Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

Are you ready for a dessert that tastes absolutely heavenly and is ridiculously easy to whip up? Then this panna cotta with strawberry sauce is calling your name!

The silky, velvety panna cotta pairs perfectly with the sweet, fresh flavor of homemade strawberry sauce.

Whether you’re looking for the showstopping finale to a dinner party or just a sweet little treat to brighten your week, this dessert is guaranteed to wow everyone at the table.

The best part? You don’t need any fancy culinary skills to pull off this gorgeous dish. Let’s dive right in!

Why You’ll Love This Dessert:

• Super simple and totally foolproof—even for beginner cooks!
• Served chilled, making it perfect for hot summer days.
• A stunning showstopper for any dessert spread or party.
• Quick to whip up with just a handful of basic ingredients.
• Great for entertaining—impress your guests without spending hours in the kitchen.
• Make-ahead friendly so you can prep it well in advance.
• Light and refreshing thanks to the bright, fruity sauce.
• The ultimate delicious combo of silky-creamy and fruity-sweet.
• Super versatile—feel free to swap in your favorite fruits!
• Pure happiness in a glass!

My Best Tips for Success

Bloom the gelatin properly: Be sure to submerge the gelatin sheets one by one in cold water so they don’t stick together into a clump.

Don’t boil the cream: You just want to warm the cream through—don’t let it come to a full boil, or it might curdle.

Get that cute tilted look: Want to serve your panna cotta at a fun angle? Prop the glasses at a tilt inside a muffin tin, lining it with a dish towel so they stay snugly in place.

Prepping fresh strawberries: If you’re using fresh berries, give them a quick soak in water with a dash of baking soda to get them super clean.

Using frozen strawberries: Thaw frozen berries completely before starting, and make sure to pour all those delicious juices right into the sauce!

Gelling sugar ratio: Stick to 2:1 gelling sugar (or jam sugar) so your sauce gets that perfect, luscious consistency.

Cool the sauce first: Let the strawberry sauce cool down a bit before spooning it over the chilled panna cotta, or you’ll melt that gorgeous creamy layer!

Serve it up pretty: We eat with our eyes first! Serve your panna cotta in cute glass jars, stemless wine glasses, or ramekins.

Garnish: Fresh strawberries and mint leaves don’t just look gorgeous—they also give the panna cotta an extra pop of fresh flavor.

Can You Make This Dessert Ahead of Time?

Make Ahead: You can easily make both the panna cotta and the strawberry sauce a day in advance. Just store them separately in the fridge to save yourself time and stress on the day you’re serving it!

Storing Leftovers: Covered tightly, the panna cotta will keep well in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days. The strawberry sauce can also be stored in a clean jar or airtight container in the fridge for several days.

Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing panna cotta, as it can ruin that silky smooth texture once thawed. The strawberry sauce, on the other hand, freezes beautifully! Just thaw it in the fridge when you’re ready to use it.

Recipe Variations

Switch Up the Fruit: Swap out the strawberries for a tart raspberry coulis, mango puree, or even a tropical passion fruit sauce.

Chocolate Panna Cotta: Stir a little melted chocolate or cocoa powder into the warm cream mixture for a rich, chocolatey twist.

Coffee Panna Cotta: Add a shot of strong espresso or espresso powder to the cream mixture—a must-try for coffee lovers!

Coconut Panna Cotta: Swap out part of the heavy cream for coconut milk to give it a fun, tropical twist.

Spices: Play around with spices like cinnamon, cardamom, or even a tiny pinch of chili powder in the strawberry sauce.

A Splash of Booze: A splash of Amaretto or orange liqueur in either the panna cotta or the strawberry sauce adds a gorgeous flavor upgrade (adults-only, of course!).

Vanilla: Use a real vanilla bean (or vanilla bean paste) instead of vanilla sugar for that extra-rich, dreamy vanilla flavor.

Toppings: Sprinkle with chopped toasted nuts, chocolate shavings, or crunchy brittle for a nice contrast in texture.

What You’ll Need for Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

• 600 ml heavy cream (about 2 ½ cups)
• 60 g granulated sugar (about ¼ cup)
• 2 packets vanilla sugar
• 4 sheets gelatin

For the Strawberry Sauce:

• 350 g fresh strawberries (or frozen, thawed with their juice)
• 90 g gelling sugar / jam sugar (2:1)
• 15 g freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 tbsp)

For the Garnish:

• Fresh strawberries
• Mint leaves

Note: You will find the exact quantities and step-by-step instructions below in the recipe card, which you can also print or save as a PDF file.

How to Make Panna Cotta with Strawberry Sauce

How to Make the Panna Cotta:

First, add the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla sugar to the mixing bowl and heat for 7 min. / 90°C (195°F) / Speed 2.

While that’s heating, soak the gelatin sheets in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes.

Next, squeeze out any excess water from the gelatin sheets, add them to the warm cream mixture in the mixing bowl, and mix for 1 min. / Speed 2 until completely dissolved.

Pour the panna cotta mixture evenly into small ramekins or dessert glasses.

Pro tip: I tilted my glasses at an angle inside a muffin tin!

To keep them from sliding around, I tucked a small kitchen towel between the glasses before popping the tin into the fridge. That’s how you get that gorgeous diagonal layer! But of course, you can just fill them straight up, too.

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours (overnight works great, too!) so the panna cotta sets completely before you pour the sauce over top.

How to Make the Strawberry Sauce:

Prep the strawberries:

If you’re using fresh strawberries for the sauce, giving them a quick wash with baking soda before you start is a game-changing trick!

Washing your produce with baking soda is amazing for removing extra dirt as well as pesticide residue.

To do this, add 4 cups (1 liter) of water and 1 tablespoon of baking soda to your mixing bowl, then insert the simmering basket.

Hull the strawberries (pop off those green leafy tops) and toss them into the simmering basket.

Rinse the strawberries for 1 min / speed 8.5. Lift out the simmering basket with your clean strawberries and pour out the water.

If you’re using frozen strawberries, you can skip this step entirely, of course!

Note: If you do go with frozen strawberries, make sure to thaw them first and save all those delicious juices!

Alternatively, you can just place the fresh strawberries in a colander, rinse them under cool running water, and hull them.

To make the sauce:

Add the strawberries to the mixing bowl and purée for 6 sec / speed 10.

Add the jam sugar (or gelling sugar) and lemon juice, then simmer for 12 min / 212°F (100°C) / speed 3.

Let the sauce cool completely, then pour it over your set panna cotta in the glasses.

Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve.

Garnish with fresh strawberries and fresh mint leaves right before serving.

Pro Tip: This strawberry sauce is also amazing over vanilla ice cream, plain yogurt, semolina pudding, rice pudding, and more! Store it in a clean glass jar in the fridge, and it’ll keep fresh for several days.

Enjoy!

Note: You will find the exact quantities and step-by-step instructions below in the recipe card, which you can also print or save as a PDF file.

By the way, the prep times listed are just averages. Everyone cooks at their own pace, and sometimes things take a bit longer or shorter than expected.

Happy cooking!

If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also love my delicious Solero Dessert in a Jar! 🙂

– Christoph

Have you tried this recipe?
If you liked my recipe or if you have any questions or tips about the recipe, please leave a comment and rate the recipe with 5 stars. Tag your picture on Instagram with @thermokoch.de so that I can see it 🙂

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