Summer is when berries get their spotlight, and oh, do they shine bright! Strawberry season should be enjoyed in all its glory, with fresh, sweet, juicy strawberries in as many dishes as possible.
When I'm lucky enough to have a few strawberries hanging around, I enjoy them in all sorts of recipes. They make for a fantastic addition to salads, they’re a great way to start the day, and of course, they're brilliant in a variety of desserts.
Strawberry Shortcake Cake
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"This recipe makes three 8-inch layers or two 9-inch layers. If you only have two 8-inch pans, you can still bake three layers by baking them in batches." —Mark Beahm, Contributor
Strawberry Ice Cream
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This may seem like your typical ice cream recipe, but it is far from it. The secret is in mixing cooked strawberries with fresh, pureed strawberries. This produces a bright and vivid strawberry flavor that is unbeatable.
Strawberry Shortcake
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This classic recipe is ageless. Simple ingredients, fresh flavor, the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and it’s definitely one that’ll win the hearts of everyone who has the pleasure of tasting it.
Strawberry Arugula Quinoa Salad
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Strawberries add some natural sweetness to this protein powerhouse salad with arugula, almonds, and quinoa. A zesty orange balsamic vinaigrette drizzled over the salad adds brightness and an additional punch of flavor.
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Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies
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"Use good, flavorful strawberries. They’ll deliver more sweet strawberry flavor than so-so berries." —Mark
Strawberry Yogurt Popsicles
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Capture the fresh essence of strawberries in these popsicles! They’re not only nutritious but absolutely delicious. In fact, throw caution to the wind and enjoy one for breakfast!
Strawberry Mascarpone Tart
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Ever tried balsamic vinegar with strawberries? Oh, it is a match made in berry heaven. Add in creamy mascarpone and you have one dessert that will make your taste buds soar with delight.
Strawberries and Cream Semifreddo
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"Semifreddo can be made up to 2 weeks in advancewithout having any adverse effects on the flavor or texture." —Stephanie Loo, Contributor
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Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins
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Some of the ingredients in these muffins may seem odd to you (i.e. balsamic vinegar and a touch of black pepper) but we promise that everything will come together in beautiful harmony. Pinky promise.
Fresh Strawberry Pie
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All roads paved with this fresh pie are roads you’ll want to travel. This pie is best served fresh, but we doubt you’ll be able to wait that long to eat it!
Strawberry Buttermilk Overnight Oats
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Who knew it would only take 5 minutes of prep time for a delicious breakfast like this one? The berries, the buttermilk, the honey, the oats — it’s a dream come true!
Watercress Salad With Strawberries and Feta
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This simple, beautiful spring salad has something sweet (juicy strawberries), salty (fresh feta), crunchy (toasted almonds), and refreshing (cucumbers). Watercress and radishes add spiciness to the salad that's drizzled with a Champagne vinaigrette.
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Strawberry Italian Soda
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Freshly made strawberry syrup with real strawberries mixes with club soda, lemon juice, and half and half for an Italian treat. Topped with fresh whipped cream and a cherry, it's a fruity, fizzy iced drink to savor on a summer day.
Strawberry Jam for Canning
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This is how you make summer last all year long—preserve the fresh flavor of strawberries in jam. There's no pectin in the recipe, just ripe strawberries, sugar, and a little lemon juice that simmer together until they're jelled. A hot water bath preserves the jam without the need for refrigeration.
Strawberry Basil Moscow Mule
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All the traditional Moscow Mule ingredients are in here—vodka, lime, ginger beer—plus strawberries and basil. The additions put a seasonal twist on the classic co*cktail, perfect for a hot summer day.
Strawberry Mousse With White Chocolate
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This sophisticated dessert is the perfect make-ahead treat for dinner guests since it must chill several hours before serving. Just 6 ingredients including fresh strawberries, white chocolate, and heavy cream are all it takes to create this decadent, smooth, and creamy dessert.
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Berries and Banana Fruit Salad
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It doesn't get more simple than this red, white, and blue simple fruit salad tossed with honey and lemon juice. Perfect for summer potlucks or even just breakfast, it's a fast, easy, healthy dessert.
Vanilla Roasted Strawberries
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Roasting strawberries with a split vanilla bean takes them to the next level depth of flavor and creates a nice, gooey syrup. Serve the roasted strawberries over vanilla cream, use them as the strawberries for strawberry shortcake, or stir them into oatmeal.
Ricotta-Mascarpone Mousse with Balsamic Strawberries
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This light-as-air ricotta-mascarpone mousse is oh-so-creamy and when topping fresh strawberries, sugar, and balsamic vinegar, it's a culinary delight. It's also an easy, make-ahead dessert.
Earl Grey Yogurt Cake with Strawberries
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Extra moist, lightly sweetened Earl Grey Yogurt Cakeis something like a fluffy pound cake, infused with the citrusy tea. Topped with thick yogurt and macerated strawberries, it's a tangy treat.
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Frozen Strawberry Margarita
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A homemade frozen margarita is often something wholly different—and better— than what you get out at fast-casual restaurants. Made with frozen strawberries, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, tequila, and Cointreau, it's a refreshing treat. If you want to use fresh strawberries, plan ahead and freeze them until frozen solid first.
Microwave Strawberry Jam
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Skeptical of microwave jam? It's as just jammy as the more laborious version, but easy enough to make with a young child. Perfect for canning-wary strawberry lovers who have a few pints of really ripe berries to use up.
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
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Move over peanut butter and chocolate. The two great tastes that taste great together are actually strawberry and rhubarb (but it's not like a peanut butter cup isn't yummy, too). This spring pie is full of sweet strawberries and tart rhubarb and so much flavor.
Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcakes
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Whole wheat flour and yogurt up the nutritional value of this shortcake. It's topped with fresh strawberries and freshly whipped cream that has some non-fat Greek yogurt in it, too, making it a little tangy.
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Sparkling Strawberry Sangria
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This sangria can be boozy or non-alcoholic. Fresh strawberry purée and basil simple syrup are the base of this batched drink. Elderflower liqueur and Prosecco make it boozy. Elderflower simple syrup and club soda make it non-alcoholic. Either way, it's a refreshing summer drink.
Strawberry Pretzel Pie
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"Once you’ve added the heavy cream, make sure you turn your mixer speed to slow and keep an eye on what’s going on. It’s easy to over whip when using an electric mixer." —Brianne Ross, Contributor