Made with just 4 ingredients, this homemade vegan Strawberry Jelly is a quick recipe that can be prepared in a blink. This wiggly jelly makes for a perfect after-school snack for the kids – a sweet and delicious treat that is a healthy snack option after a long day at school.
So, get ready to dazzle your kids’ taste buds into delectable heaven!
Do your kids love jelly as much as mine? Then you are in for a treat. Jelly has an unusual appeal surrounding it. Don’t you agree?
Anyone who lays their eyes on a wobbling shape of jelly is sure to burst out laughing. At least my kids do.
There is something special about this jiggly- wiggly treat. Maybe it’s the shape – because it wiggles as it’s shaken – the excitement, the fun, and the happiness that it brings to the house are miraculous!
Is homemade Jelly a better choice
Homemade vegan Jelly is always a better choice than store-bought ones as it does not use artificial colors or flavors or any additives for its preparation. This makes it completely safe and healthy for consumption.
Additionally, it tastes awesomely fresh, superbly attractive, and full-flavored. This Strawberry vegan Jelly has much more to it than just fun and flavor – it’s gelatine-free and completely vegan!
And since it is gelatine-free and uses fresh fruits, it is healthy for our precious little ones too!
Reasons You’ll ♡ Homemade Vegan Strawberry Jelly
This glossy and transparent Jelly will steal your heart with just a spoonful in your mouth! Moreover, it is —
- Quick to prepare and requires no lengthy preparation.
- A perfect make-ahead dessert that delights all ages.
- Requires simple and readily available ingredients.
- Incredibly fruity and excitingly jiggly.
- Smooth and perfectly textured.
- Loved by kids and adults alike and makes for an ultimate family favorite!
The best part is, Strawberry jelly is a stunning add-on to any dessert and can be savored as it is or can be used in a recipe that requires fruit jelly or Jello.
Ingredient list for Homemade Vegan Strawberry Jelly
The ingredients to make everyone’s favorite Eggless strawberry jelly is probably sitting in your pantry. This part explains the role of each element in this recipe.
Strawberries — Fresh organic strawberries, without any bruises, work the best for the jelly recipe. Select the ripe and sweet strawberries for optimum results in flavor and color.
Sugar — I have used Organic raw, unrefined natural pure Cane Sugar for our wiggly Jelly. It’s a natural sweetener with no artificial preservatives, no additives, gluten-free, and vegan.
Agar-agar — I am not using gelatine (made from animal collagen) in our Vegan Strawberry Jelly recipe. Instead, I am using agar-agar as it is a vegan gelling agent used to prepare soups, desserts, and various recipes.
Strawberry extract — Strawberry extract enhances the flavor and color of our Jelly.
Role of agar-agar in Vegan strawberry Jelly
Agar-agar is a plant-based gelling agent derived from red seaweed algae. It is used as a vegetarian alternative to gelatine in preparing various culinary delights.
Agar-agar is available in 3 variations – powder, strands, or flakes. 1 tsp of powdered agar = 1 tbsp agar flakes = 1/3 cup agar strands (cut into 1-inch pieces).
However, remember these points when using it —
- When agar-agar is mixed with warm or hot water, it clusters up. Therefore, never add warm/hot water to avoid this entirely.
- Agar-agar is used in recipes because of its ability to gel. However, when using it during the preparation, make sure to heat it until it reaches the melting point, as any additional heat will destroy its gelling ability.
- While gelatine dissolves in warm water, agar-agar must be heated to set correctly. Agar-agar also sets quickly at room temperature, whereas gelatine must be cooled to set.
- Agar-agar is known to help set the desserts more firmly at room temperature, whereas the gelatine desserts can lose their shape, get soft or even melt away in hotter temperatures. Gelatin-based desserts need refrigeration.
- Agar-agar also renders the dessert its much-deserved charm by making it more attractive and a delight to cut more smoothly.
How to make Homemade Vegan Strawberry Jelly
I love the simplicity of this recipe and have made it several times in my kitchen. All it requires is 5 essential ingredients and the time to set.
Make the strawberry juice — Wash and hull the strawberries. Transfer them to a saucepan with water and sugar. Allow the strawberries to simmer over medium heat for about 20-30 minutes until they become soft and mushy.
Strain the liquid — Line a sieve with a muslin cloth. Strain the strawberry juice through it into a clean saucepan. Use a spoon to press down the strawberries to release all their juices.
Protip — The liquid, in the end, should be clear. Strain again if you see some pulp in the juice.
Boil agar-agar — Bring the strawberry juice to a boil on the stovetop and add the powdered sugar. Keep stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved. Add agar-agar and let the syrup boil for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
Boil it to the point where when you dip a spoon into the vegan strawberry jelly; it coats the back of your spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry extract. This will mask the smell of agar-agar and add a depth of flavor.
Pour and set — Allow the syrup to cool for a few minutes. Keep stirring as agar-agar will start to set. Now pour the jelly into the bowls. Place the cups in the refrigerator and let the jelly set. The strawberry jelly will take a couple of hours to set, but it is best to leave it overnight.
You will know your strawberry jelly is ready when it sways slightly — isn’t that the fun part of this dessert.
Protip — Before placing the jelly cups in the fridge, make sure that jelly has no bubbles because if there are bubbles on top of the jelly, it will set with bubbles. Smoothen the top with a spoon and refrigerate.
Expert tips and variations
Fruit Juice of your choice — Although this recipe uses fresh juice to prepare, you can use any juice you want, whether freshly squeezed or even bottled.
Juice — 1 pound bag/box of strawberries will yield 1 cup of juice needed for this recipe. If you’re a bit short of one cup reason, add water to reach the 1 cup mark.
Sugar-free version — This recipe can be prepared using Stevia as the sweetener instead of sugar. Stevia will make this Jelly a healthy option for adult family members.
For adding a delightful texture — No doubt, the strawberry Jelly at its classic tastes the best, but some freshly cut fruits added to it bring a lot of thrill and flavor.
- For this, let the Jelly set for 30- 40 minutes when it has just started to firm up, and then add the fruit pieces.
- Gently press the fruit pieces into the setting Jelly while avoiding it to break.
- You need to add the fruits to the half-set Jelly because the fruits will settle to the bottom if it is liquid.
Avoid freezing completely — Do not freeze the Jelly to speed up the process as it will ruin the dessert’s texture. It will lose its jelling texture when left to thaw and then turn into a watery soupy mess…..a complete recipe disaster!
Agar-agar smell — Agar-agar has a distinctive smell, but trust me, there is no smell left to the finished product. Moreover, we can easily mask it with the help of the fruit extract that has a pleasing strawberry flavor and aroma.
However, agar-agar gets dissolved in the juice when warmed, and the smell completely disappears.
Cloudy and hazy — Many homemade jellies appear cloudy because of the particles left behind in the juice. You can correct this by filtering the liquid through a fine strainer.
All the small/tiny particles will be collected in the filter, and you will end up with a crystal clear jelly.
Serving our dazzling Jelly
You can go endlessly creative when serving this Vegan Strawberry Jelly.
- You may set it in containers of various shapes.
- You may even cut it into cubes or any desired shapes and sizes. When serving this wiggly treat to the kids, you can even use animal cutters to entice and excite them completely!
- You can also set it in a parfait glass, and while serving, top it with whipped cream and some freshly cut fruits and surprise your guests with the stunning treat!
Let me know what you think!
Don’t hold yourself for too long, and let’s hop into the preparation of this strawberry jelly and throw a surprise to our kids.
Trust me; kids will love to play with it cheerfully while devouring its deliciousness. And the grown-ups will also stealthily slide into their childhood!
Should you make this recipe, please let me know your thoughts by sharing your comment below. And don’t forget to share it with your family and friends.
HUNGRY FOR MORE FAMILY-FAVORITE RECIPES, TRY THESE-
Homemade Vegan Strawberry Jelly
INGREDIENTS
FOR HOMEMADE STRAWBERRY JUICE
- 2 cups Organic fresh Strawberries 1 pound box
- 1½ cup Water
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
FOR JELLY
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Agar-Agar powder
- ½ teaspoon Strawberry extract
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKE THE STRAWBERRY JUICE
- Wash and hull the strawberries.
- Transfer them to a saucepan with water and sugar.
- Allow the strawberries to simmer over medium heat for about 20-35 minutes until they become soft and mushy.
- Remove from heat.
- Strawberries will lose their color during boiling.
STRAIN THE JUICE
- Line a sieve with a muslin cloth. Strain the strawberry juice through it into a clean saucepan. Use a spoon to press down the strawberries to release all their juices.
- The liquid, in the end, should be clear. Strain again if you see some pulp in the juice.
BOIL AGAR-AGAR
- Bring the strawberry juice to a boil on the stovetop and add the powdered sugar. Keep stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved.
- Add agar-agar.
- Whisk until completely dissolved. Let the syrup boil for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat.
- Boil it to the point where when you dip a spoon into the vegan strawberry jelly; it coats the back of your spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the strawberry extract. This will mask the smell of agar-agar and add a depth of flavor.
- Allow the syrup to cool for a few minutes. Keep stirring as agar-agar will start to set. Now pour the jelly into the bowls.
- Place the cups in the refrigerator and let the jelly set. The strawberry jelly will take a couple of hours to set, but it is best to leave it overnight.
- You will know your strawberry jelly is ready when it sways slightly — isn’t that the fun part of this dessert. Serve chilled topped with whipped cream and cut fresh fruit on top.
RECIPE NOTES
Frequently asked questions
Can I set Strawberry Jelly in a pan? Yes, you can. You can use the container of your choice. Instead of using individual glasses to set the Jelly, you can also use a 9x 9-inch pan or a smaller 6×6 inch glass container. A smaller container sets a taller Jelly, while a 9×9 inch pan will set a thin layer of Jelly.If you want, you can also use a bundt pan for the beautifully set Jelly! For this, remember to spray the pan evenly with non-stick spray, including all of its grooves. This will ensure an easy slide-out. However, before removing the Jelly from the pan, always ensure it is completely set, else it might break. Can I use different fruits for making the Jelly? Yes, for sure! The best part of preparing the fruit Jelly is that there are so many combinations and varieties that you can try. You can go extensively creative when preparing the fruit Jelly of your choice by switching out the fruit juice. You can mix and match the flavors by opting for different fruits. You can use
- Blueberries,
- Raspberries,
- Peaches,
- Mangoes, or any other seasonal fruit of your choice.
My agar agar experiments have been a failure. Will try this method..and keep you posted since my girls love Jellies!
Try this method and you will love it!
Thanks, Sonal. 😍😍
This is such a great idea. Can’t wait to try it! Where do you get agar-agar?
Thanks, Christine!
I buy it online from Amazon. Here is the Amazon Link
How come my mixture was hazy instead of a tranparent juice like yours?
Mokshi, that happens if agar-agar was not dissolved well.
Many homemade jellies appear cloudy and hazy because of the particles left behind in the juice. You can still correct this by filtering the liquid through a fine strainer. All the small/tiny particles will be collected in the strainer and you will end up with a crystal clear jelly.
One more thing – Before setting, make sure that jelly has no bubbles on top because it will set with bubbles. Smoothen the top with a spoon and refrigerate to set. 🙂
Hi Ruchi… Thanks for this lovely recipe … Just one question ….before adding the agar-agar, the strawberry juice looks like jelly (transparent) …. how did you manage that … I am referring to Step 5 – before addition of agar-agar.
Pleasure is all mine, Irene. 🙂
That’s the clear strawberry juice that you get after boiling/straining strawberries.
Have updated the recipe with correct picture.
The taste is good. But the jelly of mine is hard. How to solve this?
Dr. Martin,
For how long did you boil the liquid? Over boiling will result in rubber-like texture.
To fix that – Try to reprocess it. Transfer the jelly back to a pan. Add more strawberry juice (1/4 cup) and bring it to a boil. Boil it to the point where you dip a spoon into it while cooking and it coats the spoon. Remove from heat allow it to set.
I was wondering if I could leave the fruit in the jello. I found a recipe for a fruit lasagna and it calls for strawberry jello filled with fruit.
Of course, you can, Madison.
Just make sure the fruit is chopped small. Larger pieces may make it difficult for the jelly to set.
Hello Ruchi
I didn’t get the powder form of agar agar but I got it in strips
Form..the whole packet weighs 39gms..could you share on how to use this instead of the powder you mentioned in the recipe..
Parul, 1 tsp agar-agar powder = 1 Tbsp agar flakes (strips).
I tried your recipe..found the agar agar powder..yummylicious!
Thank you, Parul.
Happy to hear that. 😊
Hello, you mention to add strawberry juice, water, sugar and agar agar in a pan and bring to boil…how much water? Or is it the same as the juice water, 1.5 cups? Thanks in advance!
Yes, that’s what I meant. Strawberry juice that we had prepared earlier.
Sorry for the confusion. Will update the post.
You say mix fruit juice, agar agar, sugar and water; how much additional water please
Teresa, that’s a typo. Sorry about that.
It should have been strawberry juice or water (that I had prepared earlier).
Have correct that.
Thanks for pointing that out.
Hi Ruchi, can we use frozen strawberry instead of fresh ones? Thanks!
Absolutely! Frozen strawberries work great too.
Hi Ruchi,
Agar agar is non vegetarian just saw it’s made of animal bones any Other alternative we can use
Hello Purnima,
Agar-agar is plant-based. It’s extracted from seaweed. Read this article for more info.
Instead of Strawberry juice can i take strawberry crush if yes then how much crush and water should i use to make jelly?
Lata, I haven’t experimented, but I think it should work. But you need to make some vital adjustments to the recipe –
1. Allow the crush to melt then pass it through a fine wire mesh. Make sure the strawberry crush is at room temperature, not ice cold. Follow the recipe from step 8.
2. The color of the jelly depends on the crush. You may not end up with a deep red colored jelly.
3. Use 1 cup of melted strawberry crush.
4. Last and more crucial step- Strawberry crush already contains sugar, therefore the sugar needs to be reduced to 3 tablespoons. Do the taste test and add more if needed. For that, you will dissolve sugar in the melted crush first – do the taste test, add agar-agar and boil.
Do share your experience with me.
I tried this today and it came out very well. I tried with mango juice
Awesome. Thank you for the feedback, Nanda!
So glad you liked the recipe. 😊
Hi, I am using agar agar for first time and I have agar agar strip. can I use agar agar strip? If yes, can you suggest quantity?
Thanks
Shakshi, the recipe calls for 1 tsp of powdered agar, so you are going to use 1/3 cup of agar strands (cut into 1-inch pieces).
I have not tried it yet but definitely will for my dad’s birthday cake! I was wondering though, how long does this jelly stay fresh before it goes funky and off? Thank you 🙂
Serendipity, I store homemade jelly for two weeks in the refrigerator. It stays well.
It can stay longer, but it doesn’t last long in my house, its all gone in 2 weeks. 😊
Perfect! Thank you ever so much 😊
This looks great and I’m making it now to use in my Christmas berry trifle. I thought I had some strawberry or raspberry extract but I don’t. Does it really matter if I don’t add this? I hope not as it’s after 9pm and it’s on the stove now! 😂
Monique, since you are in the middle of your cooking, you can skip the extract altogether. It will not harm the recipe in any way. Either way, the jelly will be used as a layer between the trifle; you will not notice any difference.
Do share your experience with me.
I forgot to reply to you last year to let you know this was a great success and I’m making it again today for our Christmas trifle. I love that it’s vegan and uses fresh berries. Thanks for a fantastic and easy recipe.
Thank you so much, Monique, for the feedback. Glad you liked the recipe. 😊
I have tried other recipes using agar to make jelly but the taste/smell of agar remains, although I’ve never tried masking it with an extract. I don’t have strawberry extract. Can you suggest a different extract? Thank you!
Dee, you can swap strawberry extract with vanilla extract.
Excellent recipe! Look so cute, my daughters loved it, I’ll definitely try your recipe, looks seem easy to make. Five stars for you and thanks so much for this guide!
Thank you!
Hi….Can I use Agar agar strands and how much should I use for this recipe as I didn’t get the powder form in my country. Thank you
Sure you can! The conversion is given in the recipe – 1 tsp of powdered agar = 1 tbsp agar flakes = 1/3 cup agar strands (cut into 1-inch pieces).
Thanks for the recipe!
I know it’s not vegan but would honey work in this recipe instead of sugar?
Thanks, Nicki!
Sorry dear, I haven’t tried this recipe with honey; hence, it’s difficult to comment on the end results.