This bright, beautiful Mixed Berry Compote is perfect for adding a little pizzaz to everything from breakfast to dessert. Not only is it a tantalizingly colorful addition, it's also quite low in added sugar, making it an easy way to sneak a little extra fruit into your day.
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Made with just an assortment of berries, tart lemon, and a touch of added sugar, this Mixed Berry Compote is purely delightful. I love adding a scoop to my morning pancakes or crepes just as much as I love serving it with my vegan vegan cheesecake or ice cream. I'll happily eat it all day long!
My mixed berry compote is a saucy, syrupy condiment with big chunks of my favorite fruits - strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries. It makes so many of my favorite foods that much better!
Best of all, it is so easy to make. So what are you waiting for? Grab your ingredients and meet me in the kitchen!
Recommended Ingredients & Equipment
While berry compote comes across as a luscious sauce worth lusting over, there's almost nothing to it! It requires just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes on the stove, so there's basically no reason not to make it.
Here's what you'll need to make it:
Ingredient Notes
- Berries - While I chose my particular favorites, feel free to use this recipe as a template for any berries you might have on hand. You can also easily swap in frozen berries for the fresh, making this a perfect year round treat.
- Lemon - Lemon juice adds much needed acidity to this compote, giving it a bright freshness on your palate, even after cooking. For best results, always opt for fresh lemons. You can also sub in other fresh citrus if you prefer.
- Sugar - Check out my guide to vegan sugars and alternative sugar replacements. For a healthier sugar alternative, I recommend coconut sugar.
Recommended Equipment
For this recipe, you’ll need basic kitchen equipment such as a saucepan, wooden spoon and mesh strainer. You will also need a blender or food processor and basic kitchen utensils. (<<affiliate links)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One - Cook The Berries
Mix the berries together in a large bowl. Remove about 1 ½ cup of the berries and set aside.
Transfer the remaining berries in a large saucepan and place over medium high heat. Stir in lemon juice and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes until the berries are soft and cooked all the way through.
Step Two - Purée Compote
Transfer the cooked berries to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the berries through a fine sieve to separate the seeds and discard.
Pro Tip: For less clean up, you can also use an immersion blender to blend the berries directly in the pan!
Step Three - Fold in Whole Berries
Once you have a smooth puree, stir in the uncooked berries. Serve or store in an airtight container.
Pro Tip: Since this berry compote has a rather high level of acidity, it is a perfect candidate for water bath canning. Make some with your summer bounty and enjoy it all year long! Hint: it also makes for excellent hostess gifts.
Serving and Storing
Serving - My mixed berry compote is a unicorn of a sauce insofar as it can be served either warm or cold, for breakfast or dessert. My mixed berry compote can be eaten warm or chilled and will go with just about any dish that lends to sweetness.
Here are a few ideas of what it'll go well with:
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- Muffins
- Crepes
- Oatmeal
- Vegan Ice Cream
- Vegan Cheesecake
- Rice Pudding
The options are nearly endless! Don't feel limited by this list. Any time the urge strikes, I fully encourage you to add a scoop of mixed berry compote to your day.
Storing - Cooked compote will keep in a lidded container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze the compote for up to three months. If you're feeling particularly handy, you can also try your hand at water bath canning to keep the compote good for up to a year.
Tips and Tricks
- Looking to save a little money? Frozen berries will work perfectly well in this compote and are often available at a fraction of the price.
- Want to switch things up? Feel free to substitute any mixture of berries you like, or stick to just one! The ratios and process of cooking will remain the same.
- For less clean up, you can also use an immersion blender to blend the berries directly in the pan!
- Serve warm or cold. I find that this compote is particularly delicious as a warm sauce over ice cream, crepes and oatmeal. I prefer serving it chilled with desserts like cheesecake and pudding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once your compote is made, simply spoon it over your favorite dishes and enjoy! It can be eaten warm or cold, and can go with everything from porridge to pudding.
Absolutely! It should keep in the freezer for up to three months.
While the two share some similarities, jam is often more uniform and slightly thicker from the addition of fruit pectin. Compote has some sauciness, as well as large chunks of fruit that you wouldn't normally find in jam.
Since compote is more of a chunky fruit sauce, you don't want it to be too thick. I would recommend allowing it to cook over medium-low heat to evaporate away any excess liquid to get to the proper consistency.
More Vegan Condiments
Check out all my vegan condiments for more inspiration.
Mixed Berry Compote
Ingredients
- 1 lb. strawberries, thinly sliced
- 1 pint blackberries
- 1 pint raspberries
- 1 pint blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- juice of one lemon
Instructions
- Mix the berries together in a large bowl. Remove about 1 ½ cup of the berries and set aside. Transfer the remaining berries in a large saucepan and place over medium high heat. Stir in lemon juice and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes until the berries are soft and cooked all the way through.
- Transfer the cooked berries to a blender and blend until completely smooth. Pour the berries through a fine sieve to separate the seeds and discard.
- Once you have a smooth puree, stir in the uncooked berries. Serve or store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Looking to save a little money? Frozen berries will work perfectly well in this compote and are often available at a fraction of the price.
- Want to switch things up? Feel free to substitute any mixture of berries you like, or stick to just one! The ratios and process of cooking will remain the same.
- Choose warm or cold depending on the dish. I find that this compote is particularly delicious as a warm sauce over ice cream, crepes and oatmeal. I prefer serving it chilled with desserts like cheesecake and pudding.
Hi, I’m Sarah. I’m a 14-year (and counting) vegan, professionally trained photographer, former pastry chef, founder of My Darling Vegan, and author of the
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