If you’re like me, then strawberries are your favorite fruit.
I love them in my cereal, on top of ice cream, and even as a dessert after dinner! But what do you do when strawberry season is over?
If you want to make substitutions for strawberries in your recipes that don’t require much preparation, then check out these options!
Read more: What to Do With Leftover Basil
The Best Substitutes for Strawberries
The best substitutes for strawberries are kiwi, rhubarb, figs, strawberry products, and raspberries. You can use these in any recipe that needs strawberries.
Some recipes need strawberries for their texture, while others need them for their color and flavor. For instance, if you love pavlova, then you know it needs strawberries for decoration. However, it’s possible to use other types of berries in place of strawberries if needed.
For example, with a strawberry pie, you will want the flavor and the crunch that comes from their seeds. For this, figs would be a good choice. You can use them with a bit of strawberry extract to make it more like a strawberry pie.
Also, you’re not bound to use just one. You can mix a few of these alternatives together for an even better taste.
Raspberry
Raspberries are similar to strawberries. You can eat them or use them for decoration on desserts. One downside is the seeds of the raspberries. They are hard to eat, but you can minimize this issue if you strain the seeds first.
Cooked raspberries are softer than strawberries, so remember that when baking with raspberries.
Kiwi
Strawberries are good for recipes, but if you need something green, kiwis are a good choice.
They are not as juicy. But they do have seeds and the same texture as strawberries. Kiwi is best used in decoration. And you can use it for adding texture to your recipe as well. If that’s the case, then be prepared that the color might turn unpleasant because of how kiwi is affected when cooked.
Rhubarb
You might not think rhubarb is suitable here, but you should try it. If you are used to making rhubarb pie with strawberry flavor, then you will think that the rhubarb tastes like strawberries.
So, put some rhubarb in the pie next to figs. This will act just like a strawberry! Rhubarb also becomes more colorful when cooked, so this is an advantage.
Figs
Figs are not like strawberries, but they are good and taste even better when cooked. And they look nice as decoration when you cut them into quarters.
Strawberry extract
If you’re making a dessert and it doesn’t taste good, you can just add strawberry extract. This will give the dessert a flavor that is similar to strawberries.
You can also use figs and then add two drops of strawberry extract.
Strawberry syrup
This might taste artificial sometimes. If that’s all you have, then you can use it for dessert or in something like strawberry jello. Keep in mind that it also adds moisture to your food, so be careful if you’re trying to bake cookies.
Strawberry jam
Strawberry jam is a good substitute for strawberries. It works well as a filling, or you can use it as a glaze or put it on a cheesecake.
Other canned strawberry products
You might use other processed strawberry products as well. If you want a nice decoration, canned products (or frozen ones) might not be suitable, but the texture and flavor should still be somewhat the same.
Freeze-dried strawberry flakes are also a good choice. They will look decent either whole or crushed and used in your recipes.
FAQ
What fruits are like strawberries?
Strawberries are related to other berries like blackberries, raspberries, boysenberries, and loganberries.
Can I substitute blueberries with strawberries?
Yes, strawberries are a good alternative to blueberries. You can also make jam, a pie filling, or muffins with them.
What foods are related to strawberries?
Strawberries are a fruit and they belong to the Rosaceae family (along with apples and cherries). If you have a strawberry allergy, then avoid other fruits from this family.
What is in the same family as strawberries?
Strawberries (Fragaria spp.) are members of the Rosaceae family, which also includes herbs, trees, and shrubs.
Are tomatoes related to strawberries?
Tomatoes are related to strawberries. They are both fruits, but they are different.
A botanist will say that tomatoes are berries, while strawberries are not. A botanist might say that most of the things we consider berries have this in common, but there is an exception to this rule.
Are raspberries and strawberries in the same family?
Yes, raspberries and strawberries are in the same family. They are both in the rose family, and they’re important plants economically.
Is a strawberry a berry?
Nope! Berries are not all small and sweet. Some berries are eggplants, tomatoes, and avocados. And the strawberry is not one at all.
Why do strawberries make my mouth itch?
If strawberries make your mouth itchy, you might have a strawberry allergy. However, sometimes residual particles from other allergens in the environment can trigger a similar reaction.
Why can’t babies have strawberries?
You might be wondering why babies can’t have strawberries. Strawberries are not considered to be a highly allergenic food. But since they can cause an allergic reaction around the mouth, usually in the form of a rash, strawberries are not recommended for infants.
Acidic foods like berries, citrus fruits, and veggies, and tomatoes can cause this type of irritation around the mouth, but it is not considered an allergy.
Are kiwi and strawberries similar?
Kiwi and strawberries are similar. They both have an excellent flavor and lots of vitamins.
Conclusion
The best substitutes for strawberries are the following: kiwi, rhubarb, figs, strawberry products, and raspberries. If you are looking to substitute the sweet taste of strawberries with something different or available year-round, try one of these other options instead.
Remember when preparing your desserts it’s important to consider what kind of flavors work well together, but don’t be afraid to experiment!
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