This Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet is light, flavorful and oh, so easy to make. Fresh strawberries, basil, water, and a little sugar are all that’s needed to make this delicious and refreshing summer treat.
For the best flavor, use fresh, ripe strawberries. However, you can also make this strawberry sorbet recipe with frozen strawberries. To round out the flavor, a hint of basil is steeped into the simple syrup that lightly sweetens this fruit sorbet.
How easy to make is this recipe? Pretty simple. After a quick spin in the blender, the fruit puree is transferred to an ice cream maker where it churns for an average of 25 minutes until it is perfectly light and airy. Even if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this refreshing dessert. Read on to learn how you can still make this Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet with just a few small adjustments.
Grab your ingredients and let’s get started!
Jump to RecipeA touch of basil for an elegant finish
This Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet recipe calls for a touch of fresh basil in the simple syrup. Adding fresh herbs to fruit is a great way to impart layers of flavor, and the flavor combination of strawberries and basil is a tried and true classic. In this recipe, it’s the subtle hint of basil in the simple syrup that sweetens this sorbet and elevates the flavor of this simple, but elegant dessert.
For this recipe, a simple syrup is made of sugar, water and 7-8 fresh basil leaves steeped in the liquid as it cooks and cools. Once the simple syrup is completely cooled, the basil leaves are removed and discarded. The syrup is then combined with the strawberries and pureed. You can use a blender, immersion blender or a food processor to complete this step.
Personally, I prefer my blender for this step. It makes a perfect puree and it even has an ice function that allows me to make this recipe with frozen strawberries directly from the freezer. Another added benefit to using frozen berries in this strawberry sorbet recipe is that it reduces the churn time. In fact, it cuts down the amount of churn time needed in the ice cream maker by as much as half. If you’re using the no-churn method, starting off with a semi-frozen slush helps this sorbet set a little easier as well. So yes, frozen strawberries are a smart substitute for fresh in this recipe.
Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet – a lighter summer treat
Packed with strawberries, this sorbet recipe is a lighter alternative to ice cream. I love a good ice cream, but my taste buds usually gravitate to the lighter, fruit-forward flavors of sorbets – especially in the dog days of summer. Sorbets can be delicious, and with the addition of the herbal notes of basil, this sorbet is absolutely divine.
If you prefer to keep your desserts on the lighter, healthier side, you may also enjoy my recipe for Heavenly 3-Ingredient Peach Ginger Kombucha Sorbet. Before you jump to the link, I’ll openly admit that there is sugar in this recipe, but it is small in comparison to the fresh peaches and ginger kombucha which make up the two main ingredients in this 3-ingredient recipe.
For years, the natural health benefits of ginger have been highly touted. In 2021, Healthline posted an article that sang the praises of the medicinal properties of ginger and its eleven proven health benefits. Whether you are seeking relief from inflammation, a natural way to improve digestion or combat heart disease, this spicy little rhizome is worth researching and perhaps working into your daily nutrition.
But what about kombucha? If you’re new to the bubbly beverage, essentially kombucha is a tea that is combined with sugars, live bacteria and yeasts that are carefully fermented to develop “healthy microbes” that support gut health – much like yogurt or other fermented foods.
I know there are many who simply can’t get past the vinegar-like taste to determine if the health benefits are really there. Personally, I love the lip-smacking tartness of a good kombucha. And when it comes to the health benefits, I’m a believer. I notice an overall difference in my overall health when I’m routinely integrating it into my diet. In my Heavenly 3-Ingredient Peach Ginger Kombucha recipe, I use Kevita Ginger Master Brew Kombucha.
I love its bold, ginger flavor and appreciate that it is verified non-alcoholic. I also like the fact that you can find it at just about any major grocery store. If you have a favorite ginger kombucha, feel free to experiment. The finished flavor of the sorbet will be a little different, but recipes are meant to be personalized.
I digress. We are here for a good strawberry sorbet recipe. Here you’ll find only strawberries, water, sugar and basil.. And if you’re looking for a good recipe for strawberry sorbet without ice cream maker or a strawberry sorbet recipe with frozen strawberries, you’ve landed on the right food blog.
No ice cream maker? No problem. Do this instead.
Even if you don’t have an ice cream maker, you can still make this Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet at home. You just need to make a few small adjustments.
Follow steps 2-3 as directed below. However, once the fruit and simple syrup have been pureed in a blender, immediately place the mixture in a container in the freezer to chill. Every 30 minutes, give the sorbet mixture a quick stir with a spatula and return it to the freezer. Repeat the process 3 more times. Allow the sorbet to rest overnight before serving. How’s that for simple?
The ice cream maker incorporates a little air into the sorbet as it churns – delivering a lighter, creamier texture. You’ll lose a little volume when freezing and stirring this Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet by hand. It will take longer to firm up, but it will still taste just as delicious!
I hope you give this Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet recipe a try. It’s simple, refreshing and with strawberry season right around the corner here in Michigan, it’s a delicious way to get your seasonal strawberry fix. Enjoy!
Easy 4-Ingredient Strawberry Basil Sorbet
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings10
minutes25
minutes2
hoursFresh strawberries, basil, water, and a little sugar are all that’s needed to make this delicious and refreshing summer treat.
Ingredients
3 cups fresh or frozen strawberries
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
7-8 large fresh basil leaves
pinch of salt
Directions
- Prepare your ice cream maker
- Prepare your ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions.
- Prepare the simple syrup
- Combine the sugar, water and basil leaves in a small sauce pan. Bring the mixture to the boil. Stir occasionally. Once the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear, remove the syrup from the heat. Leave the basil leaves in the syrup and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once the syrup is completely cool, remove and discard the basil leaves.
- Prepare the sorbet
- In large capacity food processor or blender, pulverize the strawberries and simple syrup until a smooth slush forms. Scrape down the sides of the container and move the fruit around to ensure it is completely smooth. If using frozen fruit, this could take a few minutes.
- Place the sorbet mixture into the ice cream maker, add a pinch of salt and churn for 25 minutes. Remove the finished sorbet from the ice cream maker and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
- No ice cream maker? No problem. Do this instead.
- Follow steps 2-3 as directed.
- Once the sorbet is fully blended, add a pinch of salt and place the mixture in a container in the freezer to chill. Every 30 minutes, give the mixture a quick stir with a spatula and return it to the freezer. Repeat the process 3-4 more times. Allow the sorbet to rest overnight before serving.
Notes
- Why do I need a pinch of salt to make sorbet? A pinch might not seem worth mentioning, much less adding to a recipe, but a simple pinch of salt can really enhance the overall flavor of any food – even desserts. Trust me, it’s worth the pinch.
