Strawberry Panna Cotta

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This Strawberry Panna Cotta is my favorite no-bake dessert! Made with a creamy Greek yogurt base and aromatic berry sauce, it will be a refreshing Summer treat!

Scooping out panna cotta with strawberry sauce with a spoon from a glass.

Strawberry Panna Cotta is one of these fancy desserts that seems complicated to make, but in reality, is very simple.

This recipe of Panna Cotta is a bit healthier than the classic version, as I add some Greek yogurt to the base, instead of using only heavy cream. It not only helps to reduce the calories, but also helps to make the flavor richer and deeper. Also, I don’t put a lot of sugar in the base, because most of the sweetness comes from the strawberry sauce.

3 glasses with Panna Cotta topped with strawberry sauce on a wooden tray.

Berry desserts are my favorite in the Summertime. If you like them too, check out these recipes as well: Strawberry Crumble, No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Recipe, Strawberry Swiss Roll, Vanilla Strawberry Cake, and Easy Strawberry Pie.

Ingredients in separate bowls for panna cotta.

How to make Panna Cotta

To start, mix 1 envelope of unflavored gelatin with 3 tbsp of water and set it aside for a few minutes.

Progress photos of mixing water and gelatin.

In a saucepan, mix together 1 cup heavy cream, ⅓ cup sugar, ⅛ tsp salt, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Cook it over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the sugar is fully dissolved. You don’t need to bring it to boil, but heat it enough to mix all the ingredients together.

Progress photos of adding ingredients into a saucepan for panna cotta.

Turn off the stove and add the dissolved gelatin to the mixture, whisk it until well combined.

Progress photos of adding gelatin to panna cotta mixture.

Then, add 2 cups Greek yogurt and stir it again until the mixture is smooth consistency.

Progress photos of adding greek yogurt to panna cotta mixture.

Divide the mixture between 4 glasses, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a couple of hours until it is firm.

Pouring panna cotta in a glass on a wooden cutting board.

How to make Strawberry Sauce

For the Strawberry Sauce, add 3 cups diced strawberries, ⅓ cup sugar, and ¼ cup of water to a saucepan. Bring it to boil over medium/high heat and cook for about 3-5 minutes until the berries release juices and soften up.

Progress photos of adding ingredients into a saucepan for a strawberry sauce.

Then, pour the mixture into a blender and puree it until smooth.

NOTE: Make sure that your blender cup is heat proof. If it is made from plastic, I would suggest you to cool the mixture off a little bit before you pour it in.

Strawberry sauce in a blander, before and after blending.

After you blend it, pour the sauce back to the sauce pan, and continue to cook for a couple of minutes over low/medium heat. Add a teaspoon of Bourbon.

Strawberry sauce in a stainless steal sauce pan.

Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of water and add it to the sauce. Stir it well for a minute or two, then turn off the heat.

Progress photos of adding cornstarch slurry into strawberry sauce.

Let the sauce cool off then spoon it on top of the chilled Panna Cotta. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for another couple of hours.

Pouring strawberry sauce in a glass with panna cotta.

Tips for Best Results

Making the base. When you heat up the heavy cream with sugar, don’t boil it. You simply need to heat it enough to dissolve the sugar.
Bourbon. This ingredient is just to enhance the flavors. You don’t want to put too much liquor, otherwise it will overpower the original flavor. Also, if you are making this Strawberry Panna Cotta for children, feel free to skip the liquor.
Portions. I like to make bigger portions and divide the dessert between 4 glasses. Although, you can simply split it between 6 glasses or ramekins and just keep the portions smaller.
Serving. When serving, I like to top this dessert with freshly chopped or sliced strawberries to add more freshness and texture.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to store?

You can keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Can I make it in advance?

Yes. I usually make it a day before I plan to serve and keep it covered in the refrigerator.

Can I use frozen berries?

This recipe tastes better with fresh berries as they are sweeter and have the right texture. If you want to use frozen ones, make sure you thaw them first and remove the excess liquid. Also, you might need to adjust the sugar amount because frozen berries might be less sweet.

Can I use strawberry jello instead of gelatin?

No. Strawberry jello doesn’t have enough gelatin in it and too many additional sweeteners and flavors. If you use a jello, your dessert most likely will not set properly.

Can I use other fruit and berries?

Yes. While this recipe is for strawberries, you can use pretty much any fruit or berries you have on hand, like raspberries, blueberries, peach, apricot, mango, cherry, etc.

Panna cotta with strawberry sauce and fresh berries in a glass.

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SaveUpdate Notes: This post was originally published in 2016, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and FAQs in Jul of 2021.

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