
Notes
- This recipe yields about 1 pint of pie filling. Double the recipe for a full pie, but keep the pureed strawberry juice amount to ½ cup.
- You can use either quick-cooking tapioca for a slightly chewy texture or cornstarch for a smoother thickening effect.
- For no-bake pies, pre-cooking the filling is recommended to ensure proper thickening and flavor development.
- Adjust sugar quantity depending on the natural sweetness of your strawberries.
- Cool the filling quickly and store properly to maintain freshness and prevent spoilage.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ½ cup (approximately 115 grams)
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 10mg
- Fat: 0.2g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
