This blueberry syrup is quick, easy to make, and the perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and so much more.
A batch of sweet and sticky homemade blueberry syrup can take a good breakfast and turn it into something truly memorable and special. And the best part about adding blueberry syrup to your breakfast table is that it’s so, so easy to do.
Homemade blueberry syrup is surprisingly quick and simple to make. All you need is blueberries (fresh or frozen work fine) and a handful of pantry staples. You can make the syrup in about 30 minutes, and most of that is hands-off cooking or cooling time.
Once done, you have a lusciously thick syrup perfect for drizzling over your favorite breakfast foods or desserts. You can even use it in drinks with just a couple of recipe tweaks.
Ingredient Notes
- Blueberries: You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries or substitute whatever berries you have on hand.
- Lemon Juice: I suggest using fresh lemon juice if you can, but you can also use bottled in a pinch.
- Butter: The butter adds richness to the syrup, but you can omit it if you don’t eat dairy.
- Lemon Zest: Lemon zest adds a little extra flavor punch to the syrup, but you can skip it if you don’t have fresh lemons on hand.
- Cornstarch Slurry: The cornstarch slurry helps to thicken the syrup but can be omitted.
How to Make Blueberry Syrup
Optional cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, stir together your cornstarch and water and then set the slurry aside. The cornstarch slurry helps thicken the syrup, so, while optional, I recommend using it if you want a traditional thick pancake syrup.
Dissolve your sugar: In a small saucepan, combine your sugar and water. Once combined, heat over medium-high heat, stirring continuously. Bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Cook blueberries and (optional) cornstarch slurry: Stir in your blueberries and cornstarch slurry into the sugar water. Then simmer until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened. You will know it is thick enough when the syrup easily and thickly coats the back of a spoon.
Add the rest of your ingredients: Remove the saucepan from the heat and add in the butter, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of salt. Strain the sauce if you want a completely smooth syrup, or add more blueberries if you want more of a chunky sauce.
Finish it up: Give your sauce time to cool down before using, and then serve it over something delicious, and enjoy!
Blueberry Syrup for Drinks
This recipe makes a thick syrup that is a perfect topping to pancakes , waffles , and ice cream, but with a couple of adjustments, you can use this recipe to make blueberry syrup for drinks.
To make a simple syrup that will mix easily into liquid, follow the recipe as written but omit the cornstarch slurry and the butter, and strain the syrup before storing. This will give you a thin but richly flavored syrup, perfect for drinks.
How long does homemade blueberry syrup last?
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, homemade blueberry syrup will last for up to two weeks. However, if it starts to look off due to the fresh berries, trust your judgment and discard it early.
Syrup should be served warmed or at room temperature. To reheat, microwave in 15-second increments, stir and repeat until it reaches your preferred temperature.
Can I use another type of berry?
Yes! This recipe works well with blackberries, raspberries, strawberries or even mixed berries.
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Absolutely! Frozen blueberries are a great option when blueberries are out of season, and they are often cheaper as well. No need to thaw before use. Just add them to the pot and they will thaw while they cook.
How do I thicken blueberry syrup?
Cornstarch is what will give you a thicker syrup. A lot of blueberry syrup recipes are simple syrup recipes because they only use blueberries, sugar, and water. This recipe adds a cornstarch slurry in order to make it thick and syrupy which makes it more of an ice cream or pancake syrup.
What are some ideas for using blueberry syrup?
- Pancakes
- Waffles
- French Toast
- Ice Cream
- Cheesecake
- Oatmeal
More Favorite Berry Recipes
- Strawberry Breakfast Cake
- The Best Blueberry Waffles
- Small-batch Blueberry Muffins
- Easy Strawberry Milk
Ingredients
Cornstarch Slurry (Optional for a thicker syrup)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- ▢ 2 teaspoons cold water
Blueberry Syrup
- ▢ 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ▢ ¾ cup filtered water
- ▢ 1 cup fresh blueberries
- ▢ 2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted is fine
- ▢ 1 teaspoon lemon juice preferably fresh
- ▢ 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest optional
- ▢ 1 pinch salt
Optional Mix-ins
- ▢ ½ cup fresh blueberries optional for mixing into syrup
Instructions
Optional Cornstarch Slurry
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water to make a slurry. Set aside.
Blueberry Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook until sugar is completely dissolved, 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in blueberries and cornstarch slurry if using. Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat down to keep the sauce at just a gentle simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened. When ready, it should easily and thickly coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and pinch of salt. Strain for a completely smooth syrup or add additional blueberries for more of a chunky sauce. Let sauce sit for 10-15 minutes to cool before using.
- Serve over something delicious, and enjoy!
Notes
Baked Ravioli is a perfect weeknight meal. It’s easy, requires almost no ingredient prep, and is just so, so good. The ravioli are baked in a quick homemade red sauce with crumbled sausage and then smothered with lots of melty mozzarella. This is a weeknight winner that everyone will love.
I get so many requests for easy weeknight pasta dishes, so to everyone who has sent me this request, today’s recipe is for you.
This is everything you want from a weeknight recipe : easy, low prep, relatively quick. AND a cheesy, meaty crowd-pleaser.
We’re using fresh store-bought ravioli, a homemade red sauce with sausage, and topping it all with melty, gooey mozzarella. Give it a quick bake, and it looks beautiful coming out of the oven, and tastes even better.
Ingredient Notes
- Refrigerated cheese ravioli: Feel free to swap in other ravioli flavors if that sounds good. I prefer to use refrigerated ravioli, but you can use frozen or dried ravioli as long as you cook them according to package instructions before baking.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream adds richness to the sauce, but you can omit it if you don’t have any on hand or replace it with half and half.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: Diced tomatoes can be substituted for a chunkier sauce. If you would like to use canned whole tomatoes, pulse them in a blender or food processor or with an immersion blender a couple of times before cooking.
How to Make Baked Ravioli
Cook the sausage in a large oven-safe skillet until well browned.
If there’s too much fat in the pan for your liking, you can use a paper towel and tongs to soak up some of the fat. Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and crushed tomatoes.
Bring to a simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes.
While simmering, cook your ravioli in a large pot until just shy of al dente, drain, and set them aside.
Add heavy cream, Parmesan, basil, salt, pepper, and the ravioli to the sauce.
Sprinkle with mozzarella and cook in the oven for 15 minutes or until bubbly and beautiful.
Then, serve and enjoy!
Variations
- Baked tortellini: Swap out the ravioli for tortellini.
- Vegetarian baked ravioli: Omit the sausage or replace it with your favorite meat replacement.
- Store-bought sauce: If you’d like to make this with store-bought sauce, replace all the sauce ingredients (from the garlic to the dried basil in the recipe) with a 24-ounce bottle of your favorite marinara sauce and simmer just long enough for the sausage to be cooked through.
How do you store baked ravioli?
Store any leftover baked ravioli tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze baked ravioli?
Yes. Freeze individual portions in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator and then reheat in the microwave.
More Weeknight Pasta Dishes
- American Goulash
- 20-Minute Spaghetti Bolognese
- Penne alla Vodka With Chicken
- Easy Creamy Chicken Pasta With Bell Peppers
Recipe Notes
- This recipe calls for a 12-inch oven-safe skillet. Do not use a smaller skillet (unless it is very deep) because it will be too full to easily mix and bake. If you don’t own a 12-inch oven-safe skillet, you can use any large skillet to make the sauce and then bake everything in a 9×13-inch casserole dish. Spoon roughly half the sauce into the dish, add the cooked ravioli and then add the remaining sauce and mix. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
Equipment
- 12-inch (or larger) oven-safe skillet with a lid*
Ingredients
- ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ▢ 1 pound Italian sausage mild or hot, casings removed
- ▢ 6 cloves garlic crushed with a garlic press or minced
- ▢ Pinch red pepper flakes
- ▢ 28 ounces crushed tomatoes 2 14-ounce cans
- ▢ Salt and pepper
- ▢ 18-20 ounces refrigerated cheese ravioli
- ▢ ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ▢ ½ cup ( 2oz ) shredded Parmesan
- ▢ 1 teaspoon dried basil
- ▢ 1½ cup ( 6oz ) shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450°F.
- In a 12-inch (or larger) oven-safe skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over medium heat and add sausage to the pan. Cook, using a spatula to break the sausage into crumbles, until it is well browned. If the sausage has released a significant amount of fat into the pan, you can drain it or use a paper towel to soak up the excess.
- Stir in garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook over medium heat until the garlic is lightly golden and aromatic, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in crushed tomatoes and bring everything up to a simmer. Turn the heat down so the sauce remains at just a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While your sauce simmers, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil for your ravioli. Once boiling, add the ravioli and cook for 1 minute less than the package instructions recommend.* Drain and set aside.
- After the sauce has simmered for 15 minutes, add heavy cream, Parmesan, and basil. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Gently stir in cooked and drained ravioli until they are completely coated in sauce and evenly distributed around the pan.
- Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top and bake for 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
This fry sauce, which takes less than 5 minutes to throw together and uses just a handful of pantry staples, is the perfect way to take your fries and burgers to the next level!
Are your fries feeling a little boring, your burgers a little lackluster? You should definitely give fry sauce a try.
“What is fry sauce?” You might ask. It’s an easy-to-make condiment that is extremely popular in parts of the US.
Although different versions of fry sauce have popped up all over the world, when most people think of it, they will connect it back to Utah. This Utah state favorite originated from Arctic Circle, an American burger and shake restaurant chain that was created in the 1950s.
Of the many (many!!) fry sauce variations, my favorite is a simple mixture of mayo, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and pickle brine making it a little bit sweet, deliciously savory, and with just a bit of bite from the brine.
Once you start dipping your fries in it or smothering it on your hamburgers, you will never be able to go back!
Ingredient Notes
- Mayonnaise: Any mayo will work for this recipe, including light, vegan, or low-fat.
- Pickle Brine: The pickle brine adds a hint of dill to the sauce, which is quite good, but you can replace the brine with the same amount of distilled white vinegar.
- Worcestershire Sauce: The Worcestershire sauce adds depth of flavor to the fry sauce, but is optional.
- Salt: Since different types of mayo have different salt contents and there is A LOT of salt in brine, the amount of salt needed will vary so add salt to taste.
- Cayenne: The cayenne brings some heat but is also optional.
How to Make Fry Sauce
Fry sauce is actually really simple to make!
Combine the mayo, ketchup, pickle brine, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika in a small bowl. I recommend measuring the mayonnaise and ketchup by weight using a kitchen scale because it makes things quicker and easier (and means fewer dishes to wash).
Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the optional cayenne.
Then, serve and enjoy!
Variations
If you look around the internet, people have very strong opinions about what they like in their fry sauce. This is the classic fry sauce recipe, but to really make it your own, try adding in a little:
- Prepared horseradish
- BBQ sauce
- Mustard
- Pickle relish
- Hot sauce
- Adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
Places to Use Fry Sauce
Fry sauce is obviously great on fries, and my personal favorite way to eat it is as a condiment on burgers, but it would also be great with…
- Chicken strips or nuggets
- Tater tots
- Onion rings
- Hot dogs or Polish dogs
- Fish sticks
How to store fry sauce?
Store fry sauce tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
More Favorite Dipping Sauces
- Garlic Aioli
- Sriracha Aioli
- Chipotle Aioli
- Yogurt Aioli
Ingredients
- ▢ ¾ cup ( 168g ) mayonnaise
- ▢ ¼ cup ( 68g ) ketchup
- ▢ 1 tablespoon brine from a jar of dill pickles OR distilled white vinegar
- ▢ 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
- ▢ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper plus more to taste if desired (optional)
- ▢ Salt as needed
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, pickle brine or vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and paprika.
- If using cayenne, stir in 1/4 teaspoon and then add more to taste. Add salt if needed. Use for dipping fries or as a spread for burgers, and enjoy!
Notes
Homemade Blueberry Syrup
Ingredients
Cornstarch Slurry (Optional for a thicker syrup)
- 1 tablespoon (8g) cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons cold water
Blueberry Syrup
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup filtered water
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tablespoons butter salted or unsalted is fine
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice preferably fresh
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest optional
- 1 pinch salt
Optional Mix-ins
- ½ cup fresh blueberries optional for mixing into syrup
Instructions
Optional Cornstarch Slurry
- In a small bowl, stir together the cornstarch and 2 teaspoons of water to make a slurry. Set aside.
Blueberry Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar and water. Over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a boil and cook until sugar is completely dissolved, 4-5 minutes.
- Stir in blueberries and cornstarch slurry if using. Bring to a simmer and then turn the heat down to keep the sauce at just a gentle simmer. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is reduced and slightly thickened. When ready, it should easily and thickly coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from heat, stir in butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and pinch of salt. Strain for a completely smooth syrup or add additional blueberries for more of a chunky sauce. Let sauce sit for 10-15 minutes to cool before using.
- Serve over something delicious, and enjoy!
