Roasted Summer Berries

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Roasted summer berries are next-level delicious. Black raspberries, red raspberries, and blueberries roasted with vanilla bean and sugar to elevate their natural sweetness -a great way to use less than perfect summer produce!

This roasted summer berry recipe is so simple it’s hardly a recipe at all, but I make it often. After the success of my roasted strawberries, I started hanging on to less-than-perfect berries. I ended up with some black raspberries, red raspberries, and blueberries, so I sprinkled some sugar on them, added a vanilla bean, and placed it in the oven.

An hour later, my home smelled heavenly and the mixture transformed into a thick, gooey syrup bursting with berries!

I served the berries in a pretty coupe champagne glass and added just a dollop of vanilla ice cream, but these berries are wonderful on their own. The cold ice cream and the warm berries just make me happy.

If you happen to have any leftovers, these berries were heavenly over waffles the next day. Stirring some into yogurt or a smoothie would also be a beautiful thing. 

Don’t toss the berries. Roast them!

Ingredients //

• Black Raspberries – are a special variety of red raspberries. While blackberries tend to be tart, black raspberries are super sweet.
• Red Raspberries – have a sweet, juicy taste which only gets better when roasted.
• Blueberries – when harvested at their prime are sweet and slightly acidic. When baked the blueberry flavor will literally burst in your mouth.
• Vanilla Bean – helps balance out the acidity of the berries and brings real vanilla flavor to this dish.
• Sugar – helps develop the gooey, compote-like consistency.

How to Make // The Steps

1. Before getting started, be sure to preheat your oven to 400 degrees and seed and scrape the vanilla bean.
2. Next, give the berries a good rinse and put them in an oven-safe casserole dish. Add the vanilla bean and the pod to the dish. Sprinkle with sugar and give everything a toss to combine.
3. Roast in a preheated 400 degree oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The berries will break down, releasing a sweet syrup much like a compote.
4. Serve roasted summer berries with vanilla ice cream.

Tips & Tricks for Roasted Summer Berries //

• Select berries that are almost too ripe but not so ripe that they have gone bad.
• You can use whatever combination of berries or fruits you like. Just be sure the pieces are the same size so they cook evenly.
• Use maple syrup or honey in place of the sugar for a refined sugar-free version.
• Roast berries in a large casserole dish with a deep rim. The more room they have, the less time they’ll take to cook.
• The berries will be extremely hot when coming out of the oven. Letting the berries cool a bit before serving will give the syrup more time to thicken.

Why are Roasted Summer Berries So Good?

• Roasting berries in the oven is a great way to salvage berries that are past their prime especially when you have an abundance in the summer months.
• This recipe contains only 5 simple ingredients and very little prep work.
• These delicious berries are so versatile with so many ways to use them. 
• They’re loaded with fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidants because fresh summer berries are one of the healthiest foods on the planet.

Serving Suggestions for Roasted Summer Berries //

• “Berries and cream style!” Roasted berries pair well with sweet dairy-based desserts. I personally love serving these with ice cream! Using these berries as a topping for cottage cheese and plain or Greek yogurt is also fantastic.
• As a topping for plain baked goods like cheesecake, shortcake, pound cake and angel food cake
• As a spread on toast and crackers or a crusty baguette. 
• Use roasted berries in place of jams and jellies in your favorite recipes.

Variations //

The possibilities are endless when it comes to putting your own spin on this recipe. Add any of the following to the casserole dish along with the berries to shake things up.

• Fresh lemon or orange zest for a bright flavor and a touch of acidity.
• Other fruits such as grapes, strawberries or cherries.
• A touch of cinnamon, nutmeg or pumpkin spice seasoning for fall-inspired flavor.
• A splash of orange liquor or limoncello.

How to Store and Reheat //

Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Roasted summer berries can be reheated in the microwave or the stove. Reheat until just heated through so you don’t overcook the berries.

Make-Ahead and Freezer Options

Freeze in a freezer-safe baggie for up to a year. Thaw and reheat as needed.

More Summer Berry Recipes //

Berry Cobbler with Cinnamon Crunch Topping

Vanilla Berry Lemonade

Berry Almond Tarts

Berry Coconut Smoothie