Blueberry Recipe

Prepare ingredients

Rinse the fresh blueberries and pick out any stems or damaged berries. Zest the lemon then squeeze to measure 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice.

Cook berries

Combine 3 cups blueberries, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons water, lemon zest, and a pinch of kosher salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer—mixture will release juices and the sugar will dissolve, about 5 minutes.

Thicken compote

In a small bowl, whisk 1 teaspoon cornstarch into 1 teaspoon cold water to make a smooth slurry. Once the berry mixture is simmering and some berries have softened, slowly stir in the cornstarch slurry, then add the 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Continue to simmer 1–2 minutes until the compote thickens slightly. It will thicken more as it cools.

Adjust and cool

Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness: add up to 1 tablespoon more lemon juice or up to 2 tablespoons more sugar if desired. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (15–20 minutes). For a very smooth compote, gently mash a few berries with the back of a spoon or use an immersion blender for a few seconds; for chunkier texture, leave as is.

Store

Transfer compote to a clean jar or container. Refrigerate for up to 7 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Spoon warm or chilled blueberry compote over 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt per serving. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon honey and sprinkle about 1/4 cup granola for crunch. Garnish with mint leaves. For a parfait, layer 1/2 cup yogurt, 2–3 tablespoons compote, and 2 tablespoons granola, repeating to make two layers.

Alternative uses: serve the compote warm over pancakes, waffles, ice cream, or spread on toast or ricotta. Reheat gently in a small saucepan or microwave until warm.