Healthy 2-Ingredient Strawberry Applesauce
Strawberries, apples and 45 minutes are all you need for this healthy strawberry applesauce! Naturally vegan, gluten-free, paleo, dairy-free and free of added sugar.
Before I knew how easy homemade strawberry applesauce was to make, I tried different brands of store-bought applesauce but they just weren’t very good.
I posted another recipe for strawberry applesauce a few years ago but I broke my slow cooker and so I had to find a new way to prepare the applesauce. This recipe is different enough that I figured it warranted another post!
When I posted my first strawberry applesauce recipe, I thought applesauce needed to cook for a long time so I used a slow cooker. That’s totally unnecessary for this recipe (though it makes sense for other recipes, like this brown sugar applesauce). You seriously just need 30 minutes on the stove top.
It’s so absurdly simple to make. You don’t even need to peel the apples as they break down during cooking and if you use an apple corer, this is really quick to prepare. Apple slices and hulled strawberries – you just put them in a large pot, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Cool and puree!
I also left out the apple juice, which I had previously used as a sweetener. We went strawberry picking recently and came back with some almost candy-like strawberries.
This resulted in strawberry applesauce that was so sweet that I couldn’t even eat all that much at a time. However, if you’re using some less-than-stellar off-season strawberries, this applesauce likely won’t be all that delicious. You might want to add a bit of apple juice (at the beginning of the cooking process) for sweetness.
And make sure to use sweet apples and nothing tart! I honestly just use whatever cheap apples I have around. This isn’t an apple pie or a fruit dessert where you need to worry about the texture, so just go with whatever you have – except Red Delicious! Your apples should have at least a little taste to them. ;)
Whenever I find myself with too many strawberries, I make a big batch of this strawberry applesauce, fully intending to eat it all by myself within five days, but then I get nervous and freeze whatever I have left after four days. If it sits in there for too long, you’ll know by the smell.
If it smells funky, you’ll of course need to throw it out, which is as sad as it sounds. I recommend measuring out a cup per day or whatever you think you’ll eat over the next 4 days, and immediately freezing the rest.
Sometimes it keeps well for a full week, sometimes not, so I just err on the side of caution and stick to 4 days.
If you want to make a different-sized batch, the proportions are approximately 1/3 strawberries and 2/3 apples by weight. So 1 pound of strawberries and 3 pounds of apples. Simmer until soft, puree and enjoy. :)
Healthy 2-Ingredient Strawberry Applesauce
Ingredients
- 7 large (3 1/2 pounds or 1587 grams) sweet apples unpeeled
- 4 cups (18 ounces or 510 grams) strawberries rinsed and hulled
Instructions
- Core each apple (do not peel!) and cut into about 6 pieces. Add the apples and strawberries to a large pot. Add about 1/2″ of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes. Check about halfway through to make sure there’s a little liquid on the bottom of the pot (to ensure that they don’t stick). The apples should be very soft now. If they aren’t, simmer in 5-minute increments until they are.
- Remove from the heat and let cool for about 20 minutes and then use an immersion blender to puree the applesauce. You can also use a blender or food processor but an immersion blender is quickest, easiest and the least messy.
- Cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze any remaining applesauce after that.
Notes
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. The nutrition information is calculated based on a serving size of 1/2 cup.
So easy and only 2 ingredients! Definitely my type of recipe.
Same here!
I loooooove how easy this is. And anything apple + strawberry is a hit with my kids!
Thanks! :)
Made this a few days ago and it was AMAZING! I’m from Florida so strawberries are everywhere right now, and they’re my favorite. My husband is not a fan of applesauce at all so I literally consumed the whole bowl myself in 2 1/2 days : ) Thanks for the awesome recipe again!
Oh my. I’m so jealous that strawberries are in season for you! I have another two months to wait. I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed the applesauce! Thanks for your feedback. :)
This sounds amazing! Im going to make it tonight and wondering if this would be good to can? I usually can my applesauce
I’m not sure as I don’t have any experience canning (I have to admit that I’m too scared to try!). And sorry for my slow reply! I live in Germany so I was already sleeping by the time your comment came in. I hope you enjoyed the applesauce. :)
This has such a pretty color along with great flavor, I’m sure. Apple and strawberries simmered together has got be make a wonderful sauce! I’d love to slather that over a thick pork chop!
Ooh. That sounds delicious! I’ll have to try. Thanks for the idea. :)
Homemade applesauce is the best, love that this recipe is two ingredients…and they’re both fruit. :-)
Much better than fruit and sugar, right? ;)
I won’t eat applesauce unless it’s homemade. Don’t know what it is about it but with somethings homemade is just better. I love the color of this and you totally blew my mind with not having to peel! Such a time saver.
I agree! Homemade applesauce is just better. And not peeling is actually good for the applesauce – it adds pectin, which helps thicken the sauce! Win win, I say. :)
We make homemade applesauce all the time in the slow cooker, but I’ve never thought to add strawberries! I’ll be trying this for sure before the last of the season’s strawberries disappear.
I hope you’ll get the chance to try it out! :)
I make a huge batch of applesauce every Thanksgiving, but then wait the entire year to make it again. Why!? My whole family loves it, so I think adding some seasonal fruit and/or berries to it and making it year-round is a fantastic idea. This sounds delicious, plus so pretty!
Aww. Applesauce should be enjoyed throughout the year. ;) I hope you’ll try out some berry flavored sauce soon!
My kids love applesauce. Can’t wait to try this version for them!
I hope you’ll all enjoy it!
This looks so beautiful and PINK! One question though, what do you eat it with?
Maybe this is boring but I eat it plain as a snack! Or with breakfast. Or as “dessert” as I’m not supposed to be eating any kind of sweetener at the moment. So basically I eat it all day. ;)
I love adding other fruits to our homemade applesauce – but never tried strawberries! This looks fantastic!
What fruit do you like to add? I’ve just tried raspberries and cranberries and I love them both!
I absolutely love this recipe! There would be no leftovers in my house!
Then you’d need to quadruple it! ;)
what a cool idea! I’ve never had it but it sounds like something I would love
Thanks, Theresa! :)
I wonder if they still have strawberry applesauce?! I’m totally wanting to try that! We don’t have a Fridays here but Wilmington does and we’ll be headed back there in 2 weeks! Might have to just use your recipe to make my own before we get there though!
I checked their menu and they don’t. :( (and I think it may have just been on the kid’s menu) So sad! But please go and enjoy some chicken fingers for me. I so miss Friday’s and American chicken fingers!
This is GENIUS. Just, genius. Never thought to make strawberry applesauce!
Thanks! :)
Two of my favorite fruit combined! YUM!! And so easy to make. It never occurred to me to mix apples and strawberries like this and I can’t wait to give it a whirl :)
I hope you’ll love it as much as I do! :)
I could eat such thing alone!
That’s exactly how I eat it! It doesn’t really go with anything else. ;)
What a perfect way to use up leftover fruit! Kids would love this too!
Thanks, Elaine! And yes – I may not have kids but I do have the palate of a 3 year old and I LOVE this applesauce. :D
I used to love strawberry applesauce as a kid – I love how you revamped the recipe to include only two ingredients! I’m definitely trying this! :)
Thanks, Alexa! I hope you’ll enjoy it. :)