15-Minute Blueberry Compote

Blueberries are finally hitting the market, and blueberry compote is the number-one reason to go pick up a pint of fresh blueberries ASAP. It is the absolute best thing you’ll make with a basket of blueberries this summer.

Simply put, this sweet, jammy compote tastes like the color purple. Thickened just enough and spiked with earthy coriander and a squeeze of lemon, blueberries get serious star power. Try it once and I’m certain you’ll keep blueberry compote on repeat all summer long. Best of all, you need just a handful of ingredients and 15 minutes from start to finish.

Blueberry compote is made with a handful of readily available ingredients.

• Fresh blueberries. The best blueberry compote is made with fresh blueberries. While frozen blueberries do work, the result is not nearly as good.
• Granulated sugar
• Ground coriander
• Lemon juice
• Kosher salt

If you don’t already have a bottle of ground coriander is your spice cabinet, this is a great reason to pick it up. Coriander comes from the seeds of the cilantro plant, although rest assured it tastes nothing like fresh cilantro. Instead, ground coriander is subtle and mellow, with an earthy, lemony aroma (which is why it pairs so well with jammy blueberries).

As for other ways to use ground coriander, it’s great sprinkled on roasted veggies, mixed into soups (especially lentil soup and sweet potato chowder), rubbed on steak and spiced salmon, added to salad dressing, stirred into DIY taco seasoning, and mixed into marinades (try it with grilled tofu and grilled chicken), to name a few ideas.

Read more: Inside the Spice Cabinet – Coriander

Thickening blueberry compote requires no more than the fruit, a couple tablespoons of sugar, and time. Yes, it’s really as simple as that! Plan to simmer the compote for 10 to 12 minutes over medium-low to low heat on the stovetop. In that time, the berries will burst, moisture will be released, and the sugars will help thicken the compote. Give the compote some time to cool; this is when it will thicken some more.

From breakfast to dessert, there are so many ways to eat blueberry compote! Here are a few favorites.

• Topped on oatmeal or yogurt.
• Spread on French toast, pancakes, waffles, and Dutch baby pancakes.
• Spread on toast (especially ricotta toast!).
• Added to a cheese or charcuterie plate.
• Served alongside grilled chicken breast, pork chops, and roasted pork tenderloin.
• Spooned over ice cream.
• Served alongside pound cake, angel food cake, Bundt cake, and olive oil cake.
• Spooned over panna cotta.