Every Spring and Summer, I look forward to strawberries popping up all over the farmer’s market. Growing up, my family grew strawberries in our garden, and my Dad still has an incredible strawberry harvest every year to this day. I still have a thing or two to learn about gardening, but I’ve spent so many Summers using up all of the garden strawberries that I’m always surprised when I think of a new way to use them in a cooking or baking project. That’s where this strawberry ice cream comes in! Of course, strawberry ice cream is nothing new – it’s a classic, but not the most intuitive recipe to make at home. Below, I’m sharing my recipe for homemade strawberry and basil ice cream. You’ll be surprised at how simple it is. It’s creamy, delicious, and it happens to be vegan since I use coconut milk!
When I was in culinary school, a portion of our program went over modern cooking and molecular gastronomy and we used liquid nitrogen to freeze ice cream. It was so much fun and it made me want to make homemade ice cream all the time. Don’t worry – I won’t make you track down liquid nitrogen to make this! This recipe is an easy-no cook dessert, it just requires a little planning ahead to ensure you pop your ice cream maker into the freezer to properly chill. I simply blend strawberries, vanilla, coconut milk, fresh basil, and a sweetener like Just Date Syrup, pour it into an ice cream maker to churn, and voilà. After storing the ice cream in the freezer, I like to take it out at least 10 minutes before serving so it’s a little creamier and easier to scoop. If you don’t have an ice cream maker you could try pouring the blended mixture into a freezer safe container to let it fully freeze, you’d just have to take it out at least 20 minutes before serving to let it soften up, and it won’t be quite as creamy as it would be with an ice cream maker. This would also be delicious poured into popsicle molds to freeze overnight!
Vegan Strawberry + Basil Ice Cream
Ingredients
- 13.5 Ounces can of full fat coconut milk I love this version
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 Ounces fresh strawberries stems removed (frozen strawberries could work if you can't find ripe fresh berries)
- 3 Tablespoons sweetener of your choice - use some Just Date Syrup if you can! Maple Syrup or honey work as well.
- 1/3 Cup fresh basil
- Pinch of Kosher salt
Instructions
- The night before you make your ice cream, place the churning bowl from your ice cream maker in the freezer to give it plenty of time to freeze. It won't properly freeze your ice cream if it's not chilled.
- The next day, blend all ingredients in a high powered blender until mostly creamy, leaving a bit of texture from pieces of strawberry.
- Pour into a chilled ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturer's instructions, for me this was about 25-30 minutes.
- Enjoy immediately, or scoop into a container and seal tightly and store in the freezer.
This recipe is in collaboration with my friend Becca of Square Meal Round Table . To celebrate Spring and strawberries coming into season, my friends at Square Meal Round Table and I have organized another seasonal recipe collaboration, #strawberriesarethejam! We’re partnering with chefs, bakers, home cooks, and bloggers all over the world to bring you recipes that highlight the many ways you can use strawberries in your own kitchens at home. Below, you’ll find everything from delicious roasted balsamic strawberry pavlovas, cocktails, tacos, salads, a fun pickling project and more.
Join the fun – show us how you’re cooking, baking, and grilling with strawberries this spring and summer by sharing a photo of your delicious masterpiece and use the hashtag, #strawberriesarethejam !
Square Meal Round Table’s Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Pavlova
The Cooking of Joy’s Strawberry Matcha Cream Cheese Tart
This Healthy Table’s Strawberry Tahini Shortcake
Flours in Your Hair’s Strawberry Milk Donuts
The Wood and Spoon’s Strawberry Icebox Pie
Smart in the Kitchen’s Rustic Strawberry Galette
The Herb and Spoon’s Strawberry-Jam Filled Brioche Donuts
Better with Biscuit’s Strawberry Cobbler
My Kitchen Love’s Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
Sift and Simmer’s Rose Strawberry Hibiscus Mille Crepe Cake
What Great Grandma Ate’s No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Bars (Paleo, Vegan)
A Modest Feast’s Greek Yogurt With Crispy Quinoa and Roasted Strawberries
Hola Jalapeno’s Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Margarita
Worthy Pause’s Strawberry-Basil Shrub Cocktail
Hot Dishing It Out’s Panna Cotta with Strawberry Jelly
Figs & Flour’s Shrimp Tacos with Strawberry Apricot Salsa
Pie Girl Bakes’ Strawberry Ginger Pie
Crumb Top Baking’s Strawberry Chia Jam Oat Bars
The Gourmandise School’s Strawberry Pistachio Salad
Tiny Kitchen Caper’s Strawberries and Cream Pound Cake
Cook Til Delicious’ Mini Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Ganache
Something New For Dinner’s Watermelon, Tomato and Strawberry Salad with Burrata
A Spicy Perspective’s Fresh Strawberry Yogurt Cake
Easy and Delish’s Strawberry Brigadeiros
Plays Well with Butter’s Strawberry Salad with Goat Cheese, Grilled Chicken, & Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette
Katherine in Brooklyn’s Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream
Sugar Salt Magic’s Strawberry Mousse Tart
The Healthy Sins’ Coconut Flour Crepes Topped with Fresh Strawberries and Coconut Yogurt
Lemon Thyme and Ginger’s Strawberry Basil No Churn Ice Cream
Jessie Sheehan Bakes’ Strawberry Basil Turnovers
Bavette Meat & Provisions’ Pickled Green Strawberries
Rezel Kealoha’s Apple Cider Rose Poached Strawberries with Thyme Flowers
Made from Scratch’s Roasted Strawberry and Basil Ice Cream
Eat Cho Food’s Strawberry Basil Glazed Donuts
What’s Karen Cooking’s Strawberry Eton Mess
More Icing Than Cake’s Strawberry, Balsamic & Black Pepper Babka
Well Seasoned Studio’s Classic Vanilla Layer Cake with Mascarpone Buttercream and Fresh Strawberries
Farm & Coast Cookery’s Strawberry & Thyme Shortcake
Marianne Cooks’ Strawberry Madeleines
Clean Plate Club’s Mini Strawberry Bundt Cakes with Lemon Glaze
My Berkeley Kitchen’s Strawberry Kale Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
The Cinnaman’s Rose Hibiscus Strawberry Icebox Pie
Prickly Fresh’s Strawberry Burrata Kale Salad with Pistachio & Lemon Vinaigrette
Maren Ellingboe’s Angel Food Cake with Whipped Cream & Strawberries
Baking the Goods’ Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes
Fufu’s Kitchen’s Vegan Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwiches
Did you make this recipe?
I want to see your delicious creation! Leave me a comment below, and share a photo and tag me on Instagram with the hashtag, #whatannieseating !
LOVING THIS ICE CREAM!!!! will definitely be making it on a hot summer day! xx
Thanks Kylie!! Such an easy and fun project at home. You’ll have to let me know if you make it!
Xoxo,
Annie