Scrumptious Strawberry Sorbet

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Homemade strawberry sorbet is a super-easy light dessert. Here is your step-by-step guide to making this dairy-free, vegan dessert. It is inexpensive, low in added sugar, and you don’t need an ice cream maker to make it.

I have to say that I didn’t think I liked strawberry sorbet because I usually prefer chocolate desserts. But maybe especially because it is homemade and fresh, it is really terrific!

close up scoop of strawberry sorbet with mint leaves in glass bowl — strawberry sorbet

Nutrition

Strawberry sorbet has all the goodness of fruit, like vitamin C and fiber. One cup of fresh strawberries has only 46 calories. It has 220 milligrams of potassium, 35 milligrams of folate, 85 milligrams of vitamin C, 2.8 grams of fiber, and a little calcium: 23 milligrams according to USDA FoodData Central. This is a nutritious dessert without added fat and cholesterol like ice cream.

Sometimes people get sorbet and sherbet mixed up. Sherbet typically contains milk and more sugar than fruit. Then if you are from Philly, you may be familiar with water ice. If you are lucky, water ice has a little lemon zest and juice in it….with a lot more sugar, and you guessed it: water and ice!

How to Make Strawberry Sorbet

First, wash the strawberries and cut them in half or quarters. I cut them in half so they take less time to freeze. Lay them on waxed paper on a baking sheet and freeze them for 15 minutes.

cut strawberry halves on wax paper lines baking sheet — freezing the strawberries

While some recipes say to freeze them for hours, that didn’t work well for me. Then I had to wait for them to defrost so they were soft enough to be able to be blended.

Then, process them with lemon zest and agave nectar. You want to make sure they are really smooth. It could take a minute. Have patience and I know it is loud: I have even taken the food processor into the basement to make this because of the sound! My go-to is a food processor because I find it easier to clean than a blender. But, you could certainly make this in a blender.

Maple syrup may be used instead of the agave nectar. Making your own sorbet is so terrific because commercial sorbet may contain more water and sugar than fruit! With just a teaspoon of agave nectar for a pound of strawberries, there is very little added sugar per serving.

scooping sorbet from loaf pan — scooping sorbet from pan

You could certainly try it with a packet of sugar substitute instead if you would like to make the recipe free of added sugars. Just add a teaspoon of water so it’s easier to process. Because it’s fresh, you don’t need any stabilizers either.

Then, I transfer the mixture to a waxed paper-lined metal loaf pan. Use a regular-sized (9″ x 5″) one so it will both freeze and defrost more quickly than in a mini-loaf pan.

Since making this batch, we have tried it with a combination of strawberries and kiwis. That was really good as well. Mangoes, pineapple, other berries, and melons all have sorbet-making possibilities.

I recommend taking the sorbet out of the freezer before sitting down to have dinner. Then it will be softer to scoop and enjoy for dessert!

If you would like to store your sorbet, transfer it to a container with a lid. It should last for a few months in the freezer.