Strawberry Sorbet

Recipe from Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray

Adapted by Amanda Hesser

Updated August 4, 2026

  • Craig Lee for The New York Times
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(1,275)
Comments
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This mouthwatering summer sorbet is an adaptation of one served at the River Café in London. Yes, it calls for an entire lemon (rind and all), but trust us: the sweet of the strawberries and sugar, the tart and bitter of the lemon – it all works together beautifully. —Amanda Hesser

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Ingredients

Yield:Makes 1½ quarts

  • 1 whole lemon, seeded and roughly chopped

  • 2 cups sugar

  • 2 pounds strawberries, hulled

  • Juice of 1 to 2 lemons

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving

31 grams carbs; 119 calories; 2 grams fiber; 1 milligram sodium; 1 gram protein; 28 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the chopped lemon and sugar in a food processor, and pulse until combined. Transfer to a bowl.

  2. Step 2

    Purée the strawberries in a food processor, and add to the lemon mixture, along with the juice of 1 lemon. Taste and add more juice as desired. The lemon flavor should be intense but should not overpower the strawberries. Pour the mixture into an ice cream machine and churn until frozen.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,275 user ratings
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Comments

hl

No ice cream maker? I have had success with sorbets by spreading the pureed mixture in a flat pan (this recipe would probably fit a 9 inch square pan) and freeze until just barely firm. Remove from freezer and break into chunks in your processor. Process until light colored and smooth and immediately return to the freezer until it refreezes. (If you want an even creamier texture, repeat the freezing and processing step one more time.)

Anne Saplin

This has become my "go-to" summer dessert. It's relatively low-calorie, very flavorful, easy to make. My addition: a tablespoon of vodka, to keep the sorbet from freezing solid when it's stored in the freezer a while.

Margaux Laskey, Staff Editor

An entire lemon! Peel and all. I know it sounds crazy, but it's works. Promise.

Liz

I thought it had a bitter aftertaste but my husband LOVED it.

June

Fantastic! Used all organic fruit. Had just 1.5 lbs. strawberries; used frozen mango to make up the difference. 1. Scrubbed the lemon (organic) with hot, soapy water--a long-ago tip from a chef to get rid of acrid surface oils. 2. Cut a small portion of the pith out, as it is the bitterest part. 3. Pureed lemon and sugar in the food processor then transferred to blender to get it even smoother. Added strawberries directly to blender one by one and blended at high speed till completely smooth.

Jen

Made it with apricots! Kinda strange texture but fabulous.

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Credits

Adapted from "London River Café Cook Book," by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray

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